FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144  
145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   >>   >|  
f 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 "depot." "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 men
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144  
145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Germany
 

Berliner

 

moment

 

Antwerp

 

fallen

 
German
 
Niederlage
 

victories

 
actors
 

interrupting


exclaimed

 

Another

 
characters
 

establishment

 
middle
 

England

 
France
 
scenes
 

Russia

 

stepped


quickly

 

surrounded

 

enemies

 

defeat

 

Mutter

 

Abschied

 

zerschossenen

 

Pferde

 

Perchance

 

warrior


farewell

 
mother
 

battle

 

Schlacht

 

company

 
subsided
 

forward

 
announcement
 

tremendous

 
enthusiasm

explain
 

Krieger

 
vielleicht
 
jubelt
 

present

 

places

 
thought
 

Berlin

 
theatres
 

intrusion