68 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



Aiiotlier body of men curious to look upon is the local 

 militia or "citizens' guard," as they are commonly called. 

 It would do your heart good to see them. They are most- 

 ly tradesmen and artisans, tailors, glove-makers, etc. 

 They are indeed comical figures ; conspicuous among them 

 are the officers of this self-appointed soldiery. The uni- 

 forms, too, are as odd as their wearers, and funny; to look 

 upon. Long blue coats with blue velvet collars and cuffs, 

 white leather belts and helmets (rather "czakos," pro- 

 nounced tshaccoes, a semi-Russian head-gear), both such 

 as our Prussian army were wont to wear in by-gone years. 

 The genuine Hamburg soldier, however, is uniformed 

 after the new Prussian army outfit with the exception 

 of the dark green coats, while the helmets bear the Ham- 

 burg coat-of-arms— three towers— instead of the Prus- 

 sian eagle. These militiamen exercise regularly in a 

 large field called the "Biirgerweide" (i. e., citizen's pas- 

 ture), which is located just outside of the Dammthor. 

 The whole is looked upon by progressive Hamburgers as 

 a relic of the past, which like many others will soon van- 

 ish entirely. 



The history of Hamburg, called Hamburgensien, is 

 said to be full of remarkably interesting incidents, and 

 has been made the subject of special study by several 

 renowned scholars, among whom, Dr. Otto Beneke, the 

 author of Hamburgische Geschichten und Sagen (Ham- 

 burg Tales and Legends), and the lecturer, Dr. Rudiger, 

 have endeared themselves particularly to the native 

 Ilanseatic. The most remarkable one of the first named 

 tales and legends is the "authentic visit" of Ahasuerus, 

 the wandering Jew, who is said to have visited Hamburg 

 during the winter of 1547, which was his very first ap- 

 pearance in Europe. The chronicle describes him as of 

 tall, bony figure, poorly clad and of decidedly foreign 

 look and mien; he wore a long white beard, and though 

 apparently not more than fifty years of age, his long hair, 

 too, was snowy white. He was exemplary in his de- 

 meanor and edified the worshippers in the house of God. 

 A young theologian, Paul von Eitzen, undertook to in- 



