The Tomahawk., 1919-06-12

~ ANZIG, which by the peace
treaty becomes an tnterna-
tionalized city and the outlet
for Poland to the Baltic, is
thus described in a bulletin issued by
the National Geographic society:
Picture q far north Venice, cut
through with streams and canals,
equipped also with q sort of. irrigation
system to flood the country for miles
about, not for cultivation but for de-
Tense; a 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 q glimpse of the composite
Danzig.
AS a city of churches Danzig vies
with Brooklyn; its crooked, winding
streets suggest those Boston thorough
fares of cowpath derivation; and were
it's 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
seattle league, while not far up the Wis.,
tula is Marienburg, capital of the Teu-
tonic Order of knights, which flour
ished in Danzig.
Ancient Art Works Intact.
Physically, Danzig escaped many ef-
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
worries, and a noted collection Of vest
ments. Among it's art works is the ia
nous "Last Judgment" of Hans Neal
ing. In appearance almost as much
like fortress as a 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 it suggests the Prussian
militarist spirit. From the vaulting,
for example, 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
plemented in recent years by score
of bastions. Along the Vistula, on
which the city lies, to its mouth at
Neufahrwasser, four miles away,
stretches 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 old
houses of the Hanseatic period, crown
ed with high gables, often profuse-
~ ornamented. Balconies Overhang
the streets and in spite Of the impede
ment they offer to traffic, many Of
the elevated stone porches still re-
main. Gargoyles grin from ancient
walls. vistas abound. There are
many old water gates. One Of these,
the Hobe Tor, is fashioned after q RO-
man arch. Another, the Kran Thor,
with each successive story projecting
farther than the one below, looks like
the leaning tower Of Pisa.
Danzfg's beginnings are not known.
Poland, Denmark, Pomerania and
Brandenburg held 1t at various early
times. In the fourteenth century 1t
came under the sway Of the Teutonic
knights. Not loag afterward 1t be-
came one of the four centers Of the
Hanseatfc league. With the decline of
the league it allied itself with Poland,
retaining most Of its rights as free
city. 1t had flag derived from the
red end white emblem Of the league,
employing the red rs a field upon
which were three gold crowns, ar
ranged vertically.
Separation From Poland.
Russians and SaxOns took the city
and the score or more neighboring viii
lagos it governed in 1874. When Po-
land was partitioned, four years before
the American colonists signed the Dec