Sieges-Allee

SIEGES-ALLEE. EDITED BY LYDIA D. ALDER. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY G. ALFRED ALDER AND CHARLES J. THOMAS, LATE MISSIONARIES TO GERMANY. I. The Victory avenue, in the Thiergarten, in Berlin, had its origin in the resolve of his majesty, the Kaiser and King, to do something in an artistic, ornamental way, for the city of Berlin. He made his resolve known to the city authorities, on January 27, 1895, as follows: A quarter of a century is nearly gone since the German people, obedient to the call of its princes, rose in unanimity to ward off the attacks of strangers, and, in glory, though with heavy sacrifices to endure, achieved the union of the Fatherland, and raised it to its station among the nations. This my native city, Berlin, took a very active part, sparing neither trouble nor means, bearing a heavy apportionment, corresponding with her municipal arrangements, and her position in the kingdom. As a sign of my recognition of the city, and in remembrance of the ambitious past of the Fatherland, from the founding of the Mark Brandenburg, to the present time, my plan is this : In the Sieges- Allee, to erect marble statues of the princes of Brandenburg and Prussia, to begin with the Mark Graf Albrecht, the Bear, and ending with the time of Kaiser and King William I., and with each the bust of the two main characters of his time, whether soldier, statesman or citizen. They are to be arranged in a row, one after the other. The whole cost of this I will bear myself, but reserve to myself the details of the plan and arrangements. I take pleasure in making the matter known to the magistrate and city authorities on my birthday, January 27, 1895. William R. The original plan was further developed so that each ruler should be a standing figure, the two main men to be busts. On March 22, 1898, the first three groups were unveiled, in

SIEGES-ALLEE. 227 the presence of his Majesty the Kaiser. Dr. Koser, general director of the state's archives, was commissioned to write the following biographies. The text was written by Prof. Dr. Sternfeld: THE SIEGE-ALLEE, or Victory street, is wide, and paved. At one end is the grand Victory monument, erected by the Germans in honor of their victory over France, in the Franco-Prussian war. A woman of dazzling appearance, with wide flowing skirts of gold, a wreath of golden flowers in her hands, is at the top. Around its sides in four rows are thirty-eight cannon, mounted in gold, which were captured from the French. The dark gray of the monument is further relieved by war scenes of that momentous time. At the other end of the street is the artistic fountain Roland brunnen with its streams of silvery spray. The SiegesAUee, thus enclosed, contains the story of Germany in statuary, in number, thirty-two groups, sixteen on either side of the street. Dense banks of foliage, as a back ground, set off their dazzling whiteness, and the proud row of princely rulers, in robes of state, or the mail of war, are surrounded by beds of variegated flowers, so beautiful in the Thiergarten. It is admitted that this street is a perpetual menace to France, which was so humiliated by Germany. Whether it was so intended or not, there it is, the greatest national monument to war in the world, unique, imposing, grand. In it, Kaiser William perpetuates his name to the latest day, as one of the greatest minds of his generation. As a collective work of art, it is unsurpassed ; as a design, unrivaled; as a history, like to none; as a street decorated and embellished, the grandest in the world. There, within the Thiergarten, Berlin's most beautiful and extensive park, where all may survey, and surveying, inspire in all hearts the love of the Fatherland, is the street of monuments, which commemorates the chivalry, wealth, pomp and power of the united German kingdom. Only one woman's face is to be seen among all this array of warriors, "Fairy beautiful" she is called. Her name was Elizabeth, and she was an Elector princess of the Willelbasher line.

228 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Her picture is shown on the back of the marble bench of the group, Fredrich I. 1415-1440. This street or avenue, being completed, the kaiser has caused* to be erected, just beyond the Thor (Brandenburg Portal) which leads to the beautiful street Unter Den Linden, so called for its many linden trees, an artistic white monument, and a fountain that foams and glistens in the sun, to the memory of his royal parents. Princess Victoria of England and Kaiser Fredrick III, king of Prussia. FIRST GROUP, MARK GRAF (eARL) OR COUNT — ALRRECHT THE BEAR, 1132-1170; WIGGER, BISHOP OF BRANDENBURG, AND OTTO, BISHOP FROM BRANBERG. Albrecht the Bear, founder of the Mark Brandenburg, with the cross uplifted in his right hand turned east to the land of Slavonia, to establish Christianity. Albrecht descended from the family count from Ballenstedt, the Hartz country. They called themselves after their burg, Aschisarian, not far from Ascher's lahen also Ascharian or Askamir. He was born about the year 1100; as the son of Count Otto and his Countess Eilica or (Hehoich), daughter of Duke Magnus of Saxon. Albrecht served the German kaiser Lothar true, against his foes, and received from him as reward, in 1134, the North Mark, afterwards designated as Old Mark. The new earl, from here, undertook new attacks in the heathen Slavonican lands, which had already been under the Dutch kaiser, but which, in 983 A. D. were lost to the Dutch kingdom. These lands were situated on the other side of the Elbe and Havel (Hafel) rivers. He waged a holy war against the North German princes, even against the Slavs in Mechlenburg and Pommern. At the same time he began a systematic colonization. He called aggressive colonists out of the German home, also from the lower Rhine and Flanders. He protected their claims with his sword. In this still colonization, he soon successfully competed with, and outstripped, them (the Slavs.) The priests, particularly the monks of the Christian order, preached the gospel to the heathen, and taught them how to re-

SIEGES-ALLEE. 22^ claim the swamps and forests. Knights, citizens and peasants spread over the land, and were united as one man in its care, and against the Slavs. After many hard combats, the Slavs were entirely subdued. Also in the affairs of the German Kingdom, Albrecht attained a very prominent place. He fought for King Conrad III, against the more powerful Welsh. He also served under Frederick Barbarossa, whom he guided on his trip to Rome, 1162. This surname of the Bear, had spread over the middle world, and an old saying has placed him in equal rank and birth with his two great contemporaries. Henry the Lion and Albrecht the Bear Dares Frederick with the ted hair, These were the three men Who could turn the world back. OTTO, BISHOP OF BAMBERG. In the years from 1103-1139,he found his place at the side of Albrecht the Bear, because he, like him, had been of the greatest service in spreading Christianity among the heathen Slavs on the Oder and the Baltic seas. With religious fervor Otto united wisdom and munificence. Twice he went to Pommern endeavoring to convert them. In Pyritz (where King Frederick William III erected a monument to him), he began his baptism sermons. Albrecht, the Bear, befriended him, and as the Bishop, in 1128, started on his second mission trip to Pommern. Albrecht 's envoys guided the company that took provisions and other things to the converts, and on the petition of the Earl, the Kaiser loaned the Bishop the tribute from five Wendish districts on the Been, four of which belonged to the North Mark. Otto of Bamberg, ' 'the apostle to thePommerns,"was spoken of him in a reverential way, after his death. WIGGER, BISHOP OF BRANDENBURG, was of the order Praymonstratenser, which was founded in France and had extended to North Germany. He did much good for the mission and the civilizing efl'orts that were put forth. He was first monk at Cappenberg, in Westfallen, then was father to our beloved sisters at Magdeburg, and later founded, 1130, at the re-

230 IMPROVEMENT ERA. quest of the converted Wendish Prince Prebislan, of Brandenburg, the Orders convent Parduin, on a Havel island by Brandenburg. He was, in 1138, ordained Bishop of Brandenburg, and could, with the chapter of the church, turn back to banishment again, the heathen-torn land. After twenty years of official activity he died, about the year 1160, and is buried at Brandenburg, in the St. Godehard church. (to be continued.) A WARNING. In the morn of life's great battle. Speak this poem from thy heart. Let its truth shine all around you; Let the tho'ts herein protect you From old Gossip's fiery dart. Be not hasty in your efforts, To prove false your dearest friend, Better far your heart should soften, Better trust him once too often, Than that friendship true should end. Do not be too prone to credit All the baseness that you hear, Of some neighbor in the village, Whom the gossips love to pillage, Of the virtues he holds dear. Do not search at all for baseness. You will find it if you do ; Better far you take this warning: Probe your heart each night and morning, Search it carefully through and through. Search for vice germs and uproot them, Lest they in your heart shall grow. Speak no evil of your neighbor. Then will God your humble labor ' Bless, and love on you bestow St Joseph, Arizona. M. R Tanner.