Professor of the History of German Culture at Harvard
University and Curator of the Germanic Museum; author of works
on German literature.
_To the Editor of The New York Times:_
In his letter of Sept. 1 President Eliot expresses the opinion that in
the present war "England, France, and Russia are fighting for freedom
and civilization." And he adds:
It does not follow that thinking Americans will forget the
immense services which Germany has rendered to civilization
during the last hundred years, or desire that her power to
serve letters, science, art, and education should be in the
least abridged in the outcome of this war, upon which she has
entered so rashly and selfishly and in so barbarous a spirit.
Most educated Americans hope and believe that by defeating the
German barbarousness the Allies will only promote the noble
German civilization.
In other words, German military and political power is to be crushed in
order to set free the German genius for science, literature, and art. It
is interesting to contrast with such views as these the following words
of Goethe, uttered in 1813:
I have often felt a bitter grief at the thought of the German
people, which is so noble individually and so wretched as a
whole. A comparison of the German people with other nations
gives us painful feelings, which I try to overcome by all
possible means; and in science and art I have found the wings
which lift me above them. But the comfort which they afford
is, after all, only a miserable comfort, and does not make up
for the proud consciousness of belonging to a nation strong,
respected, and feared. However, I am comforted by the thought
of Germany's future. Yes, the German people has a future. The
destiny of the Germans is not yet fulfilled. The time, the
right time, no human eye can foresee, nor can human power
hasten it on. To us individuals, meanwhile, is it given, to
every one according to his talents, his inclinations, and his
position, to increase, to strengthen, and to spread national
culture. In order that in this respect, at least, Germany may
be ahead of other nations and that the national spirit,
instead of being stifled and discouraged, may be kept alive
and hopeful and ready to rise in all its might when the day of
glory dawns.
If I am not mistaken, these words of Germany's greatest poet express
accurately what the German people during the last hundred years has been
striving for--national culture and national pre-eminence in every field
of human activity. To advocate the reduction of Germany to a land of
isolated scientists, poets, artists, and educators is tantamount to a
call for the destruction of the German Nation.