A War-time Journal, Germany 1914 and German Travel Notes | Page 2

going to do! We think of motor-cars to the frontier, or the Rhine boat.
August 3rd.--Alas! all steamers on the Rhine are stopped and
motor-cars are impossible, because an order has come out that
petroleum is to be reserved for the Government. I made another attempt
to cash a cheque to-day, and again the bank refused. A Russian who
stood beside me was desperate. He spoke execrable French, and cried
excitedly: "Comment donc! je ne puis pas quitter le pays et j'ai une
famille et trois femmes!" Poor Bluebeard! his "trois femmes" (wife and
daughters) looked terrified and miserable. Our position is incredible
and most serious. Still, one cannot but admire the glorious spirit of
sacrifice and patriotism which animates all classes of the German
people. Just what it was in the war of 1813, when women even cut off
their hair and sold it to help their country.
August 4th.--Troops are marching through the streets and leaving for
the Front all day long. The ladies of Altheim go to the station as the
trains pass through, and give the soldiers coffee, chocolate, cigars, and
zwiebacks. They get much gratitude, and the men say (poor deluded
mortals): "Wir kriegen für Sie" (We fight for you). I saw poor Frau
G---- (my doctor's wife) to-day. She was quite calm, but looked
miserable. Her eldest son, Dr. T----, left for the front this morning. I
sympathised, and she said, choking back a sob: "Man gibt das beste für
das Vaterland" (one gives one's best for the Fatherland). No letters
come, nor papers; and we are only allowed to send postcards written in
German.
August 5th.--Our baker has gone to the war, and Dr. G---- 's butler; the
schools have shut up, so many masters having been called upon to fight.
Even learned professors turn soldiers in this country, and most of the
weedy cabhorses here have left Altheim to serve their "Fatherland." My
Bade-Frau's husband has gone to the front, and so has our Apotheke;
there are no porters left at the station, and a jeweller is doing duty as
station-master! The Red Cross Society meet daily, and make
preparations for the care of wounded men. Hospitals, private houses,

and doctors' houses are getting ready, and all motors have been put at
the State's disposal. Insane hatred against Russia exists, and the
Russians here are not enjoying themselves! My position is most serious:
no money, and no return ticket!
August 6th.--I went out early in quest of news, and looked in at K----
and L----'s. A young clerk, pale with excitement and anger, in reply to
my question: "Gibt es etwas neues?" literally hissed at me: "England
hat Krieg erklärt" (England has declared war). It was an awful moment,
although one was prepared for it in a measure, feeling sure that England
would be faithful to her bond.
Next came the Press announcements, "Das unglaubliche ist Tatsache
geworden" (The unbelievable is become an accomplished fact).
"England, who poses as the guardian of morality and all the virtues,
sides with Russia and assassins!" Abuse of Sir Edward Grey, of our
Government, and of all things English, follows. When vituperation fails,
the "Frankfurter Zeitung" reminds its readers that, after all, such
conduct is only what may be expected from "Die historische Perfide
Albions." That it is a blow none the less is shown by more than one
newspaper beginning "Das Schlimmste ist geschehen." (The worst has
happened.) Miss M----, Miss H----, and I went to the "Prince of Wales's
Hotel" to see Mr. S----, who had made out a list of the English in
Altheim, and tried to telephone to our Consul in Frankfort to ask what
he was going to do for our rescue. The telephone people refused to send
the message because we were English! Mr. S---- and other men here are
doing all they can to secure a train when the mobilisation is over. He
advised us to pack up and be ready to start, also not to show ourselves
out of doors much, as there is the greatest fury and indignation at
present against the English, and to be careful what we said and did. We
are all terribly anxious, and it is rather trying for me, as I am the only
woman in the place quite alone.
August 7th.--Still no help! Innumerable wild rumours are flying about.
They say that those who left Altheim have all come back, unable to get
farther than Frankfort. We are beginning to feel hopeless. Nothing
about England is in the German papers, and, of course, we see no

others. It is quite terrible being without news. Last night there was great
scrubbing and scraping of Altheim shop windows, and all the notices:
"English spoken here" have disappeared.
There is a mania about spies in Frankfort,