and called on all to revolt, a few Jewish youths being the leaders in that struggle for the “freedom, beauty and dignity” of our national life. Not one of them had ever been to the front.
The following days brought with them the worst realization of my life. The rumours grew more and more definite. What I had imagined to be a local affair was apparently a general revolution. In addition to all this, distressing news came back from the front. They wanted to capitulate. Yes—was such a thing possible ?
On November 10th the aged pastor came to the hospital for a short address ; then we heard every¬ thing.
I was present and was profoundly affected. The good old man seemed to be trembling when he told us that the House of Hohenzollern was to wear the German Imperial crown no more—that the Fatherland had become a Republic.
So all had been in vain. In vain all the sacrifices and privations, in vain the starvation and thirst for many endless months, in vain the hours we spent doing our duty, gripped by the fear of death, and in vain the death of two millions of men !
And our country ? But—was this the only sacrifice we should be called on to endure ? Was the Germany of the past worth less than we thought ? Had she no obligation owing to her own history ? Were we worthy to clothe our¬ selves in the glory of the past ? In what light could this act be presented for justification to future genera¬ tions ?
Miserable, depraved criminals ! The more I tried in that hour to get clear ideas about that tremendous event, the more did I blush with burning rage and shame. What was all the pain of my eyes in comparison with this misery ?