Evening star., 1927-10-31
HARDEN, GERMAN
EDITOR, IS DEAD
Foe of Kaiser Succumbs at
66 at Swiss Resort-Had
Fiery Career.
ny the Associated Press.

by the Associated Pfess.
LONDON. October 3i.-One of the
characters who was part of the inn
perial atmosphere of Germany. n bit
ter critic of the kaiser has passed
from the scene.
Maximiian Harden. noted German
editor, who founded Die Zukunft in
1892, died at Montana -Nermala, a
Swiss resort in the Valley of the
Rhone, aged &C. Death was attributed
to bronchitis.
His passing attracted general at
tention. as he was long known not
only as a puhlicist. but as the man
who bearded the kaiser. between
whom and Harden there was strong
mutual hatred Since Harden enjoyed
the patr0nage of Bismarck. some saw
the Iron ChanccllOr's" hand direct
ing the pen which Harden welded SO
bitterly against the kaiser and his
court.
Perhaps. however. he will lie re-
mpmhored here and in the countries
associated with Great Erilain in the
war hest as the ouISpokcn critic of
his own country i'm numerous articles
british press.
To these criticisms was attributed
the violent attack he suffered in
Herlin street in 1922 at the hands of
several Young men. One of them
Lieut.. Walter Alderman, suhsequcnt-
l. was sentenced to six years for the
assault
Harden was horn in Berlin and his
real name was Isidor Witkowskj. His
parents were Polish Jews. but when
Is he adopted Christianity.
NaXimilan Harden caused more un-
easinesS To the former royalty of Ger
many and men who occupied political
positions during the regime of the for
mer Kaiser than any other man or
acencv in Germany. He hated the
former war lord more and feared him
less than any other German subject:
MAS violently opposed to the former
Kaiser. and never permitted to pass
an opportunity to criticize and attack
the ruler and those associated with
him in the government.
Harden was an admircr of Bis ]
r,arck and in his early writings ar
Gently defended the policies and the
cries OF the Iron chancellor. III"
breach between the chancellor and the
N
ed the throne served to increase lIar-
denis admiration for Bismarck and his
antipathy toward the Kaiser. He be-
gan to attract attention by a series
Of essays on political subjects, pub
lshed in 1SSS.
Four wears later. in order to get
wider circulation for his writings. liar-
den established Die Zukunft tThe Flu
ture). a weekly publication. He stood
apart from the development OF alb
soiutisn1. militarism and 'kultur," and
in his newspaper criticized when and
what he pleased He ridiculed lese
ioste until no judge cou'd pro
nounce sentence on a delinquent
charged with insulting the Hohenzol
ierns without running the risk of being
1ampooned by the editors caustic pen.
People bought his newspaper. not
because they were in sympathy with
his policies. but merely to see what he
had to say on the questions of the
day. However Die Zukunft was
widely quoted throughout Germany,
and il was not long before newspapers
abroad sought the publication for the
purpose of getting the editors views
on German questions.
1t was Harden who brought to light
In 1907 the court scandal of Prince
Philip Zu Eulenhurg and his com
panions. which has been recorded as
one of Germanv's greatest sensations.
During the World War. Harden was
particularly active in his newspaper
end on the lecture platform in oppos-
ing German policies. He charged
Germany with responsibility for the
war and held that the Kaiser. while
not personally responsible for the con-
fict, was the tool of militarists. lie
declared that the Kaiser had the help
Of Satan. not God. The German au-
thorities he accused of wardice ard
hypocrisy in trying 10 excuse their
motives instead Of frankly stating
that they had long been prepared for
CONQUEST and seized upon the murder
Of the Austrian archduke as an ex-
cuse to put their plans into execution. !
Harden made many enemies and
several times was imprisoned for his
attacks upon the Emperor and gov
ernment After the fall of the
Kaiser and the establishment Of the
German republic, he became an op-
ponent Of the postwar tactics OF the
government.
After the war Harden announced
his intention to visit the United
States for lecture tour. He engaged
a private detective to investigate tho
American feeling toward him. but the
proposed trip was abandoned because
OF the opposition voiced by German
Americans and because of Harden's i'll
health
In 1922 an attempt was made upon
the life Of Harden by several young
radicals. They attacked the editor
on his way home one night and stab
bed and black lacked him. Although
seriously wounded, he recovered.