The Dolores star., 1916-05-12
SUFFER THE MOST
BEFORE A BATTLE
German Soldier Gives Psychol.
ogy of War as II Affects
the Men.
FEAR IS ROUTED BY SONG
Doubt and Expectancy Proves Un
nervino to Many-Fishters A.
sailed by Thousands Of
Thoughts, Says Former
Schoolteacher.

Berlin.-The following interesting
article giving the psychological study
Of a battle. was written by German
schoolteacEer. who since has been
killed on the west front. The article
which appears In the German papers.
has caused considerable comment:
To describe the sensations. the
emotions and the innermost feelings
OF the soul OF q soldier In battle II an
unusually interesting but difncult
task. While the battle RACES .
soldier Is beset and agitated by
thousands OF thoughts that fash like
lightning through his brain. but 1t 10
only during the remarkable calm that
comes after a battle that he Is enabled
to analyze them. As l have partici-
pated in thirty-six engagements and
battles, both on the eastern and west
ern fronts, have been in q position to
make a study Of the soul OF the soldier.
1t is q great subject for the psychol-
ogist and one that opens q mine OF val.
liable Information
"Is This Rsaif"
The troops receive orders At night
to prepare for a charge the next morn
ing. The first thought Is. 10 this real?
Somehow. 1t seems like q dream. 1t Is
the same thought that stirs the soul
in any great event in life. be 1t one
OF Joy or one of sorrow. 1t does not
seem real.
However. when the soldier does
realize that 1t is no nightmare. he be.
gins to thin. of the likelihood OF
death claiming him in that battle.
to agitate the soul. The awful
thought posters him that he will 60
to his death and leave home and
loved ones and everything that 10
dear in q moment of time. He pom
ders over the subject of immortality
and wonders II death comes whether
1t will mean eternal darkness and an
Inhalation.
ITO one who Is in the prime of life,
itself cannot offer torture to equal
the terrorizing doubts that assail the
soul in those dreadful moments be-
fore a battle.
Then. too. the thoughts come that
we Nave not made the most Of life:
that there Is 30 much which we
would still like to do: that II only CIV
en- the opportunity how different we
would shape our life in the future.
'All night long the troops move to
the front, and all night long we think
OF God and the uncertainty that lies
directly before US.
Song Routs Fear.
Morning comes. 1t Is most beau
tiful morning: the sun shining warm
and bright. The notes of a German
song are waited on the still air. 1t
is a song of the fatherland and all
join in the chorus. 1t Is then that we
forget all our doubts and fears. A
new life seems to be born within US.
All fear has vanished and we are
ready to 60 down to the gates of
death unafraid.
And then the battle. The bullets
begin to whistle. In those first mo-
for some sheltered place for proteo-
ton. Nevertheless, the soul is re-
markedly calm. Though comrades
are falling ON all sides we never for
a moment think Of being hit by a bull
let ourselves. We keep on running.
running toward the enemy. All feel
ing, all thought, all emotion, all sensa-
ton is obliterated. we go on. fearing
nothing. Occasionally we hear
to the hate against the enemy. born
anew in the thick of battle. That
feeling Of hate becomes uppermost
We are seized with frenzy OF rage.
and our one thought is to meet the
enemy face to face and annihilate
him. AS this hate is mingled with
certain feeling of patriotism and love
for the fatherland. the lust OF battle
is developed in such a manner as to
quiet our nerves and forget all about
danger and death.
The battle has been fought and
won. The soul experiences an indie
scribable peace. but when we begin
to see our broken ranks and make
count o. our fallen comrades, painful
sensations follow. Then only do we
realize what danger we 80 callously
faced, and a wave of thoughtfulness
warns our blood and body.
The, feelings and sensations on
emerging from q battle are like those
of convalescence from d serious ILL.,
ness. The tired soul longs for peace
and rest. and the soldier falls into a
deep, sound. dreamless sleep, in which
the time are forgotten"