New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07
SCHILLER IN NEW-YORK.
Why Germans LoUe Hinl-To Cele-
brate Centennial of His Death.
ENor Mberty man is created: hos free


Though letters around him be clinking-
Lei me cry or the mob never terrifv thee,
Beware of the slave when he breaks from his chain,
But fear not the free who their freedom maintain.
These lines from Schiller may explain in
way why the centennial of his death is to be
honored by public services the world around.
They show to some degree how dearly he loved
freedom, the freedom of conscience, Of mind and
of body; and they tell why he is so beloved by
his kinsmen, whether they live in Germany,
Samoa America They also illustrate the
cause Of his greatness among other peoples, and
make it easy to understand that at the various
celebrations which are to be held in his memory
eulogies viii be offered not only by Germans,
but by men Of every other who prize lib
erty.
In the three days festival which will be held
In this city, beginning tonight, the peculiar
characteristics of the fame OF Schiller will be
well exemplifed- At Carnegie Hall tonight
special honor will be accorded to his lyric genius.
Songs Of which the words were written by the
poet viii be sung and of them. The Lay
OF the Bell an oratorio by ROmberg, will be
presented by a chorus of 800 voices. The chorus
win be recruited from the United German Sing
ing Societies. and Will be assisted by Mrs.
Coriune Rider Kelsey, soprano; Mrs. Paula
Woehning, contralto; William II. Reger, tenor;
and John Bolze and Emil Fischer, Dassos to-
Among those who viii speak VIII be Mayor Nc
ClelIan. a bust of Schiller. modelled especially
for the occasion, Will look down on stage and
auditorium. Tomorrow night the dramatic
spirit of Schiller is to be invoked in an appro-
priateIy spectacular manner Some of the more
famous scenes from his works to be repre-
scented in tableaus, which viii be borne through
the streets floats in a great tOrchlight pro-
cession. It is estimated that 10000 Germans
will march in line On Tuesday afternoon the
literary beauties of Schiller viii be especially
honor6d. Exercises are to be conducted at Co
Iumbia University, when Carl Schurz will pre-
side, and President Butler. Of the university;
Professor W. H. V. Carpenter, of the depart
ment Of Germanic philology; lido Brachvogel.
the German poet, and Heinrich Conried director
of the Metropolitan Opera House, will speak
Tuesday is May 8, and it was on May 9, 1905,
that the poet died.
Tomorrow evening Schiller memorial meet
ting will be held under the auspices Of the
Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, in Asso-
citation Hall. Brooklyn, Ex-Mayor Charles A
Schieren viii preside, and addresses will be
made by Professor John a Coar and the Rev
Dr. John J. Heischmann and the Brooklyn Arion
Society will sing.
Germany has produced greater intellects than
that Of Schiller, but none that were actuated by
nobler motives The virtuous character of his
nature Eliminates all his works. and has won
for him a peculiar reverence among his people.
II made him optmist, S may be seen in the
following lines, which, like those quoted above,
are from his Ideals and Life:
And Virtue is than empty sound
II in life be made real
Man often may stumble. before it be found.
StilI. he obtain his ideal
And that which the sageS of ages ne'er knew
Can be done by the mind that is chdlike and true
Critics Of Schiller accuse him Of being skep-
tic and they have said that for this reason his
view of mankind was narrowed. 1t is true that
Schiller was not a ConfOrTnist, that he did not
sttend church frequently, nor profess orthodox
views concerning life and death, yet these facts
have been said to show the broadness rather
than the narrowness Of his mind He hated the
Bnes Of creed and sect, and therefore worshipped
without their restrictions. His love of liberty
chafed at such limitations Another verse from
fhe poem already referred to contains these