The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-27
GERMANS PRY
into DIVINITY
Argue That Christ Did Not
Really Exist.
A NEW OPERA HOUSE
VIII Be Rival to the Show House
e which Belongs to the Kaiser.
Ask for Public subscrip-
ti0n to Stock.

A. WI doi Iu.-topctldl.J-- he
holiness of religious speculation in Ger
many is well known. The Germans love
for going back to the beginning of things,
his passion for analysis, his fearlessness
of thought in all domains save that of
politics chiefly account for this boldness,
and from time to time questions are
openly discussed in this country which the
publiclsts, at least in England shrink
from handling. Some years ago the
Kaiser himself astonished the world, by
an elaborate expression in German
magazine of his religious sentiments and
beliefs. Today all Germany, 1t may be
said, Is discussing a series Of lectures,
followed by, candidly worded debates. as
to the personality Of Jesus.
The lecturer, Prof. DR.. Arthur Drews,
is a Monist, a school OF materialists wide
ly spread throughout Germany, and his
lectures are drawing large crowds to the
geological gardens, where they are being
delivered. The papers with an editorial
audacity few American newspaper pro-
prietors would approve, print the same
heading over the reports Of the letters,
Did Jesus Lfve?" and appear to agree
in recognizing in the question the prin-
cipal one of all-that most troubles re-
igiously- minded people of today in Chris
tian countries.
The whole subject, it is right to say,
is being treated both by Dr. Drews and
his clerical and lay commentators in a
strictly scientific spirit which keeps
steadily to historical investigation, the
problem set forth being as to the his
torfcal value Of the evidence available
for proving that Jesus, as known to the
Christian theology, ever really existed.
DR.. Drew's conclusion Is that Jesus,
though he existed, is no man-made God.
but, God-made man, and made out of
mixture of Ideas which were current
among the Babylonians. PerBians, Jews
and Greeks of the centuries Immediately
preceding Christ 1t Is to the Apostle
Paul that DR.. D. Drews like Eduard Won
Hartmann before him, attributes the cur
rency of Christianity, though Jesus him
self was known to Paul, as the apostle
himself admits, and though the Christian
idea existed and was developed long be-
fore Jesus OF history existed.
1t seems pretty certain that Berlin is
to have its second and popular grand
opera house, At present the only grand
opera house is that belonging to the
Kaiser, a stones throw from his palace,
and chiefly maintained out of his private
purse. 1t is small in size, is directed
practically from the palace. from which
played 1t Is troublesome to get seats ON
any desired occasion, and often impossi-
BILE to get them owing to the system of
subscriptions and 1t lies far away from
West Berlin, which has become the res
dental quarter OF the well-to-do middle
classes.
The new enterprise has reached the
point where its shares are being offered
to the public, and 1t is expected that
oNa % f1o In Qiva each
taker of s1250 worth of shares a right
to two seats for all performances will
have great influence on the underwriting.
The auditorium will be the largest In
Berlin and the structure will be fitted
with the latest appliances. Prices will
be cheaper than those at the Royal
Opera, and all sorts of public tastes are
to be consulted.
The house will seat 200 people. From
sales of seats, which are to range in
prices from Is cents to 81, an annual rev.
enue of 100000 is expected. Restaurant
and cloakroom privileges and other con-
cessions are counted upon to produce an
other s125,00o. Operating and managerial
costs are estimated at 100000. If the
plans are realized the company holds out
the hope OF dividends on the basis OF
1000 net profits per annum.
The Grand Opera is to become the
avowed rival of the Kaiser's royal estab-
lishment. 1t is to cater primarily to the
wants of 1.-The people The building
and appointments are to be architectural
ly pretentious. They will be designed
as the result OF a prize competition, In
which Germanys and Austrias most
eminent architects have been asked to
participate To give the opening next
year appropriate eclat Caruso will be en-
gagged for fortnight's repertoire per
formances, and arrangements are pend
ing for the first German productions Of
Wagner's 'sPsrsifal' ever given outside
the classic precincts of Bayreuth
The manager Of the Grand Opera will
be Herr Angelo Neumann, now director
of the German State theatre at Prague,
Bohemia.
German artists generally are watching
with Interested amusement the develop
nent of a secession within the Secession.
The "crisis arose in this way:
For several years the well known por-
trait painter, Max Liebermann, who with
some of his colleagues broke away from
the Royal Academy of Arts and by so
doing seriously angered the Kaiser-a
supporter of tradition in art as in every
thfnr-has had the direction of the Sc
cession and fulfilled his functions to gen
eraI satisfaction OF late. however, he
seems to have Identified himself with the
views of the business manager OF the
Secession, Herr Paul Cassirer. more
closely than was agreeable to the young
err group Of secessionist artists. and the
latter, accordingly voted four OF their
number on to the board OF directors
without giving warning of their inten-
ton.
Their object was to lessen the influence
of their seniors and to secure the priv
ilege of exhibiting as many works as
their elders. The seniors did not APP
prove the younger artists coup d'etat
and resigned their offices, eventually re-
firing from the Secession altogether.
The step is notable, for those who have
seeded are the original founders OF the
secessionist movement, and It remains to
be seen whether the younger school who
are now in command will be able to con-
tinue the movement The leaders of the
recent revolt are the artists Beckmann,
Won Konig, Kobe and Kurt Hermann.
The seceders include Liebermann. sle-
vost, Corinth, Gaul Klimsch, Breyer,