What Germany Thinks | Page 3

peace. But only in this manner can Austria
protect herself against the criminals who are sent from Serbia to the
territories of the Hapsburg monarchy. No consideration whatever can
be shown to Serbia, as Austria's first duty is self-defence."
In the German Press two widely-differing opinions found expression
with regard to the equity of Austria's demands, but the Press and people
were unanimous in believing that if these demands were ruthlessly
pressed home they could only lead to a European conflagration.
In view of this latter danger, national opinion was again divided into
two camps: the first against war, the second determined to support
Austria and pursue the path chosen by the Berlin Government, no
matter what the consequences might be. The latter party included the
vast bulk of the nation; and Chauvinism dominated in the Press,
theatres, concert-halls, churches and music-halls. "Patriotic"
demonstrations were held before Austrian consulates, in restaurants and
coffee-houses. The Berlin Government was overwhelmed with
telegrams from all kinds of bodies--especially those with a military
colouring, such as veterans' clubs, societies of one-year volunteers,
university societies, etc.--calling upon it to defend Germany's honour
against Slavonic murder and intrigue. In short, all Germany gave itself
up to a veritable Kriegsrausch (war intoxication) which found
expression in the wildest attacks on Russia and a perfervid
determination to see the matter through, should Russia venture to
intervene in any way to protect Serbia from whatever measures Austria
thought proper to take.
It is little to be wondered at that Russia in face of this spontaneous
outbreak did take military precautions, for all Germany made it

perfectly clear that no kind of intervention on Russia's part in the
Austro-Serbian dispute would be tolerated by Germany. It is true that,
late in the day, Austria avowed that she had no intention of annexing
Serbian territory, a declaration which Germans did not believe, and
certainly one which Russia had no reason to accept after Austria's
annexion of Bosnia and Herzegowina in 1908.
Furthermore, Austria gave Russia every reason to cherish suspicion as
to her intentions. On July 25th Austria issued official orders for the
mobilization of eight of her sixteen army corps, in addition to which a
part of the Landsturm was called up. The corps mobilized were: one
each in Upper and Lower Austria, Dalmatia, Buda-Pest, Croatia and
Bosnia and two Bohemian corps. Three-eighths of the forces called up
were thus placed very near to the Russian frontier.
Vienna was wild with war-enthusiasm which found expression in
demonstrations lasting all through the night, July 25-26th. Austrian
officers, who have always been hated by the populace, were cheered,
embraced and carried shoulder-high wherever they were met. The
effect which this had in Berlin may be seen from the Berliner Tageblatt
of July 26th: "An enormous mass of people gathered before the Russian
Embassy last night between the hours of twelve and one. The crowd
howled and hissed, and cries were raised: 'Down with Russia! Long
live Austria! Down with Serbia!' Gradually the police cleared the
masses away."
Russia ignored the incident, but when about a hundred Frenchmen
demonstrated before the Austrian Embassy in Paris at exactly the same
time, the Ambassador at once protested at the Quai d'Orsay and the
Director of the French Foreign Office immediately apologized.
On the whole the reports of excesses in various parts of Germany
against any and all who dared to show any anti-war sympathies proves
clearly that the blood-lust aroused by the German Government's policy
had already passed beyond the control of the authorities. In Munich one
of the most modern coffee-houses (Café Fahrig) was completely gutted
because the proprietor endeavoured to keep the demonstrants within
reasonable bounds. Serbs and Russians were attacked and ill-treated.

One such incident occurred at mid-day, Sunday, July 26th, in Munich,
of which a full description is given in the _München-Augsburger
Abendzeitung_ for the following day.
A few days later (August 2nd) the Princess Café, Berlin, was
demolished because the guests believed that there were Russians in the
band. In Hamburg on the following day a newly-opened restaurant was
completely destroyed because a young Dane had failed to stand up
when the national hymn was being played. "Yesterday a young Dane
remained sitting during the singing of the national hymn, for which
reason the persons in the hall became greatly excited. 'Russian, stand
up!' was shouted to him. In the same moment blows began to rain down
upon him, so that, streaming with blood, he was carried out." (Berliner
Zeitung am Mittag, August 4th.)
These are only a selection of many such incidents which show that the
national brutishness was appearing through the veneer. In the light of
such events where, on German soil, Germans murderously attacked
their fellow-countrymen on such ridiculous pretexts, it requires little
imagination to explain the outburst of