1816: the Grandest Tour

Germany: Chapter 9

Unbeknownst to George and the others, a few of the young men had brought provisions. They were now cooking them into a large cheese and vegetable stew in a cauldron on the castle's open hearth. A number of them had carried over loaves of bread, and as everyone sat down a horse-drawn cart rolled up the hill pulling several barrels of beer. A raucous cheer went up at news of the beer, and before long everyone was enjoying the hearty soup and brew.

George, Tobias, and Isaac sat near the front with Karl and Dittmar. For a while George forgot all his questions as he dug into the simple but satisfying fare. After eating his fill he sat back quite contented, and was just beginning to wonder again what on earth this whole gathering was when Karl stood up. The other students snapped to attention and started banging their mugs on the table in support.

"Kind gentlemen and friends," Karl began, raising his arm for silence. "Thank you all for joining us here tonight." He was speaking German of course, but with George and Isaac leaning in on either side Tobias could translate the general sense for them.

"Before we all drink too much, I would like to acknowledge just why we've come out."

Now he was finally getting to the matter, George thought. He also noticed that Karl had drunk hardly a drop of beer himself, as usual.

"For the newcomers among us, I welcome you to this meeting of the Burschenschaft, Teutonia!"

A spontaneous cheer of applause broke out – during which Tobias did his best to translate either of these words for his friends, but drew a blank.

"Ours is a student society of serious, learned young men," Karl began once more. "A fraternity, dedicated to the most important question of our age: the birth and union of a Greater German Fatherland!"

The listeners burst into applause again, with even greater feeling.

"This goal, as I say, is the chiefest, burning issue of our times. We can judge its importance by the vast array of enemies that conspire every day to prevent it. Any German knows how crisscrossed our land is with petty kingdoms, dukedoms, and principalities. These toy states are ruled by despots left over from a bygone age. While unified lands to our west prosper in France, Spain, and England, we in Germany must suffer under tyrants desperate only to preserve their outmoded feudal order: their land, their church, their aristocracy."

A rumble of boos and hisses passed through Karl's audience.

"In such backward states, no one can rise on the merit of their talent," Karl continued. "Not the burghers, not the professionals, not the peasants and laborers. Speech is stifled; laws are unequal; every citizen is held back by powers which care nothing for them or their welfare. Much greater than the small states are the two German empires: Austria and Prussia. Rather than lead the movement for German unity, however, the rulers of both have shirked all obligation. In Austria's case its minister tries actively to frustrate our dearest hopes."

A chorus of "shame!" rolled out from many of those assembled.

"We don't have to go far to find some who disagree with us. In our very town, on our very campus, we see every day the members of our opposite party, in the Landmannschaft."

More hisses erupted, but this time Karl raised a hand for patience.

"I know we have many differences with them, it's true. But for those who don't know, I was once a member of the Landmannschaft myself. Yes, I knew many of those men as friends. And while we may be at odds on so much, I can only urge patience and fellow-feeling with them. Instead of picking endless fights, I counsel brotherhood. For in our Germany to come there will be a place for them, as for everyone."