[From The London Times, Oct. 17, 1914.]
_A gentleman, the subject of a neutral country, who has just
returned from a visit to Germany, has furnished The Times with
the following statement as to his impressions. He says:_
I did not hear any boasting over German successes. When I spoke to
Germans of their victories they would reply: "Yes, we have had
victories--but what of the dead?" This thought is present even in places
where one might think that for the time being every effort would be made
to prevent its intrusion. In Berlin, for example, where all the theatres
are open and attracting crowded audiences, it is the burden of a song
sung during one of the patriotic plays, of which several are now being
performed.
I went to a theatre on the night of the fall of Antwerp. A play entitled
"1914" was acted, in the course of which many topical allusions were
made by the well-known comedian Thielscher. Even in these serious times
the Berliner, who is famous for the form of humor known as Berliner
Witze, cannot refrain from his jokes. One of these was the question:
"Why does Germany understand war so well? Because it has been declared
upon her eight times!"--the point of the jest lying in the fact that the
German word _Erklaren_, "to declare," means also "to explain." Another
pun of the same kind was made out of the word _Niederlage_, which means
both "defeat" and "dêpot." "Germany," said one of the characters, "is
surrounded by enemies on all sides." "Yes," was the reply, "she is the
head establishment, while England, France, and Russia only have the
_Niederlage_."
There were some serious scenes in this play, in the middle of one of
which some one stepped quickly on to the stage and, interrupting the
actors, exclaimed: "One moment, one moment, if you please! Antwerp has
fallen!" Of course, there was tremendous enthusiasm at this
announcement, but when it had subsided, one of the company came forward
and sang:
Nicht zu laut!
Nicht zu laut!
Denkt g'rad' jetzt wo Ihr jubelt und lacht;
Nicht zu laut!
Nicht zu laut!
Fiel ein Krieger vielleicht in der Schlacht
Und er liegt beim zerschossenen Pferde
Und nimmt Abschied von Mutter und Braut--
Nicht zu laut!
Nicht zu laut!
(Not too loud! Not too loud! Think just now while you laugh
and cheer; Not too loud! Not too loud! Perchance a warrior
fallen in the battle lies beside his shot down steed, and bids
farewell to mother and bride; Not too loud! Not too loud!)
I have mentioned this to give an idea of the kind of life which the
Berliners are living just now. There are other popular theatres in which
similar plays are now running with titles such as "Der Kaiser Rief"
("The Emperor Called") and "Fest d'Rauf" ("Hit Hard!") the latter being
borrowed from the words of the famous telegram sent by the Crown Prince
at the time of the Zabern incident. These theatres are crowded. At the
principal theatres classical plays such as "Hamlet" and Lessing's "Minna
von Barnhelm" were being played while I was in Berlin.
Berlin keeps open many places of amusement until the early hours of the
morning, and the war has not made any difference in this respect. What
is known as the "night life" of Berlin continues. For years past the
fast element in Berlin has been one of its most notorious features. This
accompaniment of the prosperity of the capital since the war of 1870 has
struck with surprise many observers of German life accustomed to the
idea of German simplicity and purity of morals, rendered classical by
Tacitus and exemplified by many representatives of German national life
in the earlier part of the nineteenth century, when Germany was rallying
from the blows inflicted by Napoleon. All that need be said upon this
head is that, as far as report can be accepted as evidence, vice is the
only commodity which has become less expensive since the war began.
The spy fever seems somewhat to have abated. At present, however, the
public are not allowed to walk on the footway beside the headquarters of
the army or the General Telegraph Office, obviously with a view to
protecting these buildings against damage from hostile persons. The
Germans still think that many spies exist in their country. The presence
of women acting as tramcar conductors struck me as strange. These are
the wives of men summoned to the colors. Notices are affixed to the
interior of the cars stating the reason for the presence of these women,
and requesting the public to be considerate toward them, and to help
them over any little difficulties they might encounter in the discharge
of their duty. Traffic in Berlin is absolutely regular. There are as
many taxicabs as before, but instead of benzine, which is wanted for the
army, they now use other spirit. The streets are as brilliantly lighted
as ever. Riding exercise is taken by gentlemen in the Thiergarten every
morning as usual. Sport is reviving, and there are a good many football
matches. Two recently played were those between Berlin and Vienna and
Berlin and Leipsic, the latter for the Red Cross. The universities will
open on the 25th inst., the regular date.
The population, as a whole, is serious and confident of victory; but the
war is by no means the sole topic of conversation. England is the enemy
most bitterly hated, the Germans maintaining that her only reason for
entering on the war was to destroy German trade. England's desire to
preserve the neutrality of Belgium is scouted. The common people in
Germany say that having fought the Belgians and defeated them they will
retain their country. This, however, is not the attitude of the more
educated section of the population, who express the opinion that the
difficulty of ruling Belgium would be greater than the advantage to be
derived from it.
[Illustration: ADMIRAL VON TIRPITZ, GERMAN NAVAL MINISTER,
As Head of the Naval Administration He Is Second in Authority to the
Major Admiral in Chief, the Kaiser.
(_Photo_ © _by Brown Bros._)]
[Illustration: PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA,
In Supreme Command of the German Battleship Fleet.
(_Photo from Bain._)]
The fierce hatred of England in Germany is due in large measure to what
the Germans call "the shopkeepers' warfare" of the English. They
maintain that the English confiscation of German patents is a wholly
unfair method of fighting, and it has caused the deepest resentment.
When asked as to the future, they reply that they will do all in due
time. After Belgium will come France, and then the turn of England will
arrive. They are not discouraged by the failure to reach Paris, since
the strategy adopted by the French would have rendered the possession of
Paris of little value. It will still be taken.
With regard to England not much is said of an army of invasion, but
German confidence is evidently reposed in her Zeppelins, of which a
large number is being constructed with all possible speed. They are to
be employed against England, whose part in the war is the least
honorable of all. Belgium's attitude at the outset they can understand,
France's desire for _la revanche_ is natural, but England's only motive
was jealousy of Germany's industrial development and the desire to
cripple her trade and commercial prosperity. Therefore, Woe to England!