The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-04
By GARRETT w. THOMPSON,
Head Professor Of German in the UnI
ver,ity of Maine

versity of Maine.
IT HAT prior to the war few nations
Il were more servile In their admira-
tion of things Germanic than our beloved
country will be recalled, perhaps some
what disagreeably, by those who are can
did enough to look back of the year 1914.
For this reason desire to analyze the
Gerinanie temperament TO discover if pos
sible what grounds there are for crediting
the reputation for greatness which Ger
many has built up in the world at large.
In the Nibelungenlied, Germany's great
popular epic, four cardinal Germanic vir-
tues are canonized, exeApifed in the char
acters of the poem itself and idealized by
subsequent writers as correct national
types. They were loyalty (Treue), re-
venge (Raehe), cunning List, trickery
(Tuecke). This loyalty, however, existed
chiefly between German and German. 1t
was racial, not cosmopolitan. So we find
in early soil the seeds of Pam Germanism;
out Of these primeval tones grew the later
strains of Deutschland, Deutschland
ueb;r alles"
Two Goals of Prussianism.
The edge Of Teutonic revenge was meas
urably blunted by the influences Of Chris
tianty and general civilization, but it has
by no means lost its keenness through the
centuries. The devastation Of France in
alleged retaliation for the desolation
wrought in Germany during the Thirty
Years War is somewhat illogical but no
less vengeful exhibition of raneor on the
part of a people which seems TO have
found it difficult TO forgive and forget.
We find cunning and triekery personifed
in Germanic mythology by such gods as
IOki and others, but their applied eff
cheney reached its elimination In the rise
and career of Prussia as the dominating
factor of later German civilization.
Those of us who are most familiar with
the political and literary history of this
period recognize most clearly that sue
cess and growing power were fatal to the
higher instincts Of the German mind.
Two goals were uppermost in the hearts OF
statesmen and diplomats develop
ment of the Prussian state and the es-
Enlistment Of Germany as first class
European nation. The end was every
thing: the means mattered less.
50 German leaders have long secretly
praclised and latteriy openly ayowed the
principle that honesty and morality are
impossible in practical affairs of state.
bismarck will always be hailed as the
founder of the new German Empire; his
greatness has been acclaimed on every
side But his is the greatness of intrigue,
OF betrayal. of cynical disregard of inter-
national fellowship, of absolute selfishness,
of insincerity. The adjective iron as
applied TO his chaneellorship betyays the
cheapness of the metal out of which his
diplomacy was forged.
Teutonic Mind Is Passive.
In these and countless other instances
VIC see the survival of primitive Germanlc
characteristics and conclude that the I'M
known author of the "Nibelungenlied'' was
no mean gaugcr of the Teutonic mind.
I: is doubtful if any nation understands
lis ncighbors as little is Germany. Shortly
after the sinking Of the Ldsitania one of
the leading newspapers asked: why are
We Germans so hated by Otherse' An
other prominent sheet ventured the ex-
PLANTATION: Because the others are jeal
ous Of u.s." Such desperate naivete chal-
lenges our patience. but as pointed out
in NY first paper it is quite impossible TO
comprehend German character as Judged