The Days of a Man 



Walz introduced us to Dr. Paul Albert Helmer, 

 an able authority on Alsatian affairs, who defended 

 him at Leipzig against the charge of treason. This 

 was not Hansi's first offense in the eyes of the law, 

 however, as he had previously suffered arrest for 

 disrespect to the German uniform. Being in a Colmar 

 cafe where a number of officers were also seated, upon 

 their departure he lighted a piece of sugar saturated 

 with alcohol, and (apparently for disinfection) held 

 it over chairs previously occupied by the Prussians! 



In his second series of brochures, entitled " Vogesen- 

 bilder" (Vosges Pictures), as "Prof. Dr. Knatschke," 

 assumed writer of the text, and "Hansi," artist, he 

 described with sarcastic effusiveness the dedication 

 of the restored castle of Hohkonigsburg, situated on 

 an outpost of the Vosges overlooking middle Alsace. 

 Futile It appears that the Kaiser, thinking to throw a sop to 

 Alsace, decided to revive the ancient structure, and 

 with characteristic thrift required the province to 

 foot the bill. The dedication took place in pouring 

 rain, of which incident - - as of many others the 

 author took telling advantage with pen and pencil. 



As to the political outlook, Walz was even more 

 pessimistic than Wetterle. These two, alone among 

 Alsatians, expressed to me the opinion that the 

 Pangermanists would force a war even "against the 

 will of the Emperor, whom they had practically 

 A difficult annihilated.' 1 Said Walz: "It is as easy to make the 

 feelings of Alsace understood in Berlin as to inject by 

 osmosis the essence of violet through the skin of a 

 hippopotamus.' 3 



At Guebwiller we spent our day with the kindly 

 Schlumbergers, 1 after which we went on to Miil- 



1 See Chapter xuil, page 498. 



n 508 n 



