El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-18
IS GREATEST
MONUMENT
IN EUROPE
Germany Dedicates a State
ly Shaft to Commemorate
NapCleon's Defeat.
NOTABLE GATHERING
ATTENDED EVENT
EIPsIC. Germany. d. 1S.-On

EIPSIC, Germany, oct. 1S.-On the
field of the Battle of the Ma
H. tions," where just 100 years ago
the defeat of Napoleon by the Allies
virtually resulted in the liberation OF
Germany, there was dedicated today
one of the most imposing battle monu-
mentS in the world The ceremonies
were notable even in this year of his
toric anniversaries in Germany.
The sOVereignS OF Austria, RUSSIA
and Sweden, the nations that 1ouSht
with Prussia to break the power OF
Napoleon in Germanic Europe, sent
their personal representatives and all
the federated princes and mayors OF
the German empire were present Ihelr
host is king Frederick August Ill OF
SaxOny. sixth in line of direct descent
from that king Frederick August l.,
who fought with Napoleon against the
Allies on the decisive day, and who
himself, vainly appealing for terms, was
taken 10 Berlin and kept virtual prls-
Oner for three years
Largest of European Monuments.
The structure dedicated is today by
far the largest and highest in Europe.
1t stands just south of Beipslc, near
Probstheida. the village out of which
the Allies drove Napoleon on Oct. is.
1913, the decisive day of the Battle or
Nations" The fight had then ragged for
six days between the Austr1anS, Prus-
SLAMS Russians and SWedes on the one
ons and Wurtembergers on the other,
when the deciding day came. On the
following day Napoleon abandoned the
contest, leaving behind $4,000 of his
army of 5000 men, 5000 of them
dead. The Allies, at loss of 51.OOO
from a total strength of about 3OO,OOOi
had made Germany free from foreign
domination to the banks of the Rhine.
The idea of a monument on the bat
tlefield was preached in the following
year by Ernst MOritz Arndt. and found
support from a number OF prominent
Germans and from a Russian diplomat
An organization was formed at Leipsic
to keep alive the memory of the battle,
but a king in captivity furnished
grounds for abandoning the movement.
The monument idea came up from time
to time in the succeeding years, and
in 1853, on the 50th anniversary of the
battle, the foundation stone of monu-
ment was laid.
Then came the wars OF 1854, 1856 and
1901, and it remained for the Ger
man Patriots association, formed in
Leipsic in 1894, to take the matter up
and carry it to a successful conclusion
Four years later the necessary money
had been raised. a design by professor
Bruno Schmitz had been accepted, and
the first sod was turned for the work
on Oct IS, 1898.
The monument stands on a hill about
100 feet above the level Of the sur
rounding country. It is approached by
AlA5alL VI 44V olGpS AANN II III =
the base of the monument at the head
OF the stairs is an imposing relief, $50
feet long and so feet wide, the work of
Christian Behrens. In the center of the
relief is a heroic figure of Saint
Michael. On each side of him FurieS
with torches hover over a battlefield
strewn with dead. Above, in letters six
feet high, is the motto of the anti
Napoleon warriors: Colt Nit Uns' GOD
with Us).
The monument rises to a height of
nearly 800 feet. It is of reinforced con-
crete, faced with porphry. On the ground
level is a crypt, surrounded by eight
gigantic stone masks, representing
fate In front of each mask stands two
warriors, twice life size, holding the
death watch. Above this crypt is ro-
tunda, enclosing the Hall of Fame.
About the walls sit four figures, two
male and two female, seven times life
size. They represent Courage. Sacri-
flee, EXaltation and Belief. The figures
are the work Of professor Franz Metz
ner.
Around the outside of the domed Gu
pOla which surmOunts the monument
stand u gigantic warrior figures. The
interiors of three of them are Oc-
cupied by winding stairs and elevator,
giving access to a balcony near the top
of the monument
One striking thing is noted in con-
nection with all the statues; not one
represents any prince or sovereign.
The uprising against Napoleon in 1913
was an uprising of the people, not of
their rulers, and the new monument is
a monument of the people. There is not
personal note about il.