El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-12
ANCIENT
FRESG0ES IN
GHURGH
Mural Paintings of Great
Antiquity Discovered in
Germany.
MANY AMERICANS AT
A WAGNER FESTIVAL

Berlin, Germany, Aug. 12.-The IN
covering of an utterly unsuspected set
of 10Th century mural paintings dur
ing a renovation of the ancient Ger
man Monastical church at Frankfort
on-Main has been crowned by the dis
covery of an original self portrait of
the celebrated German painter Albrecht
Durer. considered here as an artistic
event Of the first magnitude
The artist is shown in long mantle
and feathered cap, brush and palette
in the left hand and in the right
square tablet with a Latin inscription,
stating that the picture is the work OF
A1brecht Durer. and the date 1926.
Found On Walls of Old Church.
The frescoes are found on the walls
of the sacristy of the church. which
for years were thought to bear only
q simple tapestry pattern, until skilfu1
cleaning and restoration showed the
supposed tapestry, design to be really
a set of elaborate and surprising
paintings From the inscription on the
Durer portrait and internal and his
torical evidence, it is thought that the
decorations were the work of scholars
of Durer. carried out under the super
vision of the master, who capped the
work with his own brush during a
visit to Frankfort in 1925. Details of
the portrait and the Characteristic in
Scription tablet, found in other Duref
paintings, leave no doubt of its genu-
ineness. Only q part of the complete
decoration has been revealed by the
renovation, this including a St Chris
TOPPER, recalling Durer's painting OF
the same subject of 1911, a st. George
and heads of the emperor Henry II
and his consort Kunigunde, the bodies
of which are still hidden under the
CRIME and dirt of the centuries
Rebuke for Pastor.
Four companies of the queen Eliza
beth guard regiment attending ser
vices recently at the Luisen Eyangel-
zeal church, in the aristocratic suburb
of Charlottenburg, arose during the
sermon and marched out Of the build
ing. their action for a moment threat
ening to create a panic among the 9TH
er worshippers. who feared that fire
had broken out
The retreat however, was ordered
by the officers as a demonstration
against the utterances of the pastor.
DR. Kraatz. who in his sermon was de-
tending pastor Jatho, the Cologne d.
heresy, after q trial which has ex-
cited the interest of all Germany for
several months.
Pastor Jatho denies the existence of
q personal Deity, teaching instead the
existence of a primordial force, which,
perhaps. as eternal reason and direct
ing wisdom, presided at the creation.
or perhaps first became manifest and
active in the human mind; disclalms
~ All, - and 0n1lfS from
his sermons all reference to a future
life, because he has come to no certain
conclusion on this subject He has,
however, many a6mirers among the
liberal clergy in Germany, and his
conviction for heresy was received
with intense disapprovaI in wide cir
cles in Germany, a national subscrip-
ton being started to enable him 10
carry on his work
DR. Kraatz's sermon, in which he
sharply criticized the authorities who
convicted pastor Jatho, and declared
that they were trying to gag the free
voice Of the church, will probably Lead
to. his trial. his utterances having been
denounced to the church authorities
Immediately after the services Tnls
will strengthen the agitation against
the connection of church and state in
Prussia, the church being state In
etitution to the support of which an
who cannot prove other affiliations are
compelled to contribute
Many American Visitors.
American visitors were in force In
Bayreuth at the opening of the Wag-
ner festival. in which more intense in
terest than ever was shown by music
lovers this year, in consequence of the
introduction of a new stage setting by
Siegfried Wagner Of the "Meister-
singer
The first days performance was at
tended by one of the most brilliant
audiences ever gathered together In
the small Bavarian city, solely devoted
TO Wagner and his works. One well
known figure was missing, however,
that of Frau Cosina Wagner, who,
although enjoying remarkably good
health, had decided not to be present
this year The queen of Wurtemberg
was there. as well as the grand duke
and grand duchess OF Baden, while
among other royal personages were
the hereditary prince of Reuss and
the prince and princess of Coburg-
Gotha-
On this occasion the tsar of Bull
raria. who has hitherto been regular
attendant was kept away by the
Balkan situation. Prominent COM
posers. critics, singers, actors and mu-
sic stuents. including many from
various American colleges, made up the
cosmopolitan audience. The new set
ting of the sMeistersingeT appeared
to meet with general approval ana the
festival began with marked enthusiasm