The Contra-Part (Das Gegenstück)

The news reached us from Munich that the officers and men of the local reserve formations are staging their own theatre, under the title ‘The Field Grey[1]s for the Field Greys’, and they are performing a play written by a Field Grey, Hias[2].

The Packed House Acclaimed the Heroes, who Salute their Thanks (Das übervolle Haus jubelte den Helden begeistert zu, die stramm salutierend dankten)

This evening in the Bürgertheater[1] is dedicated to the widows and orphans of the heroes of Uszieczko. The reinforcement squadron of the k.u.k.[2] 11th Imperial Dragoon regiment (First Lieutenant Baron Rohn) has put on a gala performance for the widows and orphans of their comrades who fell at Uszieczko.

Greetings to Bahr and Hofmannsthal (Gruss an Bahr und Hofmannsthal)

Greetings to Hofmannsthal[1]

Bayreuth, 16th August 1914,

I only know that you are under arms, dear Hugo, but no one can tell me where, so I will write to you in the newspaper. Perhaps the dear wind will blow it to your campfire, and send you my greetings.

Global Turning Point (Weltwende)

Karl Kraus

The play Voluntary Service, by Leo Feld, which is currently playing in the Deutschen Volkstheater, has just appeared as a book. It is dedicated to Conrad v. Hötzendorf with the following words, »This play grew out of the great impressions of this last year. Out of the grateful and amazed emotion with which we followed the unconquerable heroic spirit of sacrifice of our army. Out of a feeling of humility and pride previously unknown to us. Out of the conviction that the ultimate reconciliation of these terrible days must be a reformation of our internal lives. That is our hope and expectation. Just as regular training preserves and increases physical strength, the tenacity of this hard year must have collected and deepened the moral forces of sacrifice and devotion to duty. It has redeemed individuals from solitary contemplation or poverty, and let them experience the greatest happiness which is granted to us: self-sacrifice in the service of something greater than one’s own life. Our army embodies this spirit for us, you, your Excellency, symbolize for us the noble example of this glorious army. I know that by dedicating this modest work, which wants to do nothing more than to express the current public emotion in words, humbly to you, your Excellency, that I am also here only expressing the feelings with which every Austrian has today. In your Excellency we love the simple, smiling heroism of our officers.«

Shakespeare and the Berliners (Shakespeare und die Berliner)

»Max Reinhardt produced ›Macbeth‹ in the German Theater… The director gave free reign to his talents… For example, the stage was divided into three, with the middle strip having a special symbolic significance. The main theme, which recurred in countless variations, was blood. The colours and lighting were attuned to blood, and as the Macbeths hatched out the murder plan, their necks were encircled by blood-red stripes, projected by a spotlight. A blood-stained curtain descended as the murder was committed…«

The Historical and the Emerging Class (Die Historischen und die Vordringenden)

A Word to the Aristocracy

In the Hungarian parliament, someone drew attention to the connections between the magnates and the banks, to protect the so-called bank magnates from attack. And they had to accept that their coats of arms, once they have been sold for royalties, served not only as the shield of the bank, they also shielded the banker. Count Tisza, however, was once again of the opinion that the peace between the classes in the company should not be disturbed by referring to the differences resulting from nature and upbringing. They should rather get along together, and learn from each other, because, „The historical classes have a great deal to learn from the new, emerging classes in Hungarian society. They have to acquire a lot of characteristics and virtues from them, and cast off a lot of old faults. On the other hand, however, it is not meant to be offensive to anyone if we add that the new classes in Hungarian society must also make the effort to absorb all the great characteristics that the old factors of society have inherited from their ancestors…”

The Lysoform Face (Das Lysoform-Gesicht)

…is the face of the times, smirking at us from every hoarding. It is one of those pharmaceutical preparations whose names end in -it, -in, -ol, or -form, which humanity has only started to need since it has started to produce them, and without which the conditions which they were created to treat would not exist. But the face with which it presents itself is the very image of the times.

Kierkegaard’s Words (Worte Kierkegaards)

Shame, shame on the daily papers! If Christ came down today, I swear on my life he would attack the journalists, not the high priests!

In Eternal Memory (Zum Ewigen Gedächtnis)

Two trains

The first train

The grief and suffering which the Serbian population had to endure in flight from the enemy, is difficult to put into words. With heavy hearts, putting their trust only in God, the poor refugees abandoned their homes. Old people, women, children, all took flight. Inestimable masses of people moved forwards, further, ever further. With how much pain and sympathy I think about the children in these trains. Half-naked, with holes in their shoes, dirty, they held onto the hands of their mothers, who often also had a whimpering baby in their arms.