Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03
erman Novelist Writes Of His Visit to the Kaise
upw1G GANGHoFER. the az,

81 UDwIG GANGHOFER, the aget
Bavarian, whose novels and
n plays have won him a place ir
the foremost rank of German
writer's, has been adding to his fame OF
late by taking trips to the fighting
lines. dining and chatting there with
the kaiser and other dignitaries crawl
Ing through damp underground pas
sages. and exposing his life quite as If
he were a youth of twenty. instead of
an old man of sixty. A few days ago
the news came to this country that he
had at last paid dearly for his temer-
ity: that he had been severely wound
ed and would lose his left eye. This
lends peculiar timeliness to Gang
hofer's record of his war adventures,
Just published in Berlin under the title
Journeys to the German Front" (Ber-
lin: U1lstein & Coz, the sale of which
has already run into the hundreds Of
thousands.
The Bavarian gives a most interest
ing picture of the kaiser. When he
visited his sovereign the latter was
Somewhere in France"-not far from
Sedan. Ganghofer's prestige was such
that he was allowed to travel straight
to the imperial headquarters. While
other passengers on the train that bore
him toward the town harboring the
German ruler were submitted to most
severe examination. all Ganghofer had
to do was to say who he was in order
to be met with You are expected"
from an aid-de-camp at the railway
station. who forthwith escorted him
without delay to the villa where the
emperor was staying. There he learned
that he was to be the kaiser's guest at
dinner.
While the handful of guests gathered
in an anteroom. the Bavarian fell to
wondering how the war had affected
his sovereign, whom he had not seen
for years.
My heart beat hard under my tourists coat;
My tumultuous feelings reduced themselves to
asking this question: How viii the kaiser look;
what shall hear in his words; what shall
feel under the glance of the keen eyes, in this
yearns for 'e CIRCULAR guidance from one " who
knows: for support and help in those moments
among us are not entirely freer"
He had not long to wait. A servant
flung open the door. The kaiser enter
ed. Ganghofer thus describes his APP
pearance:
He walks in. in bis neld-sray uniform. with
ways noticed in him. His hair. to be sure with
the little rebellious wave over the right temple.
has become a little grayer since the early part
Of the year. but hardly enough to be noticeable.
And there Is a wrinkle. which have never seen
before. cut into his forehead. Like shadow be-
tween his eyes.
But one glance into those clear and straight
forward eyes Is enough-like a glowing wave the
ardent wish courses through me: Would that
all the thousands of Germans, especially those
In whom care and apprehension seek to awaken,
might stand now In my place. Then they would
breathe sigh of Joyful relief-as do
Despite the storms of four and twenty bloody
weeks the kaiser has remained the same in
every way-no, he is not the same-he has be-
come conn man who has won something lost moth
through which he livesi Ore feels this in con
templating his dignined bearing. his quiet smile
lsis quiet glance And before 1 had heard u sim
gle word from him something Strengthening seem
ed TO now from him to me. joyful feeling Of
German security arose in me-a feeling Of re-
newed belief and heightened confidence felt
certain that truth Is on our side and right. and
power and victory"
The kaiser spied Ganghofer. nodded,
stretched out his hand, and gladdened
the Bavarian's heart by impulsive