A War-time Journal, Germany 1914 and German Travel Notes | Page 4

is sick with
longing to hear how the war gets on from the English point of view.
The papers here never allude to England's movements--only to her
moral delinquencies. I am so poverty-stricken now I wash my own
pocket-handkerchiefs, guimpes, and blouses!
The American part of our community have quite recovered their spirits
since money has come for them. The United States is making every
effort to rescue her people, and get them back in safety to America. No
one seems to concern themselves about us, and we can't get away while
mobilising is going on. All Germans show the greatest deference to
Americans, and call them "our honoured guests." We, of course, are the
dishonoured ones, and in disgrace!
Altheim people so far are passably civil to us, but sometimes one has a
disagreeable person to deal with, as I had to-day at the Bad Haus. The
girl who stamps our tickets refused to pass mine until I could show her
my Kur Karte. I had none, and told her so, and asked her why I should
pay twenty marks for a card, when I could not get any of the privileges
to which it entitled me: the band, terrace, reading-room, and so on. Her
answer was a persistent dogged reiteration of "Sie müssen eine Kur
Karte haben, sonst können Sie nicht baden," and not having twenty
marks in the world at present I had to come away without my bath.
Every day there are fresh appeals to the patriotism of the people. They
are pasted on walls, windows, and even trees.
August 12th.--Such an amusing thing has happened. Mr. S---- said to
Dr. ----, "We English have captured your Kronprinzessin Cecilie,"
without saying that he meant the ship, and not the lady. As the
Government keeps all such disagreeable intelligence dark, it was news

to the doctor, and he stoutly contradicted it, and went round the town
afterwards telling people: "Just think what liars the English are; they
say they have captured our Crown Princess!" We learnt of this
prize-taking from the "Corriere della Sera."
August 13th.--The newspapers are full of German victories and abuse
of England. Also they declare that the most terrible atrocities have
taken place in Belgium, where women have despatched wounded
Germans on the field and shot doctors. The indignation is tremendous.
August 14th.--Permission has at last been given for "Fremden"
(foreigners) to depart, and also the threats and restrictions as to the
railway station have been removed, but we must submit our passports
to the police, who send them to Berlin to be stamped by the military
authorities, and in about a week we shall be free. "Gott sei Dank!"
August 15th.--I went to the Polizei-Amt, a dreary little house, and
found both yard and staircase crammed with people. After waiting a
long time in the queue I had to beat a retreat, the neighbourhood of
Polish Jews being too overpowering! In the afternoon I ventured again
with the same result. They say Holland is crammed with refugees, and
the hotels so full that people are sleeping on billiard tables even. We
are allowed to choose between Switzerland and Holland.
German papers express deepest disappointment that Italy has not been
"ehrlich" (honourable) to her "Dreibund," and yet (extraordinary people)
the Germans blame us for being true to ours.
August 16th.--I sent a telegram off to Ems this morning, of course
written in German, but the official behind the little window where I
handed it in refused to send it until I showed him my passport. As I
have not yet succeeded in getting through the crowds at the police
station I still had mine. We hear dreadful tales of hardships endured by
those who have managed to get away from other places. Some went by
the Rhine steamers, which are now running, but wherever they passed a
fortress they were made to go below. As the cabins were not enough for
all, preference was given to other nationalities, and English people had
to sit up all night on deck, even in pouring rain. The entire absence of

news is for us quite terrible. One feels so out of the world, not knowing
what is happening outside our prison doors. The "Frankfurter Zeitung"
is full of nothing but boasts and untruths. A fresh "Bekanntmachung"
has been posted up forbidding us to leave the town, and ordering us to
be indoors by nine o'clock.
August 17th.--The Landsturm has been called out and leaves to-day for
the Front. These men are the last to be requisitioned, being elderly.[1]
After long waiting among Jews, Infidels, and Turks, I at last got
entrance to the Chief of Police's office, had my passport taken, paid one
mark fifty, and was told to come back on Thursday, when it would be
returned