A Pessimist View of Germany

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 362, 24 April 1889, Page 3

A Pessimist View of Germany

The pessimisb philosopher, Friederich Nietzsche, in his new Gollendammerung, falls foul of his native land with Carlylean vigour. He thinks as meanly of Germany in comparison with other ' culture-lands ' in 1889 as Karl Marx did in 1843. ' Germany,' says he, ' has become the European flatland. Instead of possessing " geist " ' as the Germans formerly did, ' they now possessed Bismarck. Bismarck, with the present Philistine majority, istheGerman substifiufce for poesy, for philosophy, and for else beside.' Its universities are 'factories for stuffing youth with a useless and gmU murdering cramV Its secondary schools are ' domiciles for learned lubbers, black tomcats ' The youths in the gymnasium * drown the little bit of understanding left to them iv beer-drinking.' He excepts Professor Burckhardfc — who, by the way, is a Republican Switzer — from the scorn which he pours on his Gerrran colleagues. ' The external thriving of the State in political power and mercantile success,' according to Nietzsche, is nob a source of ' culture, 5 but is the very contrary. A • Kultarstaat,' the phrase so dear to the German, is ' a contradiction. Culture is unpolitical ; nay, it is antipolitical ; all the great epochs of culture have been epochs of decadence.' It is only justice to the lively pessimist to say that he is not more merciful to Germany's foe than he is to Germany itself. Here are a few specimenfe of his smart characterisation of eminent French authors. ' Victor Hugo — the Pharos on the sea of nonsense ;' ' Zola — the delight in stench ;' ' George Sand — the milch cow with a fine style.' The last may remind the reader of Maxima dv Camp's description^ of- George Sand : * She had in 'her countenance",' 1 says he, 'somewhat of the 1 satisfied restfulness of the cud-chewing animal. 1 ' — 'Pall Mall Gazette.'