| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 18 September 1893 |
ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE
AT LE PERREUX
Berlin W., den 18 September 1893
Grossgörschen- Strasse 22 a.
My dear Lohr,
Enfin![1] Arrived here Saturday night, after 6 days in Vienna and 1 in Prague 189 (where we met your old adorer Rudolf Meyer). Vienna is an extremely beautiful town, with glorious boulevards (Ringstrasse), and the immense square between Rathhaus and—vis-à-vis—new Burgtheater, with Parliament to the right and University to the left, is unequalled in the world. But Vienna is too big for its people, they are only beginning to learn the use of these boulevards; in about 10 years everything will be ten times finer, because 10 times more alive with people.
Altogether the Continent has undergone a complete revolution since I last saw it. 254 Everywhere life, activity, development, compared to which England appears stationary. Of Berlin I have not seen much (not a square foot as yet of the Berlin I left in 1842, 255 as what I have seen so far, is all new addition) but it is indeed externally splendid, though, I fear, internally full of discomfort. Bebel (where Louise and I are staying) has a very pretty and comfortable floor, but Library[2] where we spent last evening lives in a set of apartments so awfully arranged by the builder that it horrified me. Here in Berlin they have invented the 'Berliner Zimmer', a room with hardly a trace of a window, and that is where the Berliners spend almost all their time, To the front is the dining-room (best, reserved for swell occasions) and the salon (even more select and reserved), then the 'Berliner' Spelunke[3] ; next a dark corridor, a few bedrooms donnant sur la cour,[4] and a kitchen. A sprawling unhomely arrangement, specifically Berlinerisch (that is bourgeois-berlinerisch): show and even splendour in front, darkness, discomfort and bad arrangement behind, the front for show only, the discomfort to be lived in. At all events that is my impression at present; let us hope it may get mended.
Yesterday we were in the Freie Volksbühne 256—the Lessing Theater, one of the nicest and best of Berlin had been hired for the occasion. The seats are drawn for as in a lottery by the subscribers and you see working men and girls in the stalls and boxes, while bourgeois may be relegated to the gods. The public is of an attention, a devotion, I might say, an enthusiasm sans égale.[5] Not a sign of applause until the curtain falls—then a veritable storm. But in pathetic scenes—torrents of tears. No wonder the actors prefer this public to any other. The piece was rather good and the acting far superior to what I had expected. The Kleinburgerei[6] of old has disappeared from the German stage, both in the acting and in the character of the pieces. I will send you a short review of the latter.
In Vienna I had to appear twice before the 'party'. 257 I am quite enchanted with them. As lively and as sanguine as the French, but slightly more solid. The women especially are charming and enthusiastic; they work very hard, thanks, to a very great extent, to Louise. Adler has done wonders; the tact, the constant vigilance and activity, with which he holds the party together (not an easy thing with such lively people as the Viennese), are beyond praise, and if you consider moreover the difficulties of his private position— a wife ill with nervous ailments, three children and interminable pecuniary difficulties arising therefrom—it is almost inconceivable how he can keep his head above water. And these Austrians—a mixture of all races, Celtic, Teutonic, Slavonic—are far less manageable than our North Germans.
Library looks very well, collecting the elements of a paunch; his wife made a Bowie for us with wine and fruit; there was a rather numerous company. He lives au quatrième[7] and outside Berlin proper, in Charlottenburg, but his apartment costs him some 1,800 Marks = 2,250 fr.
As to your elections I hope Paul's hopes may be verified. 252 As most of the men elected are utterly unknown to me, I have no means to form a judgment. Vaillant's letter in the Petite République Française[8] looks promising, let us hope that circumstances may tend to keep him in the right direction. If our 12 men are really ours and not like Thivrier and Lachizeq then a good nucleus may be formed.
When we came to Prague, there was the little état de siege[9] in force there. Nobody in our hotel ever thought of asking for our names! Voilà ce que c'est que l'Autriche: Despotismus gemildert durch Schlamperei.[10] Amitiés à[11] Paul. Ever yours,
F. Engels
Louise, Bebel und Frau grüssen euch beide herzlichst.[12] Your copy of Paul's article and Paul's letter we gave to Adler who used them for his very good article in the Arbeiter Zeitung. 259