The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-27
IRON VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG

From letter by Henry Watterson in
 the Louisville Courier-Journal.
 IN America we are not old enough to \ realize history and to cherish heroes, x nor artistic enough to turn what local advantages we possess to account In beautifying and decorating our cities. Time will probably cure this. In Europe they personaize whatever may have, or may be made to seem to have, individual interest. Thus they name their streets and decorate their parks and public places with statues of their great men. Often these are unknown to the world at large. Yet they serve to make the town beautiful and to cultivate and popularize the sense of patriotic aspiration and pro- ductive emulation.
 The public spirit which preserved Old Nuremberg intact could have had no thought of commercial profit, or forecast of the tourist and the show. It sprang from the inner lights of local pride, and an artistic realization of historic propor- ton and values. Instead of tearing down the ancient landmarks to make way for modern enterprise and the convenience of 
 contemporary development. they built their new town around the old town, pro- ducing a most extraordinary effect.
 This new town, outside the walls, Is twice as large as the old town within them. It is a handsome and prosperous city, wholly up-to-date. But, nowise ob- structing trade, the wondrous old city stands as it stood 300 years ago. Where required streets pierce the walls. Girt by these, the Nuremberg of the four teenth and fifteenth centuries goes on in strasse and gasse and turret and gable; its castles, churches and temples as they were when Barbarossa made his head quarters in the Kaisarburg and the Gold en Bull of the Emperor was read from the tribune of the Rathaus; when Adam Kraft and Peter Visscher builded and Albrecht Durer painted; when Margrave and Bur grave contended which should hold the citadel and work the hinges of the Iron Virgin.
 There is a line of street cars completely circling the line of defenses. These are attended by a continuous dry moat, over which, where the streets intersect the walls, bridges cross and recross, connect ing the old town and the new. neither in- terfering with the other On the contrary the two are welded and blended into one. The sluggish Pegnitz, slipping along past here a warehouse and there fortress, d. yides the city into two very nearly equal parts.
 The Burgrave's castle, with its Penta- gonal Tower and Walpurgis chapel, take if for all in all, is the most thoroughly medieval thing in Europe Tnere aie' as I have said, bits of the middle ages here and there quite as old, but none so extensive and well preserved. It IS as large as the old Schloss at Heidelpurs' The Castle of Chillon-even the Castle or St Anpelo-has not dungeons quite so deenlv and darkly hidcous. not walls so impenetrable, nor labyrinths so devilish. T wandered about and about for half | an hour trying to find an entrance to the castle keep. The court yards conglomera-
 lions of debris and verdure. seemed to
 deserted tenantless, not soul in sight
 to answer question. or point the way.
 Lotering along an alley winding up the hill a party of blooming half-grown girls
 came chattering from the heights above,
 involved their good office in very bad German. They blushed and stammered
 and then ventured an English word or two, each prompting the other, the rest | immensely amused by this, the first prac- tical application of their high school
 curriculum. It was very pretty. Present l
 utter their words slowly. yet with pre- cision, and very little accent, volunteer ing to escort the two of us to the dool