Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-12-11
DANZIG, which by the peace
treaty becomes an interna-
4ionalized city and the outlet


Aionalized city and the outlet
for Poland to the Baltic, is
thus described in bulletin issued by
the National Geographic society:
Picture a far north Venice, cut
through with streams and canals,
equipped also with sort of irrigation
system to flood the country for miles
about, not for cultivation but for de-
Tense; city of typical Philadelphia
streets. only with those long rows of
stoops made of stone and highly deco
rated and jutting into the roadway in
stead of on the sidewalks, and you
catch but a glimpse of the composite
Danzig.
As city of churches Danzig vies
with Brooklyn; its crooked, winding
streets suggest those Boston thorough
fares Of cowpath derivation; and We're,
its grain warehouses more modern
the visitor might believe himself
in Minneapolis-that is he might
until he heard their names-such as
Golden Pelican, Little Ship, Gray
Goose and Milk Maid-then he might
look about for some popular resorts
Of New York's Greenwich village.
In no other German city is medic
val architecture to be found in such
variety and preservation as in Danzig.
Conspicuous both in Polish and Ger
man history, Danzig was one Of the
four principal centers Of the Han
coo tn loo r,,,n while MT 20 - nv, +hn Vic
lula Is Marienburg, capital of the Teu-
tonic Order of Knights, which flour
ished in Danzig.
: Ancient Art Works Intact. $50
Physically, Danzig escaped many eff
fects of the reformation. Even in her
famous st. Mary's church. one of the
largest Protestant edifices in the world
covering an area as great as the
Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
are to be found reliquaries and
manuscripts. embroideries Of Roman,
Byzantine and Gothic designs, treas
ures in precious metals, stones and
ivories, and noted collection of vest
ments. Among it's art works is the fa-
nous Last Judgment" of Hans Meal
ing. In appearance almost as much
like q fortress as q church, bringing
to mind Luther's militant hymn "a
Mighty Fortress Is Our Cod" the
church has been called zone of the
most German things in Germany" In
many ways 1t suggests the Prussian
s:militarist spirit. From the vaulting
foriexample, projects one Of Napoleon's
cannon balls.
But the Danzig visitor needs no in.
direct intimation Of militarism. The
city was one Of the most strongly for
titled places in the now shattered Ger
man empire. To the east and south
Of the city older defenses were sup
plernented in recent years by score
Of bastions. Along the Vistula, OF
which the city lies, to its mouth al
Neufahrwasser, four miles away
stretches a line of forts. In addition
three sides of the town could be in
undated by the garrison.
Quaint House Architecture.
Streets are lined with ornate OLE
houses Of the Hanseatic period crown
ed with high gables, often profuse
~ ornamented. Balconies overhan,
the streets and in spite Of the .impedi
ment they offer to traffic, many o
the elevated stone porches still re
main. Gargoyles grin from ancien
walls. yistas abound. There ar
many old water gates. One of these
the Hobe Tor, is fashioned after Re
man arch. Another, the Kran Thol
with each successive story projectin
farther than the one below, looks lils
the leaning tower of Pisa.
Danzig's beginnings are not known
Poland, Denmark, Pomerania an
Brandenburg held 1t at various earl
times. In the fourteenth century
came under the sway Of the Teutoni
knights. Not long afterward it BIZ
came one of the four centers of til
Hanseatic league. With the decline q
the league 1t allied itself with POLAND
retaining most Of It's rights as FIRE
city. 1t had a flag derived from til
red and white emblem Of the leagu,
employing the red as field upo
which were three gold crowns, al
ranged vertically.
Separation From Poland.
Russians apd Saxons took the cit
and the score or more neighboring vi
! lagos 1t governed In 1874. When p,
land was partitioned, four years befo1
the American colonists signed the De