The sun., 1902-03-09
MISUNDERSTANDING MUSEUM
INSTITUTION TO WINCH THE
KAISER HAS MADE a GIFT '
=. =. S.,,o,s, I'm It's Charscter - Designed
TO Illustrate Germanic Life From
The Earliest Time Its Value ana
U.r,ard's Fitness To BE Its Home.

c.unnIpoE. Mass, March s.-Prince
Henrv,s visit to Harvard has renewed
In,erest I'm the Germanic Museum. The
tdca originated abo ut FIVE years ago With
-rof. Kuno Francke Of Harvard. The
proposltion was warmly supported by the
Visiting Committee to the Germanic de-
partment. OF which Henry W. Putnam
Of Boston was the head.
A sum OF money was raised by an appeal
10 friends OF the university and placed in
the hands OF the Treasurer Of the corpora
ton. Later It was suggested to the Ger
manic department that such collection
might very properly enlist national in
forest.
Il was recalled that more than eighty
years ago Goethe sent TO Harvard as a
mark of his esteem for the oldest of Ameri-
can colleges, a gift Of his writings; that a
few years later the first German professor
ship established in any American college
was founded at Harvard: and that the trans
cendental movoment-centring more or
or less about Harvard and ultimately so
slgnificant In the moral and literary life
of this country--was in many ways based
on German philosophical thought. These
things, 1t was argued, made Harvard
natural centre not IOI u iOCdi bo' iva "eN
tional German museum.
The idea having been accepted with the
greatest cordiality by the officers OF the
university and OF tho German depart
ment the present Germanic Museum Asso-
citation, which this week received Prince
Henry as its guest, was formed. Carl
Schurz Of New York was elected Presi-
don't. Mr. Putnam was made chairman
Of the Board Of Directors, on which Harvard
was represented by Prof. George A. Bart
lett, Prof. II. c. G. Won Jagemann. Prof.
Francke and Prof, Hugo Mdnsterberg,
Among the Vice Presidents are Gustav
Won Bezold, director Of the Germanic Mu-
scum in Nuremberg, after which the present
Harvard museum Is largely 10 be modelled;
Arthur Won Briesen Of New York; Carl
Buenz, the German Consu-General in New
York; Prof. Carpenter of the German de-
partment OF Columbia University; Prof.
Collitz OF Bryn Mawr; Prof. G0bel Of Leland
Stanford University; Prof Hiprecht Of tho
University OF Pennsylvania; Prof. Noss OF
the University of Wisconsin, Prof. Wood OF
Johns Hopkins University, and, among
others, men like President Roosevelt, whose
interest in German studies is well known;
the German Ambassador, Baron Won Hol-
eben, with the American Ambassador at
Berlin, Andrew d. White; William I Har-
ris, United States Commissioner Of Educa-
tion; President Eliot, Frederick p. Fish,
President of the American Bell Telephone
Company; Charles Godfrey Leland, still
strong and vigorous in the Italian home
which he has made for himself in Florence,
though remembered as the earliest Ameri-
can translator of Heino and even more
widely as the nimitable author Of the Hans
Breitmann ballads.
The dues of annual membership were
placed at 81, with s25 for life membership,
and Frederick \. Goodwin and Herbert
Small of Boston were chosen respectively
10 lie Treasurer and Secretary with corre-
spending secretaries In Washington, Mil
San Francisco. st. Louis and New York
As Is well known from series OF de-
atches which have reached this country
from the other side Of the water, the move
ment has enlisted the sympathy and In a
terest of the German Emperor from the
start. The degree granted 70 DIR. Won
Holeben a short time ago, following the
precedent set in the previous degree to
NJ. Cambon, the French Ambassador, is
understood to have greatly pleased the
German court.
The late Hermann Grimm, perhaps the
best-known German art critic OF the present
generation, wrote to Prof. Francke shortly
before his death intimating that the uni
versity might expect some such gift as was
received this week, although at that time
il was not supposed that it would be so
rich in valuable objects and SO compre-
hensive OF German art as whole; for the
gift, as il has finally developed may he
considered in some respects as museum
In itself, illustrating as 1t does by principal
objects the general course of German art
The Germanic Museum, is not confined,
however, 10 the art and civilization of
present-day Germany. The name Teu-
tonic museum, indeed. might perhaps con-
vey 20 most persons stricter notion OF its
As the official statement of the associa-
tion defines II, the collections will deal with
the history of civilization not only in Ger
many, but also in Scandinavia, Denmark,
the Low Countries, German Austria,
the German csntons Of switzerland and
even the England of the Anglo-Saxon
period and gifts and contributions COM
plementing the German Emperors present
are expected, II is understood from other
countries and other nationalities,
Generally speaking, the scheme of the
museum as conceived by the association,
is similar to that of number Of national
museums In Europe; FOR example. the
Germanic Museum at Nuremberg, the
Swiss Museum at Zurich, the Morse Muse
um at Copenhagen, the Hotel de Cluny
at Paris. Models and reproductions,
either plastic or Photographic, of typical
work illustrating Germanic life and char
scter from the earliest times to the present
day from the Viking boat and the Anglo
Saxon hall 10 the national monument on
the Niederwald, will naturally be the first
acquisitions.
From the very beginning. however,
II il proposed to make an effort TO secure
originals, also; weapons and costumes,
Implements and utensils; engravings 10
Illustrate the art of the engraver or TO
show the customs Of a period; books illus
trating the history of printing; paintings
sculptures and carvings Of real value,
artistically or historically. In selecting
objects there will be strict adherence 10
the principle Of avoiding that which is
merely striking or curious and Of securing
oply what is typical and characteristic.
Prof. Munsterberg, at whose house
the directors NJ the association received
Prince Henry, has been second only to
Prof. Francke In the value Of the assistance
which he has rendered 10 the new Germanic
museum. Even more than Prof Francke
indeed, he has been nblc to emphasize
its national character, not az mere Harvard
Museum, but as one in which the interest
80 ayarvhndy In the rp,intry 1vbnt L..