The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-26

= rNQUESTIONABLI q great number
Of supersitions or pious beliefs,
~ as you may please to regard them.
came true during the late war.
Perhaps the most interesting OF all
these was the legend concerning the Hun
ger Stone OF the Eibe." For centuries the
German people have believed that when
ever this stone showed itself famine or
some other great disaster was about to
fall on Germany.
In August OF this year. Just when the
German armies were about to collapse
and hunger had reached is worst point,
the Hunger Stone of the Elbe showed it.
sell higher above the water than it had
ever done before.
The notorious stone lies in the bed OF
the river Elbe. near the town Of Tetschen.
in the German part OF Bohemia The Elbe
is. OF course. the principal river Of Ger
many nd flows through the heart OF the
county. although it rises in Bohemia.
The locality where the stone is situate
is a resort for hoIday.makers from Berlin
and from other parts OF Germany and
Austria.
The Hunger Stone is an orulaouS look
ing object OF gloomy black basalt. situated
near the left bank Of the river. 1t is about
eight feet high and ten feet across. and IS
covered all over with inscriptions regard
ing the dates at which /; came in sight
and the point TO which the waters fell.
he strt- Of l.
inscription. oruamented with q cross.
which reads:
when thou seest ne ween.''
This is believed 10 nave been made in
1417. when the fatefui character OF tile
stone was first recognized. In that yea: q.
dreadful famine. combined with plague.
afflicted Germany, wIlich COST TIA million
lives out OF a comparatively small popu-
lation.
The stone is not seen above the waters
in normal years. Every time it IFS been
exposed the people say, some distinct and
terrible calamity has fallen on Germany.
This Summer the water Tell 50 low that
the stone Was exposed right down to is
base. a portent never before known in his
tory This fact doubtless played coat
siderable part in undermining the war re-
sistance OF the Germans, who attach great
importance TO tribal divInities aud fe;icAes.
A strange superstition was involved in
the famous wooden image OF Marshal Hin
denburg. When this German military
leader was at the height Of his power the
% o,N11 ~-,pf rxtp,
statue OF aim. Every German had the
privilege OF. driving nail into the marshal
al the rate Of ono mark per nail. The
money vent TO 4 fund for supplying Ger
man soldiers with little comforts. Hun
dreds OF thousands OF nails we're driven
into Hirdcnburg
When supcystiiicUa persons in til" En-
tente countries heard Of this episode they
thrilled with delight. for ehe:' knew that
every nail driven into Hindenhurg meant
some disaster to him and his plans. From
the earliest times in Latin countries il had
been q practice 10 secure title waxen
image Of an enemy and stick pins and
needles into i. Til" images we're supplied
by witches and magiciaas, who gave i'll
structionS -concerninc nominations to Dc
uttered while fixing the pins.
Tie practice prevailed in Italy in an
Gent Roman times. and has been kept Up
more or less 10 the present dar. The use
o. these images was one OF the charges
upon which the knights Templars were
burnt in 1907.
The Judge shuddcrcd on the judgment
seat" says a historian. when the proofs
were brought before him in the shape Of
philtres, amulets. frogs. black cats and
waxen Images stuck full OF needless
The modern Germans eridently did not
know what terrible results could be &C.
complished by driving nails into wooden
idol. Savagely and industriously they
worked away a. producing their own ruin.
A war legend OF a pieasanter kind than
any OF those is that OF the Virgin Of
Albert" Albert Is an ancient French city
with a cathedral on the high tower of
which stood q large statue OF the Virgin.
When the Germans invaded France in 1914
cne of their shells struck the Virgin She
did not fall completely down, but hung a.
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