FRANKFORT-ON-THE-ODER, PRUSSIA, _Oct. 15, 1858_.
Having formerly seen Austrian and Russian Poland, whose capitals are
Cracow and Warsaw, I was induced to make the detour on my route from
Dantzic to look in upon Posen, the chief city of Prussian Poland, which
by rail was soon accomplished.
Among the forty-five thousand inhabitants ten thousand are Jews. I
came in on Saturday, their Sabbath day, and on a festival occasion,
and thus had a good opportunity of seeing the multitude, as also the
wealthier classes, upon the promenade, and the many pretty faces of
the Hebrew women. They have recently erected a splendid synagogue, as
is the case in Frankfort-on-the Maine, Pesth, in Hungary, and other
places. The Jews, as a people, are acquiring wealth and importance, and
making advances in science. Had they the same privileges enjoyed in our
country, the distinction between the races would not be so marked.
Among the twenty-three churches of the city, a number of which I
visited on the Sunday, the newly rebuilt Dome of the thirteenth century
contains the Golden Chapel, in which are placed the bronze gilt statues
of two Polish kings there interred. High mass was being celebrated in
the Latin and Polish tongues when I visited it. The original Bauer, or
peasant costume of the country was well represented. It is picturesque
but somewhat ridiculous, fashion’s innovations not having yet reached
it.
In the Stanislaus Church, which is of strict Italian architecture, with
its marble statues of saints, illuminated glass windows, altars, pulpit
decorations and paintings, I could fancy myself in the Pope’s dominions.
The Poles are decided Romanists, and cannot be converted readily by the
Russians to the Greek faith, or by the Prussians to the Evangelical.
The Prussian or German population is about one-third professing the
Protestant and reformed religion. The balance are Israelites and
Catholic Poles.
The city is fortified in the strongest manner, with walls, batteries,
gates, and trenches, throughout the entire circumference, and contains
immense barracks for the soldiery, stables and magazines of supplies
for quite an army, if required. Several thousand troops are here
stationed.
One sees no prospect for the regeneration of Poland. To occupy a
position under the government the young must acquire the German
language, notwithstanding their prejudice and hate of their subduers.
They are divided up between three powers, and get little sympathy from
the great nations they looked towards for relief. Little by little
their identity will be lost, and they will become part and parcel of
the governments which deprived them of their liberties.
When I look upon and examine the bulwarks of defence newly erected,
and in progress of erection, at Swinemunde, Stettin, Konigsberg, here,
and at Custrin, I am not surprised that from one-third to one-half of
the whole revenue of Prussia is employed in the army department. These
are besides only a small portion. Look at the immense establishment
of Ehrenbreitstein, the Gibraltar of the Rhine; at the fortress of
Mayence, and the many others on the frontiers. How thankful should we
be as a people that we are not obliged to tax every article of food
put into our mouths, every garment we wear, and abridge all pursuits
and pleasures to sustain masses of soldiers and hordes of officers for
defence against our sister states, thereby employing the youngest and
most active of our youth, incapacitating them for other pursuits, and
demoralizing the society of wives and daughters.
Dirschau, where the road branches off for Dantzic, has one of the
finest Gothic station houses which I have seen in the north of Europe.
The line belongs to the government, and the iron bridges over the river
Weichsel or Vistula at that place, and over the Nogat at Marienberg, in
connexion with the old castle, formerly the seat of the grand masters
of the German Order of Knights, altogether attract many visitors. The
old town in itself, for its antiquity, is worth a visit, but the castle
is of much interest to Germans. It was built in the thirteenth and
fourteenth century, during the conquest of the country, and rebuilt by
the government from 1819 to 1820. The saloons are beautifully arched,
and one of them is sustained by a single column gracefully supporting
its burden not unlike the branches of the palm tree. A cannon ball
still sticks in the wall, thrown by the besieging Poles, from which the
centre pillar barely escaped.
The portraits of the Knights, with their names and coats of arms,
were, for me, in some respects souvenirs of the original Knights of St.
John, from which the order sprang, and of whose monuments I found so
many in the islands of Rhodes and Malta. The antique figures, weapons,
and coats of mail are to the people very curious.
Frankfort-on-the-Oder is in steam communication with Stettin. It is
a dull city for a population of thirty thousand persons, although
active during its four annual fairs, when it overflows with purchasers
and sellers from all parts of Germany. Many of its warehouses are
afterwards closed until the season returns, which gives it a melancholy
appearance. Its suburbs and gardens, however, are pretty, as indeed
they generally are in Germany, and the people have great taste for
flowers and plants, as is noticed in the windows of the humblest
village cottage.
I had passed through here twice before, but now I hold up for a rest,
for which this city is well adapted, where nothing remarkable demands
attention. It is a mistaken notion that the tourist lives a life of
pleasure and indolence; on the contrary, untiring labor, application,
and energy are required to enable him to profit by his travels. One
is rejoiced at times to get to some quiet spot where no obligation is
felt to take advantage of the sojourn, and have time for repose and to
review the ground passed over.
The government is building new salt stores here upon the river bank,
that article being a monopoly. Strolling along I observed some sixty
men employed driving piles for the foundation, with only two drivers.
I counted thirty men, each with cord in hand, a wooden handle thereto
attached, and all fastened to the main rope. At a given signal up
went the hammer, and down it fell upon the head of the pile. I was so
astonished at the loss of power I asked the overseer why he did not
use a machine, and that with six men I could accomplish more work than
with his sixty. He answered they had none. I observed he would save the
cost in a few days. Then an officer remarked that machines were a great
curse, as they deprived the laborer of employment. The other dissented
thereto, and added that they could not get men enough even at ten
silben groschen (or twenty-five cents) per day. Think of that, where
coffee is from thirty to forty cents per pound, sugar fifteen cents,
and meats and rents in proportion, and tell me how the poor man lives!
A few days ago I met at a station an under forester in crown employ,
with his wife and four children. He was being transferred from one
domain to another. I asked him how much salary he had. He replied, ten
thalers per month, or one hundred and twenty per year, equal to ninety
dollars of our money. I inquired, “How can you get through the year?”
The reply was, “I must; rye bread is now cheaper, and water costs
nothing.” A young girl was also waiting with a free passage ticket
from her brother in America, via Hamburg to New York. Her position was
evidently envied.