The Song of the ‘Iron Chancellor’

How potent Die Wacht am Rhein is to stir the hearts of the children of the Fatherland is proven abundantly by an apposite story regarding the great Bismarck, the ‘man of blood and iron.’  The scene is the German Reichstag, and the time is that curious juncture in history when the Germans, having realized that union is strength, were beginning to weld together the petty kingdoms and duchies of which their mighty empire was once composed.  Gradually this task was becoming accomplished, and meanwhile Germany grew eager to assert her power in Europe, wherefore her rulers commenced to create a vast army.  But Bismarck was not satisfied, and in his eyes Germany’s safety was still unassured; so he appealed to the Reichstag to augment largely their armaments.  The deputies looked at him askance, for a vast army meant ruinous taxation; even von Moltke and von Roon shook their heads, well aware though they were that a great European conflict might break out at any time; and, in short, Bismarck’s proposal was met by a determined negative from the whole House.  “Ach, mein Gott!” he cried, holding out his hands in a superb gesture of despair.  “Ach, mein Gott! but these soldiers we must have.”  His hearers still demurred, reminding him that the people far and near were groaning under the weight of taxation, and assuring him that this could not possibly be increased, when he suddenly changed his despairing gesture for a martial attitude, and with sublime eloquence recited the lines: 

     “Es braust ein Ruf wie Donnerhall,
     Wie Schwertgeklirr und Wogenprall;
     Zum Rhein, zum Rhein, zum deutschen Rhein,
     Wer will die Stroemes Hueter sein? 
     Lieb Vaterland, magst ruhig sein,
     Fest steht und treu die Wacht am Rhein.”

The effect was magical; the entire House resounded with cheers, and the most unbounded enthusiasm prevailed.  And ere the members dispersed they had told Bismarck he might have, not ten thousand, but a hundred thousand soldiers, such was the power of association awakened by this famous hymn, such the spell it is capable of exercising on German hearers.

Topography of the Rhine

Ere we set sail upon the dark sea of legend before us it is necessary that, like prudent mariners, we should know whence and whither we are faring.  To this end it will be well that we should glance briefly at the topography of the great river we are about to explore, and that we should sketch rapidly the most salient occurrences in the strange and varied pageant of its history, in order that we may the better appreciate the wondrous tales of worldwide renown which have found birth on its banks.