[6] When I wrote this, I had not yet seen the monstrous article by Thomas Mann (in the Neue Rundschau of November 1914), where, in a fit of fury and injured pride, he savagely claimed for Germany, as a title to glory, all the crimes of which her adversaries accuse her. He dared to write that the present war was a war of German Kultur "against Civilization," proclaiming that German thought had no other ideal than militarism, and inscribes on his banner the following lines, the apology of force oppressing weakness:
| "Den der Mensch verkümmert im Frieden, | |
| Müssige Ruh ist das Grab des Muts. | |
| Das Gesetz ist der Freund des Schwachen, | |
| Alles will es nur eben machen. | |
| Möchte gern die Welt verflachen, | |
| Aber der Krieg lässt die Kraft erscheinen...." |
(Man deteriorates in peace. Idle rest is the tomb of courage. Law is the friend of the weak, it aims at levelling all; it would reduce the world to a level. War brings out strength.)
Even so a bull in the arena, mad with rage, rushes with lowered head on the matador's sword, and impales himself.
[7] As one of these 'pedants of barbarism' (so Miguel de Unamuno rightly describes them) writes, "one has the right to destroy; if one has the force to create" (Wer stark ist zu schaffen, der darf auch zerstören).—Friedr Gundolf: Tat und Wort im Krieg, published in the Frankfurter Zeitung, October 11th. Cf. the article of the aged Hans Thoma, in the Leipziger Illustrierte Zeitung of October 1st.
[8] Jean-Christophe, part V, "La Foire sur la Place." In vol. III of the English version.—Trans.
[9] At the very hour I wrote these lines, Charles Péguy died.
[10] Alludes to a Viennese writer who had told me, a few weeks before the declaration of war, that a disaster for France would be a disaster for the liberal thinkers of Germany too.
[11] See note, p. 193.
[12] Liebknecht has since gloriously cleared his honor of the compromises of his party. I here express admiration of his attitude. (R. R., January 1915.)