The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-20
Non-Commissioned Officers.
Portayins Of Caste in germany


In less than five months after its
| first performance at the Leasing the
atre, in Berlin, Beyerlein's military
| play of "Zapfenstreich' had been act
ed over 1.50O times in various German
cltles- Its success was sudden, en-
thusiastic, enormous" declares the
Paris Illustration, "and IL stiu contin-
ues-" The military authorities contrib
uted 10 this success, thinks the Paris
periodical, when they forbade the Off
GERS stationed in the Berlin garrison TO
attend the Leasing theatre. Yet on the
first night the German crown prince,
with several officers OF his suite, had
attended the performance In civilian
attire When Emperor William heard
OF that he banished the officers of the
princes suite 10 distant gerrisons and
Kept the prince himself under lock and
Key for eight days THE play itself"
says the Paris Gaulois, has among its
original features the circumstance that
all It's male characters are military
men. 1t is evident that the author
knows military men profoundly" And
on the occasion OF the first perform
ance of the piece in Paris last Feb
ruary, the Journal deS Debats declared
that Zapfenstreich''-the term is
transferable as taps" or retreat or
tattoo was the most moving pre-
sanitation of the military theme ever
staged The following is a brief out
SerSeant-maJOr Volkhardt is "A model
non-commissioned officer and an ex-
ample To all his fellows, one of the type
10 whom Napoleon referred as his old
trumps he is esteemed by all. In a
little garrison town close to the French
frontier, he leads q family life after
the German fashion, within the bar
racks His daughter. Clara. lives with
him. He thinks of soon marrying her
"A brave hi
big, a young nOn-cOmmissioner officer,
VINO has spent several months at a
school IN Hanover and who is to return
the very day on which the scene opens.
Clara imDlores her father to POSTPONE
the marriage. The real source of en-
barrassment is soon made known TO
US Lieut.. Lauffen is her lover
when Otto Helbig arrives and essays
TO kiss his betrothed, and when Clara
repulses him, he is smitten to the heart
with keen jealousy. He questions his
comrades and the name Of Lauffen is
mingled with the obscure hints given
him.
Lauffen, son of great nobleman. is
tne pivot OF the play. He is proud OF
his caste, and readily treats all social
lists, of whom Helbig is one, as animals
and pigs. He is very fmperious
very disdainful to the troopers placed
under his orders. But he is as severe
TO himself as he IL to them To him
the whole affair with Clara is a love
intrigue of purposeless kind. The
idea does not occur to him that he can
possibly have toward this girl he has
led astray any obligations of q per
nahent kind. He has discTeetly limited
as much. She INDUCES in no reproaches
ana cheriShes no Illusion. She gave
herself freely and she asks in return
neither pledge nor promise.
Now comes the theatrical climax that
makes such sensation. Someone
knocks at the door. Clara takes
refuge in the Heutenant's bedroom.
Then we see Helbig enter He is pale
with rage and anxiety. The situation
IS poignant. He asks for explanations
But the professional mold is 50 strongly
stamped upon Helbig that in spite of
the rage that inwardly fills him he does
not wholly forget what he owes to his
superior officer And the little
speeches which. in choked and treu,h-
ling tones, he makes TO the other are
models Of truth and realism Lauffen
assumes a lofty tone The conversation
grows Venomous. Helbig is furious at
last.
He goes toward the bedroom, Lauffen
bars the way. He raises his sword
The weapon falls and a line of blood
appears on the on-commissioned Of
ficer's forehead. Lauffen does not stop
with this sanguinary proceeding He
calls the adjutant on duty and point
claims.
Take him to prison. He attacked
In the ensuing scene we are intro
duced TO court martial. This affords
NJ. Beyerlein a new opportunity to OUT
line few military probes. There is
the president of the court-dry, clean
shaver, parchment faced. resembling
Moltke. There is the taciturn councillor
and the srandiioquent councillor, GER
tain Count Won Lehdenburg. Helbig.
examined, VIII not aflude TO extenu-
ating circumstances. For the sake of
the whole world he would not reveal the
weakness or a young girl nor dishOnOr
her aged father. Lauffen, summoned
to testify, plays the same part. The
Judges are determined to ascertain the
truth. They summon the brave Vo1k-
hardt, who has no suspicion Of his mis-
fortune. Finally Clara appears. 10y
ally, spontaneously, she proclains her
love for Lauffen, avows that she is his
mistress, confesSes that she was
hidden in the lieutenant's bedroom. At
the revelation Volkhardt collapses into
q chair. But he springs at once to his
feet with the grim energy of the sol
der who will not let himself be beaten
This brings US to the scene which has
led TO the most heated discussion
among the cities of Cfermany-the scene
which, according to the Poster Lloyd
6Budapest), gave greatest offense to the
military authorities in Berlin. The
spectator is beholding the final scene in
the last act-the apartments of Lieu
tenant Lauffen.
VOlkhardt (enteTs and assumes a for
NAL military attitude. A long pause.)
LaufTen Gin constrained tones)-You
wished to speak to me, sergeant ma
jor?
Volkhardt (thickly)-At your service.
lieutenant. 1 waited outside-in the
dark myself-for the light to appear in
here Then I said to myself now's the
time, now you can go inland so I'm
here.
Lauffen-Yes-and, sergeant major.
we have something to tell each other.
Volkhardt-At your SERVICE lieuten-
ant-we have.
Iauffen-Y es-ahemi Sergeant ma
Jor. have done you great wrong-a
wrong that can not be righted. But
rest yourself, sergeant major-you're
not on duty now.
(Volkhardt lays aside his cap.)
1auffen-Yes-sO, sergeant major
beg you to forgive me for the wrong I
have done you'll ask it sincerely and I
even implore you to forgive me now.
Upon my honor, sergeant major. I
would give anything-anything II
could undo all this.
Volkhardt Cthickly)-But that is out