THROUGH GERMAN EYES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 21

THROUGH GERMAN EYES

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

"Sclilmnp, the Story oil an Unknown Soldier." 'Anonymous: London: Martin Seeker. If "Schluiup" had been published prior to "All Quiet on the Western Front," it would probably have caused just as big a.controversy us Remarque's much-discussed work. All the way through "Selllump" deals frankly with different phases of the war. as seen through the eyes of a German "private, and in places it is frank to the- point of being sordid. In short, it is not a book for the family circle, no matter what its educational value might be. Schlump, the son of middle-class parents, was sixteen when the war broke out, an intelligent, attractive lad, with the possibility of a useful career ahead of him. At the ago of seventeen he enlisted as a volunteer, and eight weeks later he was appointed—for tb ■ lack of anybody better qualified for the job— administrator of three occupied French villages. For a mere youngster of seventeen, tlie job was one beset with many difficulties, but Sehlump, blessed with more than the usual measure of common-sense, settled down to make a success of it. His first day was the worst. Schlump started back in terror when, the next morning, lie approached his occupation headquarters. From the distance his oars were met by a tumult of voices, and as he drew close, the men and women turned their faces towards him, and became silent. To the right stood the men with their horses, and to the left the women and girls of the village. ISriilimip realised that they were waiting for him to assign them their tasks. He began to perspire, to drag together everything he hud learned at school, and feverishly prepared something to say to them. Hu had his little round cap on his head, and was ashamed of the pants he was wearing—they were much too wide lor him. He stepped in among them, took heart of grace, and addressed the women,' of whom he was most afraid: "Ou-est-ce quo voua avez fait hier?" They answered him all at ouce, and the girls turned on him their sly and mocking eyes, laughing at him, while the women spoke half in amusement, half in contempt. He understood nothing, and said, "Eh bien, faltes la meme chose aujourd 'liui." They turned their backs on him, moved oft a couple of paces, and -seemed ready to burst with laughter. An embarrassing 'position, for a seven-teen-year-old administrator, but gradually he overcame the difficulties,, and when he left for other fields he enjoyed the respect of the simple French peasants. The author gives a-\ interesting account of life in the French villages behind the German lines, and if it is a faithful one, the French peasants were allowed a, great deal of freedom, and were not treated unkindly. Schlump managed to live very comfortably, and enjoyed not a little success with the fair sex. French girls apparently were not averse to being on friendly terms with the invaders. But the easy life came to an end, and Schlump was sent to the front. He did not enjoy the experience, and he welcomed the wound which sent him back to hospital. In the front lines he was regarded as something of a madman, for the ill-kempt, half-starved conscripts of Germany could not understand why a youngster of seventeen should actually volunteer for service. The author's account of life in the German trenches is frank, even brutal, and one breathes a sigh of relief when Schlump is sent back to hospital, and is later returned to serve as an administration officer. The author makes no secret of- the privations which the German people at home suffered, and he describes vividly the gradual collapse of the country's morale. Stout-hearted, the German people might have been, loyal to their Kaiser and their cause, but in the end starvation told its tale. The spirit of revolt was abroad in.the land,-and no longer could the hosts of Germany offer resistance to the enemy. Here is the author's description of the retreat: Early the next morning they left. But the general retreat was in full suing along the military road, and they had to wait for hours before the line broke, so that they could join it. In the night white notices had been plastered on all the Walls. They were signed by Hindenburg, and they called on the troops not to lose their heads, to form soldiers' councils, and to obey Jheir decisions. Schlump could feel what this decision must have cost the whitehaired old commander, who had not abandoned his troops; and later on he understood what sei-vice the old general had rendered his people by this command, and how much suffering he had prevented by it. A spirit of responsibility came over the soldiers; they went into council with their officers, and thus a horrible danger was averted. The danger of chaos. At last Schlump and his comrades were able to break the line, and now they were part of that interminable stream which went unrolling slowly through Belgium towards the homeland. They marched along 'the banks of the Maas, past wonderful castles which were reflected in the green waters of the proud, wide river. But on both sides of the road lay the first victims of the-, retreat: dead men, abandoned cars, dying horses, which kicked out blindly with their hind less, as if to unseat their new riderdeath. , As a contribution to the history of the war, "Schlump" is probably not of very great value. xVt the most* it conveys some idea of the German soldier's" viewpoint, and in that respect it makes entertaining reading. The translation from German by Maurice Samuelis cxeellen t. —G.F.