ic, before the wonders of Flemish
painting, their eyes light up in pious adoration. From the lips of the
troops that marched from three streets into the parade plaza in Brussels
there burst, when the last man stood in the ranks--and burst
spontaneously--a German song. Out of all the trenches joyous cheers of
thanks rise for the fearless musicmaster who, amid the raging fire,
through horns and trumpets, wrapped in earth-colored gray, leads his
band in blowing marches and battle songs and songs of dancing into the
ears of the Frenchmen, harkening with pleasure.

Not only for the territories that are to feed their children and
grandchildren is this warrior host battling, but also for the
conquering triumph of the German genius, for the forces of sentiment
that rise from Goethe and Beethoven and Bismarck and Schiller and Kant
and Kleist, working on throughout time and eternity.

And never was there a war more just; never one the result of which could
bring such happiness as must this, even for the conquered. In order that
that spirit might conquer we were obliged to forge the mightiest weapons
for it. Over the meadows of the Scheldt is wafted the word of the King:

How proud I feel my heart flame
When in every German land
I find such a warrior band!
For German land, the German sword!
Thus be the empire's strength preserved!

This strength was begotten by that spirit. The fashioning of such
weapons was possible only because millions of industrious persons, with
untiring and unremitting labors, transformed the poor Germany into the
rich Germany, which was then able to prepare and conduct the war as a
great industry. And what the spirit created once again serves the
spirit. It shall not lay waste, nor banish us free men into slavery, but
rather it shall call forth to the light of heaven a new, richer soul of
life out of the ruins of a storm-tossed civilization. It shall, it must,
it will conquer new provinces for the majesty of the noble German spirit
(Deutschheit) that never will grow chill and numb, as the Roman did.
Otherwise--and even though unnumbered billions flowed into the
Rhine--the expense of this war would be shamefully wasted.

Our army did not set out to conquer Belgian territory.

In the war against four great powers, the west front of which alone
stretched from the North Sea to the Alps, from Ghent almost to Geneva,
it seemed impossible to achieve on Europe's soil a victory that would