The Washington herald., 1909-06-20
BY Ex-ATTACHE.

such worldwide homage 10 his talent as
that accorded TO Joseph Haydn. in con-
nection with the celebration OF the cen
tennial anniversary Of his death; for it
has been made the occasion of the bien-
NAL meeting in the Austrian capital Of
the congress Of the international Musical
Society, an organization so vast in extent
that Il may be said to stretch from China
and Japan. all across Asia and Europe, to
the western hemisphere. and TO Austria
liza In fact. the gathering Of the con-
gress. to which most foreign nations sent
delegates of musical celebrity. and for
the entertainment Of whom the Austrian
treasury granted a considerable sum OF
money. may be said to have resolved it
self into a glorihcation Of the memory
Of that Croat Slsv. who. born as the
son Of a wheelwright, in a village Of
Lower Austria, has sometimes been de-
scribed here in America as the Robert
Burns Of music"
Among the principal features OF the
festival was the pilgrimage by the mem
bers Of the congress TO Eisenstadt. Prince
Esterhazy's place in Hungary. where Jo-
seph lies buried in the ST. Marie Einsiedel
Church, and where, after the celebration
OF a memorial service, wreaths were laid
by the chief foreign delegates and by the
Austro- Hungarian authorities and socie-
ties upon his tomb This. however. did
not pass of without a somewhat sensa-
tionaI contretemp; for Dr. Lueger. who for
more than twelve years past has been the
burgomaster Of Vienna. insisted upon be-
ing the first 70 pay this tribute 10 Haydn,
instead Of occupying the fourth or NTH
place in the line Of those depositing floral
emblems on his grave. Moreover, as he
laid down the wreath of the city Of
Vienna he exclaimed: Il salute the grave
OF Haydn, who was a good German and
q good Austrian. I salute upon Hun
garian soil the grave Of the composer
who gave US our sacred national hymn.
which is despised in this country
Not content with this anti-AIagyar dem
onstratiOn the doughty mayor Of the
Austrian metropolis, who is renowned as
much for his pugnacity as for his ardent
patriotism. declined 10 attend the grand
luncheon at which Prince and Princess
Esterhazy entertained after the memorial
service all the members Of the congress
at their superb chateau Of Eisenstadt
where Haydn spent a considerable por-
brated private orchestra Of Prince Mich
olas Esterhazy. surnamed the Magnifi-
cent'-the luncheon being followed by the
performance Of several of Haydn's works
IN the very self-same music room where
the composed used 10 conduct his picked
band OF musicians
Lueger's rejection Of the hospitality Of
the EsteThazys was couched in a message
10 the effect that neither he nor his fell
iow-members of the city council of Vienna
could accept the hospitality OF a Hun
garian prince in whose house Haydn S
national hymn. namely. Got erhalte
Franz der Kaiser" Is not allowed 20 be
played. He also intimated that the city
OF Vienna was about 10 institute legal
proceedings for the purpose Of recovering
from Prince EsterhaZy the remains of
Haydn and their return from Eisenstadt
10 Vienna
That this fight for the body Of the great
composer new development Of the ami
mostly between Austria and Hungary-is
about 10 begin is an undoubted fact. For
Burgomaster Lueger and the authorities
and people Of Vienna are very much IN
earnest about the matter. The conflict.
Tor such IL is bound TO be, cannot fail 10
bring 70 light a most extraordinary con-
y.
IT Eisenstadt there is only the headless
trunk of the composer. The head that
was added 70 the remains some weeks
after their arrival from Vienna was not
that OF Haydn. but of a perfect stranger.
The actual head Of Haydn is to-day one
Of the treasures OF the museum Of the
Imperial Society OF Music at Vienna. and
owing to the effect that IL Is suffering
from the ravages OF time IL is proposed
10 inter II in a magnificent tomb, 10 be
erected as a memorial TO the composer,
by the city Of Vienna. The city natural
ly does not relish the idea Of having
only a part Of Haydn's remains in the
tomb which It IS about to erect. and has
therefore instituted a series OF investiga-
tiOns, for the purpose OF ascertaining by
what means the Esterhazys could be
compelled 10 surrender the rest OF
Haydns body. with the view of its re-
lnterment along with the head
From this inquiry It would appear thai
when Haydn died. on the last day Ol
May, in 1909, during the French occupa.
ton of the city he was buried very
quietly IN the Hundsturn Cemetery, tha
Is 10 say, within the precincts of tn,
metropolis Only a few intimate friends
and a score OF French officers, wer,
present az the funeral. az which none o.
the Austrian authorities were represented
A few days after the burial the coffiI
was disinterred and opened. and the hea,
Of the corpse cut of and taken away b.
two well-known scientists Of the day
whose names are a matter Of record. Tn
wig was left in the coffin, which wa
duly returned TO the ground.
Some years later Prince Nicholas Es
terhazy was led by the enthusiasm
aroused through the performance of 9TH
Creation" at Eisenstadt. in the presenc
OF a distinguished audience compose,
OF the mOnarchs and statesmen Assem-
bled in the Austrian metropolis for tn
Congress Of Vienna, to consider the oues
tion of removing the remains Of tn
composer to Eisenstadt. with a view Z
rendering the latter bourn Of pllgrimag
10 the admirers Of Haydn for all time.
Now, according TO the laws Of the day
and which still remain in existence, bodie
cannot be disinterred and removed fror
their tomb without the specific sanction
OF the municipality Of the commune i
which the grave Is situated. But ther
Is no evidence TO show that Prince Mich
olas Esterhazy ever sought or receives
the permission Of the city of Vienna, a
required by law, for the removal Q
HaydEs remains from the Hundsturn
Cemetery 10 Eisenstadt, and the fact ha
been established that the prince man
aged TO effect the transfer solely an
entirely by reason OF his great wealt
and influence. which enabled him. so Z
speak 20 disregard statutory ordinances
At the time Of the remOval-it was 4
IS20-it was found that the body wa
headless. The wig was there, but no
the head which 1t had adorned IN life
Prince Fsterhazv made inoufries and late
a head was sent on from Vienna TO b
added TO the remains. as appears from
letter written by the Rev. Father Frank
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