Cologne, August 26. Yesterday we were condemned to having to
listen to the political hot air of a writer of belles-lettres, Herr
Wilhelm Jordan of Berlin, who lectured from the world-historical
standpoint.* Fate is pursuing us relentlessly. A similar lot befalls us
today: the main achievement of March consists in the belles-lettres
writers having monopolised political life.

Herr Levin Schticking of Munster, the fourth‘or fifth wheel on the

advertising wagon of Herr Dumont, has published an article in the

Kélnische Zeitung on “our policy in Italy”.”

And what does “my friend Levin with the eerie eyes” ‘ have to say?

“There has never been a more propitious moment for Germany than the present one
to place its policy vis-a-vis Italy upon a healthy basis which promises to endure for
centuries. We have gloriously” (!by the betrayal of Charles Albert) “wiped off the
disgrace with which our flags were besmirched by a people that in times of fortune
easily becomes overweening. At the head of a matchless army, worthy of admiration
not only in victory and battle but also for its patience and endurance, barba bianca, the
White-Beard, planted Germany’s glorious (!?) double-headed eagle on the battlements
of the rebellious town where more than six hundred years ago the imperial Red-Beard
hoisted the same banner as a symbol of Germany’s sovereignty over Italy. This sovereignty
still belongs to us today.”

Thus speaks Herr Levin Schiicking of the Kélnische Zeitung.
In those days when Radetzky’s Croats and Pandours were driven
out of Milan by an unarmed people after a five-day battle, in those

* See this volume, pp. 359-64.— Ed.
> “Unsere Politik in Italien”, Kélnische Zeitung No. 238, August 26, 1848.— Ed.
© From Ferdinand Freiligrath’s poem “Die Rose” — Ed.

days when the “army worthy of admiration” which had been routed
at Goito withdrew to Verona, in those days the political lyre of “my
friend Levin with the eerie eyes” was silent! But ever since the
reinforced Austrian army achieved an undeserved victory because of
the equally cowardly and clumsy betrayal of Charles Albert, a
betrayal which we predicted innumerable times, ever since then the
neighbouring journalists have been reappearing on the scene, ever
since then they have been trumpeting about the ‘“wiped-off
disgrace”, risking parallels between Frederick Barbarossa and
Radetzky Barbabianca and reducing heroic Milan, which made the
most glorious revolution of 1848, to a mere “rebellious town’’. Ever
since then “sovereignty over Italy” belongs to us Germans, to whom
otherwise nothing ever belongs.

“Our flags”! The black-and-yellow rags of the Metternich reaction
which are being trodden under foot in Vienna, those are the flags of
Herr Schtcking of the Kolnische Zeitung!

“Germany’s glorious double-headed eagle”! That selfsame heraldic monster which had its feathers plucked by the armed revolution
at Jemappes, Fleurus, Millesimo, Rivoli, Neuwied, Marengo, Hohenlinden, Ulm, Austerlitz and Wagram ?** happens to be the “glorious”
Cerberus of Herr Schiicking of the Kélnische Zeitung.

When the Austrians were beaten, they were separatists [Sonderbiindler| and practically traitors to their country. Ever since Charles
Albert was caught in the trap and they have moved to the Ticino,
they have become “Germans” and it is “we” who have accomplished
all this. We have no objections to the Kélnische Zeitung having
achieved the victories of Volta and Custozza and conquered
Milan **, but then it will also have to assume the responsibility for the
—to it—very well known brutalities and infamies of that barbarian
army “whose patience and endurance are worthy of admiration”,
just as it also assumed in former times the responsibility for the
Galician slaughter.?°°

“This sovereignty still belongs to us today. Italy and Gérmany are nations around
which nature and history have after all formed a bond. 'They belong together
providentially, being related like science and art, thought and sentiment.”

Just like Herr Brüggemann and Herr Schticking:

And it is exactly for that reason that the Germans and Italians have
constantly fought each other for 2,000 years. It is exactly for that
reason that the Italians shook off German oppression again and
again. It is exactly for that reason that German blood has so often
reddened the streets of Milan. All this was done to prove that
Germany and Italy “belong together providentially”’.

The Kélnishe Zeitung about Italy 397

It is exactly because Italy and Germany “are related” that
Radetzky and Welden have allowed the burning and plundering of
all Venetian towns!

My friend Levin with the eerie eyes now demands that we
surrender Lombardy up to the River Etsch? because the people does
not want us even if a few poor “citiadini’> (the learned Herr
Schiicking thus refers to the contadini, peasants) received the
Austrians jubilantly. But if we conduct ourselves as “a free people”,

“then it [the Italian people] will gladly offer us its hand in order to let us guide it
along a path which it cannot enter upon by itself, the path to freedom”.

Indeed! Italy which won for herself freedom of the press, a jury
system and a Constitution before Germany had awakened from the
laziest slumber; Italy which at Palermo fought the first revolution of
this year *°’; Italy which without weapons conquered the “matchless”
Austrians at Milan, that Italy cannot enter upon the path to freedom
without being guided by Germany, which means by a Radetzky! Of
course, if it takes a Frankfurt Assembly, a meaningless central power,
39 separatist leagues [Sonderbiinde] and the Kolnische Zeitung to walk
the path of freedom....

Enough of that! So as to make sure that the Italians “will let
themselves be guided towards freedom” by the Germans, Herr
Schiicking retains Italian Tyrol and Venetia for the enfeoffment of
an Austrian archduke and he sends

‘2,000 South German imperial troops to Rome so that Christ’s vicar may restore
order in his own domain”.

But unfortunately

The French and Russians own the land,
The English rule the sea;

But we in dream’s ethereal realm

Hold sovereign mastery.

Our unity is perfect there,
Our might beyond dispute.
The other folk in solid earth
Have meanwhile taken root.©

And up there in the ethereal realm of dreams we also possess
“sovereignty over Italy”. Nobody knows this better than Herr
Schicking. After he has developed this worthy policy of sovereignty
for the benefit of the German Empire, he closes with a sigh:

* The Italian name is Adige.— Ed.
Citizens.— Ed.
© Heinrich Heine, Deutschland. Ein Wintermdarchen, Caput VII.— Ed.

“A policy which is great, high-minded and worthy of a power like that of the
German Empire has unfortunately always been regarded by us as fantastic and thus it
will probably be for a long time to come!”

We recommend Herr Schiicking as door-keeper and frontier
guard of German honour upon the summit of the Stilfser Ridge.
From up there the vigorous literary supplement of the Ké6lnische
Zeitung may survey Italy and make certain that not one iota of
“Germany’s sovereignty over Italy” will be lost. Only then can
Germany sleep calmly.