The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-30
Berlin Celebrated
Tooth Anniversary
OF Bismarck
(By Associated Press }

10Y ASSOCldte0 fTeS6.
Berlin, April 30-For the space OF
day the Berlin that is known to
SO many thousands of AmericansK
the Berlin that is both gay and gala
returned on the first q April
on the occasion of the Tooth birth.
day of Bismarck, the Iron Chancel.
lor.
For the Hrst time in many months
hundreds Of officers gathered who
were not in the now familiar field
gray. but who wore instead all the
gray trappings of parade uniforms
and who, under a brilliant sun-lit
sky, made an imposing spectacle as
they gathered about the great
status of Bismarck before the Reich.
stag building.
| No event in months has brought
together SO many of the inhabitants
SO many of the inhabitants Of
Greater Berlin. In thousands they
crowded about the open space be-
tween the Reichstag and the gilded
statue of victory that stands, perch
ed hundreds Of feet in the air, at the
head of the Sieges Alec.
Berlin like all the other cities OF
Europe. has by comparison with its
former self been somewhat sub
dued during the past few months.
This. air vanished completely how
ever as thousands of voices took up
the refrain of patriotic songs sung
in the old chancellor's honor, stand
ing, bare-headed in the sunlight,
gazing towards his heroic figure.
Deutschland, Deutchland,N ueber
allies" and Hell dir i'm Sieger-
kranz" rang out with little more
than the customary vigor as the
singers thought of the present times,
and the circumstances that Bis
marck's centennial should fall in
the midst of a war more strenuous
that he ever conceived.
Within ten minutes after the
ceremony at the statue. Inter den
, Linden was transformed into the
Inter den Linden of old-time pa
rade days, with every guard house
contingent out in front prepared to
salute the almost numberless gen.
erals who walked or rode past in
their gorgeous uniforms.
Though Bismarck's birthday was
celebrated almost everywhere In
German, the most important recog'
milton of the centennial was In
Berlin, where the ceremonial wa'
ed by the imperial chancellor. DR.
Won -Hollweg, followed by
all the generals and admirals not or
duty at the front, the president. Of
ficers and members of the Reichstat
and of the Prussian Diet, city Off
Gals from Greater Berlin. the grand
son and namesake of the chancellor
Prince Otto Won Bismarck, and, t
give unique touch to the affair, tn
grandson of the Kaiser, the nine
year-old son of the Crown Prince.
within a few minutes after thu
arrival Of the functionaries tn
great Bismarck statue was sur
rounded by great wreaths. the gift
of individuals ranging from tn
Emperor to minor officials, and from
organizations from the Reichstag t.
the committee for the erection of
national statue to the chancellor.
! From every flag pole on the Reich
stag the black. white and red fog
fiuttered in the breeze, and tn
square In front was blaze OF colo
contributed by banners of ever
sort and by the gay costumes. no
only of the military but of student
in fencing suits who changed thei
foils against each other in keeping
time to the patriotic songs.
The only suggestion Of war al
lowed to enter the scene were few
remarks of the speakers, the word
of the songs and the field gray uni
forms of an "honor company" tina
faced the Bismarck statue with pre-
sented arms during the proceedings
In all other respects 1t was the ga!
and festive eBrlin Of old.
Ever since Germany hos been win
ming victories in the present war he
people have been in the habit o
hanging out flags-the three-color
ed German banner and the stat
flags of all sorts and description
Not even the victories of the Mas
urian Lakes however. brought GU
one-half of the banners that tn
Bismarck celebration did, Thu
business part of the city was fairl!
ablaze with colors from them.
| A hitherto unsupported number o
pictures-photographs. oil painting
and etchings-of Birmarck sudden
ly made their appearance in thu
store windows. often fianked b!
likenesses of the Kaiser and of tn