Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-31
GERMAN OFFICER WEEPS
AND Is NOT ASHAMED
He Tells OF His Feelings After Terrific,
Mental nnd Physical Stress OF
Hattie.

| COLOGNE. January 3o.-"vcs, I went
as so many others have done-wepi
without being ashamed OF my tears or
rcgrctting now tha; l did weep" SAYS
an ,itcrr with the German army in
Poland. in discussing the psychol o:, lea
side OF men in action. lie points out
| that this, as a rule, Is not an outbrea k
OF 'maudliu s.ntimentality." but just
sort Of physical and psychological
| reaction following the tremendous
strain upon body and mind in u battle.
The heavy Russian batteries had
been using poor ammunition. and many
OF their pieces had been silcnced by
our fire. We had been able. moreover,
to send strong forces against their in
trenchcd positions. and as these ad :
Nanced we took the Russian trenches
under terrific fire with our heavy bat
tcries There is no infantry that will
withstand this shock. Here and there
the Russians left their trenches. merely
TO be cut down by our machine guns.
or 10 be dec:mated by our shrapnel
Ana as this day ended and the firing
began 10 weaken, | wept Why. don't
know. L lay in the straw and went
Not because We had gained victory
those were not tears or JOY. There was
no occasion for tears Of sorrow. 1t
was over quickly,
II is said sometimes that this is the
beginning OF the end Rui that. thank
sou was not the case. had not slept
in two nights.
After | had made all necessary ar
rangemcnts, l left the battlefield and
rode past srnoldering houses and viii
laScs toward my quarters where with.
out taking of my gclt, greatcoat, or
even the helmet, | threw myself upon
the straw. | slept from s In the eve
ninS until midnight like one dead.
When they finally managed to bring
mo 10 my senses, | was absolutely un-
able TO believe that several heavy
shells had dropped around the place
shelterinG us.
"A cup Of champagne given me by
a comrade helped me 10 bring my wits
together. After that l sat down be-
side the others ut the large farm table
covered with maps and an over-active
telephone instrument, and felt quite
fresh
Il began to think OF my weeping
spell. Was il case OF nervous break
down. or one OF unsold!erly sentiment
ta!ism? believed IN the one as little
rs IN the other. l had been witness
TO tears before. Those who went them
seemed to be rs far removed from un-
strung nerves as they were from silly
sentiments
The experiences of war bring tho
entire nervous system and its physiolo-
sicai and mental subsidiary functions
INTO sYnpa thetic relations. When one
suffers the other suffers. The tension
OF the mind-caused by continuous
readiness TO act and the sense OF re-
sponsibility. the hardships undergone
by the body-the lack or sleep and
rest and last. but not least, the pas
Sions OF the battle, the noise and din
the cruelty OF war. and who would
dare Eainsay this. the constant recur-
renee OF the fear of death and the
Worry over the loved ones at home
all these are forces so terrible that in
the end they Will shake even the Will
OF the man OF steel TO its very foun-
dations.
The causes OF tears on the battle
field are not connected with traits We
possess IN times OF peace. Nor has the
personal quality OF the man much TO
40 WITH them l believe that the tears
shed by men on the battlefield are the
typical expression of mute tragedy
of the soul"