The Crown Prince's "English" House

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 November 1916, Page 3

The Crown Prince's "English" House

A BLOT ON POTSDAM. The German Crown Prince is indeed unlucky—and that not only in the fiejd. His latest blunder, if we are to believe Hen- Karl Scheffler. who writes with much emotion in the Yossisclie Zeitung. is that he has continued during the war the building at Potsdam, near the old Marmorpalai*. of "an English country house"! Tt is true, .savs Herr Scheffler. that since the war began attempts have been made in certain circles to speak of this house as belonging to "a low German style" of architecture, "hut that is mere embarrassment." The characteristics of "modern English domestic architecture" are familiar, and there is no mistaking this erection.

The Romantic chimneys, tho false appearance of antiquity of the walls, the application to them of timber framing, the emphasizing of the hall by a- big window, the projections which, in this instance, are devoid of the smallest practical meaning, the impression of low rooms created by low, broad windows—in short, the Elizabethan character of the whole design makes the house, as it were, a foreign body in the scenery of Potsdam.

It is not difficult to prophesy that after a few decades no Crown Prince will wish to reside in this specimen of a stylo of architecture which will by then 'have long passed into oblivion. Herr Scheffler wonders what can have induced the Crown Prince to do ; this thing. [[ rf a princely person thinks that he has the same right as any other citizen to follow his fancy and caprice, he is mistaken." He explains that: —

If the German Crown Prince builds a new house it is not only his private affair: it is. whether lie like* it or not nu action which nffeets the whole people. in so far as it is interested in the late of our architecture. Tt is a symptomatic. an allegorical action, and therefore a fit subject for public erticsin. "Quite apart," adds the writer, "from the value or worthlessness of the artistic executions. the choice of style is a. blunder." Xot because we are still at war with England, not on, the- grounds which an inflamed iNatioiKSTii might adduce, hut because the style is opposed in the most painful manner to the honourable Purssian tradition cf architecture, because tlie innovation has a pedantic effect, and because thds kiind of modernity does more harm than good. One illicit call it "Crown Prince Liberalism" oxpeT.i'nienti.ng with unsuitable material. Tt looks as if the son of the Kaiser were boldly going ahead of the development of art. whereas, as matter of fact, ho is merely following a fashion of tlio day before yesterday, which was perhaps indispensable to tho self-development of our arcliitecture. Sufferers from heartburn and sickheadaches should take Sliarland s iFilujd Magnesia. Correct acridity— gives relief. Agreeable and pure. Only one shilling.—Advt. Sickness andi vomiting from a disordered stomach may bo relieved bytaking Sharland's Fluid Magnesia. One shilling per bottle.—Advt. When your ask for .Sharland's Fluid Magnesia don't take anything just as good" but get Sharland's. Best that money can buy. One shilling per bottle.—Advt, In Sharlantl's fluid magnesia you arrays get highest strength, purest quality and best value.—One shilling per bottle.—Advt.

Heir Sdieffler discusses the problem whe'ther the architect, Paul Schultze-

Naumburg who formerly "painted with lyric romantic feeling o'.di towns, rainbow landscapes, and still life, and emphasized the German note," but has since gone in on a large scale for domestic architecture, has himself fallen away from grace, or whether he has executed 'this, "the most important commission of bis li fe.' in the style of an English country house to order and against his own convictions, and has thus proved false to the ideals of his professon. 'I he que-tion i«s left unanswered, and Herr Sclieffler can only console himself with the thought:— "Well, the misfrrtune lias happened Eoi it is a misfortune for Potsdam and for the credit of architecture at home and abroad. There remains only the despairing hope that after the war such aberrations will be no longer possible.