LOVE IN GERMANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22823, 6 March 1936, Page 10

LOVE IN GERMANY

THE UNROMANTIC NAZISBACK TO TtfE ARYAN RACE HITLER'S STANDARDS. Every traveller from Germany brings some news of the changes that are taking place in the status of women under the inflexible rule of Hitier in that country (says the Melbourne Age). The old symbol of Germania—who used to look rather like an over-fed relation of Britannia—no longer stands for the' strong, proud, and independent German woman herself, for sucii a type of woman, unfortunately, finds little favour in the modern scheme of things. As if they were looked upon only as so many sheep, women are being shepherded back to the told, away from the ravening wolves of commercial life. They are robbed of their self-reliance, cheated of their independence, but offered a consolation, prize in the form of a monetary reward if they marry. Whilst every normal woman would rather be happily married to the man of her choice and estab.ished in her own home than spending her days toiling in factory or office, she does not enjoy being deprived of the privilege of deciding for herself in this most important matter. But Hitler, who himself carefully refrains from shouldering the obligations of a husband or undertaking the responsibilities of parenthood, nevertheless has little patience with those—either men or women—who likewise wish to remain single. By every means in his power.he induces young men and women to join themselves in the state of matrimony—the latter having to give up any career she may have embarked upon previously —and to rear large families for. the strengthening of the nation. Now, all this would be very commendable on the part of Hitler if he encouraged—or even permitted—women to follow the dictates of their heart, and to choose for a husband a man with at least some measure of romantic appeal to them. But far from it. The mere existence of romance is not acknowledged, let alone any' display of it tolerated. Away with sentiment! What are emotions? Something to be ignored, disregarded, like the presence of a flea in polite society. The only important things are the" replies to a kind of catechism that would make an applicant for charity in a Highland village dodder. Who is he? Where was he born?. Who were his parents, his grandparents, their grandparents, his earliest ancestors? Where did they come from? How many children did they have? Does he drink, smoke, gamble? What do his sisters, brothers, cousins, do? What ailments does he suffer from, or might he suffer from, if he were liable to the same sicknesses as his mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, uncle, aunt, and so on, ad infinitum? What church does.he wor.ship in, and how many times? Can he read, spell, write, do carpentering, gardening, or bricklaying, or is he qualified to follow some professional pursuit? In short, but among many other things, is.ha a German? ■ . , • These, says Hitler, are some of the questions with which a .woman ■■ must concern herself before entering upon marriage. Pooh! he says, to such nonsensical ideas as " Does he love me? do I love him? shall we be happy? would l care for him no matter what he did, or has done? would he too be generous, kind, tolerant, self-sacrificing? have we an affinity of the soul?" "; ' The things to consider, says Hitler, are "How much does the man earn? Could he support three or four children? (No, never mind that one; leave it to the State!) Is he Aryan through and through, and have all his progenitors been the same?" . ' ' ' ' ,' . ' If it isn't enough, if he cant, if 'he isn't, and if they haven't been—to the previous questions—then out with Dim! He is no fit husband for any German 'woman. As for romantic love, that must have been an invention of the Hebrews, for there is no room for it, officially speaking, in Germany to-day. - In civilised parts of the world, however, there are many people, for whom romance in marriage is the', most essential'attribute of air for personal happiness. What may be described as sterling qualities" scarcely exist for them. Cynics may declare that all romance is illusion, but the greatest art of the world is founded upon it. And (what every woman knows) great art is certainly needed to make a success of even more in these modern days than ever before. .',-.. . Once upon a time—and it was not so very long ago—a full sense of the romantic was a special characteristic of the German people. Let us hope this poetry of soul.has not entirely vanished, but, if it be absent at all, is only lying dormant. For no State decree about what husbands and wives individuals shall choose is likely to prove more than an experiment in increasing the material welfare of the masses; certainly never in absolute means for ensuring the permanent, spiritual happiness of: the individual man and woman. Or at least that measure of permanence which ones, own imperfection permits. Looking through some old German papers recently, I came across what was considered the recipe for a happy marriage in Germany more than a century ago. It is the wedding agreement of a couple who lived in old Heidelberg about the year 1800, and it consists of 10 " articles of faith." Romance breathes in every word of it: — . Article I.—We love each other ardently; we feel that, without each other, we could never be happy; therefore we bind ourselves to be true to each other forever. ' , " ■ . Article 2.—Ferdinand dedicates and consecrates his whole being to Luis? in order to provide her, through tireless effort, with a comfortable and carefree existence Article 3.—Luise, for her part, will 60 strive to carry out her domestic duties that the household affairs will always be in a good state. . Article 4.—Since in married life tripes often become the source of great strife, we promise always to give -way,to'each other in unimportant things. . Article s.—ln matters of dress every detail shall be regulated according to the other's taste. Ferdinand will never dress carelessly, lest he should offend Luise; and Luise will avoid any overdecoration in dress, lest she should have the appearance of trying to captivate strange men. The chief adornment of our bodies shall be cleanliness, since the opposite of that, in persons who mu6t live in close association, rouses aversion and disgust. • , ' ■ ~, Article 6.—The imperious word—l will, I insist on it, I order—will be struck out of our domestic dictionary. Article 7.—Luise, in company, will never give the slightest impression that she lacks respect for her husband; since every wife who utters remarks that may be misconstrued immediately encourages other men to make advances to her. Article B.—Ferdinand, in company, will always show his respect for Luise. so that "she shall be respected by others. He will never, by flattery or. over-politeness to other women, give them cause for even the most momentary triumph over his own wife. '. .. ; ' ' Article 9.—We shall be careful in the choice of those around us, and shall never tolerate false friends in the house, in case—like a snake in the. bosom—they should poison the peaceful joy of our union. "■'.." ' Article 10.—There will-be no boundary between Thine and Mine. . Our greatest possession in common is our. mutual love; and this treasure, which in other heart's iis so often destroyed by the flight of time, will with us continue to grow, sheltered by his wings, even unto the grave. 'Ah! For the good old days. :