Evening star., 1923-05-09
Bell Provided in Tomb of Late German
Grand Duke to Be Sure He Is Dead
BY THE MARaUIsE DE FONTENoY

BY THE MARQUISE DE FONTENOY
Former Grand Duke William Ernes,
OF Sake Weimar, who has just passed
away without attracting much at
tention at one Of his many chateaux
In Germany at the age of nearly
the confederation known as 1.-The
German Empire" that vacated his
throne in November, 1918, withou,
any undue regret. and on the friend
liest terms with his former subjects.
For, possessed Of an enormous for
tune inherited from his Dutch grand
mother, and averse to the tyranny
to which he had always been sub
jected from Berlin. he was only toe
glad to be enlancipated from the in
tolerable tutelage of the kaiser. TO
be relieved of all the many duties,
obligations and restriction of ruler
ship, and to become free to spend his
life and his vast wealth with his
wife and children according to his
own inclinations. and with no other
regard than for his own comfort and
happiness. and for theirs.
He leaves a widow who was Prin-
cess Theodore of SaxeMeiningen, and
three children, his eldest boy and
namesake now eleven years old. be-
ing the principal heir of his grea
property which was vastly increased
at the time Of the revolution in 1915
when his private fortune was supple
mented by the large sum which he
received from the new Republic OF
Thuringia by way of compensation
for the REIMBURSEMENT OF his rights
to the state forests and crown lands,
to the various national palaces and
jointly by the ruler and the nation.
But the park containing the So
called "F>urstengruft" or mau soleun
of the formerly reigning house of
SAKE Weimar, was allowed to con-
tinue in the undisputed possession
Of the dynasty on the understanding
that the park should remain as there
tofore accessible to the public.
X * x K
The park and tho mausoleum-the
latter we'll lighted and environed by
fiower-decked ground, that conveyed
the impression Of a beautiful garden
rather than a cemetery-has been the
bourne Of many an American pilgrim
age For, the mausoleum contains
the remains Of one celebrated person
age. not scion of any sovereign house.
namely, those Of the world-famed
German poet Goethe. Until a few
years before the great war, the mau-
soleum also contained what were be-
lieved to be the remains Of the other
celebrated German poet, Schiller. But
scientific investigation OF the most
searching character. and. above all
anthropometrical and chronological
measurements, resulted In the dtscov-
cry that the bones asserted to have
been those of Schiller could not pos
''William Tell" and, accordingly, they
were ejected with ignominy from
such illustrious company and entomb-
cd in q namelesS grave elsewhere
leaving Goethe alone in his glory.
with the hundreds OF princes and
princesses of tho ancient dynasty Of
SAKE Weimar.
The poet owed this honor to the
Grand Duke Charles, the friend and
patron Of both bards, and the father
Of old Empress Augusta of Germany,
consort of the first Emperor William.
and who was, indeed. brought out un-
der the auspices of Goethe, who di-
rected her education.
The mausoleum where the late
Grand Duke Ernest has just been
laid to rest. beside his predecessors on
the throne. and scores-nay, hundreds
of the members of his house-has
this particular popularity. that 1t is
the only one in Europe, SO far as am
aware. where special provision is
made to prevent premature burial in
the case Of suspended animation.
No royal bodies are placed in their
tombs or sarcophag1. until they have