New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-05
Echoes of Revolution
AS Heard in Germany in the Year
1880
By lIIST0RICUS

The thinking brains and eloquent pens 0,
Germany being safely under lock and key
since August l. 1914, the world has no clear
idea of the real effect produced by the Rus
sian Revolution upon the minds of the Ger.
man people. But all the world knows how
the news of the reinforcement of Louis
Philippe in the last July days of 1880 reacted
upon the Teutonic inteligenza. and since tho
psychology of an old race is a somewhat con-
slant factor, one may, from past experience,
be allowed to draw ones own conclusion as
to the present status Of the German psyche
concerning the Russian continuation of the
March days of lS48. Macmillan Harden Is
the direct continuator of Karl Gutzkow, Helm.
rich Heine and Ludwig Borne.
Let US, then, take ourselves back TO the
great hall of the Berlin University, the for
mer palace of Prince Henry, and situated on
! Inter den Linden across from the palace so
long inhabited by William |, the founder Of
the German Empire. On August 3, 1880, the
Emperor's birthday was celebrated by the fac.
ulty, the students and crowd Of high mill.
tary and civilian dignitaries.
A Berlin Commencement
The university choir under the leadership
OF Zelter Goethe's friend and correspondent,
had just finished a beautiful students song
The rector magniicus (president) of the uni
versity, Professor Schmalz, with queue and
sword, went from chair to chair exchanging
few words with the most honored guests.
But Professor Edward Cans, the llustrious
founder of comparative Jurisprudence. Hegels
most renowned disciple in the Berlin faculty
OF law, excited and impatient, passed around
letters from the great historian Friedrich
Ludwig Won Raumer (l781-1S73), who had
just come from Paris. The Crown Prince,
later Frederick william ", sat and smiled
| In spite Of the outward calm the inner ex.
element Of the assembly was manifest When
Hegel read the names of the prize winners Of
the year, no one except the medallists listened.
Karl Gutzkow did not even open the case
which contained a gold medal with the Kings
portrait. He seemed TO listen TO the thun-
der of the cannonsde upon the bastons OF
Paris. He rushed off TO the nearest news
paper stand, for he was anxious 20 know
whether monarchy or republic had conquered
on the Seine. Science lay behind me- ne
wrote; "history before me'-a word which
the thousands of our college students who
were manly enough 20 don the KHAKI would
do well to make their own.
B0rne's Anti-Prussianism
! In the summer Of 1880 the author of Let
ters from Paris was at the watering place OF
Soden, near Frankfort-on-the-Main This
courageous fighter for the ideals Of political
freedom and spiritual liberty hated, as Heins
did, Prussian militarism and the Prussian
Junkers. ain Germany the bullion OF lte is
being minted underground, in the silence Of
midnight, like counterfeiters' COIN When
the first news of the July revolution reached
Germany a fcverish impotence took hold Of
Borne. He walked miles to get the newspa-
per5 an hour or so sooner. The invalid writer
got, as by a miracle, rid Of his ailment. He
had to go to Paris.
/ He writes from Strasburg: "The first
French cocksde | saw was on the hat Of
peasant who passed me in Kehl coming from
the capital Of Alsace. II seemed to me Ike
little rainbow after the food of our time,
sign of peace from reconciled God. But
when the bright tricolored flag greeted ny
! eyes oh, words cannot express nay emotion!
My heart beat so violently that was on the
point Of fainting. The flag was in the middle
Of the bridge, its staff rooted in French
ground, but part of the bunting waving in
German air. And it was the red stripe Of the
flag that huttered over our native soil. This
is the one color Of French liberty that will be
ours ~ the expense Of costly blood, and blood
not shed on the battlefield"
Borne was only mouthpicco Of the feel
ings Of the noblest among his fellow citizens
France was si~o-'s'y admired for rs civic
courage, o. njtifg,ly lacking IN
Germany 70 "a "-y day.