The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-11-05

Was "The Hymn of Hate" written
out of an unconscious and terrible
fear of Russia? Is England most hat
ed in Germany because she let loose
the hordes of Eastern Europe upon
Western civilization?
The occupation of East Prussia by
the Cossacks made an impression on
my SOUL" said Ernst Lissauer, the
author of THE Hymn of Hate" from
which l shall never be freed.
When all these barbarians came
pouring in upon us in August and
September of last year, l could see
England behind them, urging them
on"
This man, generally supposed, out
side of Germany, to be the embodi-
ment of German bitterness toward
England, has never set foot on Eng
lish soil, does not speak English, has,
because of his quiet way of living, met
even fewer Englishmen than the aver
age German, and admits that his clos
est personal connection with the
country to which he is supposed to
feel SO intensely is that distant re-
lative of his lives in London-a great
aunt. On the other hand, his con-
seriousness is full of the thought of
the enormous empire to the east Of
Germany that stretches across two
continents, and hangs like great
dark cloud on the German horizon.
The first time | saw him | found
him listening to an account of unbe-
lievable cruelties from the lips of a
Galician Jew who had managed to es-
cape with his family just an hour be-
fore the Russians reached his home.
The next time | went to see him he
was discussing with an intimate friend
of his Ga Finlander who had suffered
much for his country the brutal
policy of the Russian government to-
ward the inhabitants of the Western
Russian provinces.
Lissauer's most intimate friend was
killed within the last year while help
ing to defend Germany-not on its
western, but on its eastern frontier
against Russia.
In all this there is cause enough for
Hymn of Hate" But why against
England?
THE Hymn of Hate" became leg
endary within the first few weeks OF
its existence. The story ran that il
had been written by-a member of the
Tenth Bavarian Infantry, known fol
recklessness and fury in assault
Spread Like WiIdhre.
only soldier in the midst of act
ual fighting" it was said. could have
written a chant so full of MARTA
spirit"
Archibald Henderson spoke of il al
having appeared in Jugend, an illus
trated weekly given to forcetul anC
original utturance. But the editor o
Jugend had never even been given tn
privilege of rejecting it. No on
seemed to know where it had appear
err, for it ran like wildfre through al
the German press. Thousands of pa
pers of all descriptions in all parts o
Germany, Austria, Hungary, Turkey
neutral and even hostile countrie
published it without giving the nam
of its author, as il it were folk
song.
lie seemed to have life independ
ent of its author, who sat amazed Il
the quiet study at the wild exploit
of this child of his spirit. Their
seemed no limit to the variety OF It
adventures-political diplomatic an
military. The chant was learned b
soldiers at the front. In some reg
ments each soldier was given a copy
in others there was a copy for ever
battery and squadron. Composers ar
peared and set it to music and 1t wa
adopted as a marching song. 1t wer