Now Comes the Schiller Age!

8/12/2019 Now Comes the Schiller Age!

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THE NEW FEDERALIST April 27, 1990 Pages 6-7

American Almanac

Thoughts on A Program of Classical Culture for Germany

Now Comes The Schiller Age!

by Helga Zepp Laouche

Helga ZeppLaouche" shown in her stu#y" with a portrait of the Poet of$ree#om" $rie#rich Schiller" whose wor% inspire# the greatest achie&ements

of Germany's last classical renaissance(

"W! s#l$ i% &% 'e pssi'le % (&(ei)e * a peri$ i& +i( e& (a& li)epr#$ a&$ *ree, i&spire$ '! %e prgress a(ie)e$, i& +i( g$&ess *ear% is %e s% s%rii&g *ea%#re * %e &a%i&al (ara(%er."


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Wi% (#r&i&g ear%s, a&$ al%er&a%i&g 'e%+ee& /! )er %e re#&i*i(a%i& &%e ri& a&$ a&ie%! )er %e $a&ger * a se%'a( i& %e eas%er& par% *era&!3%is is + era&s are %i&i&g a'#% #r &a%i& %ese $a!s4A&$ i% is i& *a(% s#( a& e%rar$i&aril! is%ri( si%#a%i&, as ge&erall! ((#rs&l! &(e i& a #a& 'ei&g5s li*e i& %e 'es% * (ases4 Te ps%-+ar r$er is*alli&g apar%, %e #&is% epire is #&ra)eli&g, %e A&gl-Aeri(a&+rl$ is i& %e %res * a $epressi&3all %ese are elee&%s * a p+er*#l

pr(ess +i( as (e i&% %i& ere4

Te l$ r$er is *alli&g apar%, '#% i% is s%ill #&(lear +a% +ill eerge #% *%is #pea)al-(as a&$ peraps +ar, r a *ree E#rpe, i& +i( all peple(a& li)e i& *ree$ a&$ +i%#% +a&%. Te $raa%i( e)e&%s * %e las%+ees a)e a$e i% (lear %a% i% is (er%ai& %a% era& #&i%! +ill (e4 #%+a% +ill %is era&! l lie.

I% is all %e re ipr%a&% % p#% *r% %e )isi& * a gl$e& *#%#re *rera&!, i& +i( #r &a%i& #&*l$s a (#l%#ral 'lssi&g as &e)er 'e*rei& #r is%r!4 A&$ +! s#l$ i% &% 'e pssi'le % (&(ei)e * a si%#a%i&i& +i( ar%s a&$ s(ie&(es 'ri&g *r% grea%er a&$ re ipr%a&% +rs a&$res#l%s %a& e)e& i& %e 'es% peri$s * #r pre)i#s is%r!3i& +i( e&(a& li)e pr#$ a&$ *ree a&$, i&spire$ '! %e prgress a(ie)e$, s %a% g$-&ess * ear% +ill 'e %e s% s%rii&g *ea%#re * %e &a%i&al (ara(%er3i&+i( ea( (a& e&/! a (er%ai& prsperi%! +i%#%, +e)er, *alli&g i&%a%erialis3i& +i( #a& 'ei&gs are #&lii%e$ i& %eir pssi'ili%ies *r

i&$i)i$#al $e)elpe&%, +i%#% s#((#'i&g % li(e&%i#s&ess, +ile reas&is %e s% pre)ale&% s%a%e * i&$, a&$ /!, %is $i)i&e spar, %e s%*re8#e&% (pa&i& & #r li)es5 pa%+a!.

Te era& Re)l#%i&, +se 'egi&&i&g +e a)e /#s% &+ +i%&esse$,$e*i&i%el! as %e p%e&%ial % e**e(% a grea% (#l%#ral re&aissa&(e4 I% (a& 'e%e (a%al!s% *r a l$e& Age, se+a% lie %e ree (lassi(al peri$ r%e I%alia& Re&aissa&(e, +i( 'r#g% *r% i&%elle(%#al %reas#res a&$ +rs* ar%, +i( a)e lai$ %e *#&$a%i& *r a&! ge&era%i&s i& s#((ee$i&g(e&%#ries4 #% %is +ill &l! 'e pssi'le i* +e gi)e &e+ li*e % %e 'es% %a%

+e era&s a)e 'r#g% *r% i& #r is%r!, &ael!, %e ris%ia& #a&-is * %e Weiar (lassi(al peri$4

Fr i* +e $ &% %ae %e 'ea#%i*#l iage * a&i&$, as epresse$ i& %e+rs * S(iller a&$ ee%)e&, a&$ peraps &+ere re ag&i*i(e&%l!%a& i& %e Ni&% S!p&! a&$ %e "$e % :!," as #r $epar%#re pi&%%$a!, %e& #r )isi& +ill &% 'e(e reali%!4 #% i* +e era&s a)e


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alrea$! &(e (&%ri'#%e$ s #(, +i% #r (lassi(al peri$, % %e $e)elp-e&% * #&i)ersal is%r!, +! s#l$ +e %i& s li%%le * #rsel)es, %a% +e(#l$ &% $ i% !e% agai&.

Despi%e all %e $i**i(#l%ies, +i( rear #p i& #r +a!, i% is i& %e iges%

$egree i&spiri&g, %a% i& %e eas%er& par% * era&!, %ere as $e)elpe$ are)l#%i& +i(, #p % &+, as *r%#&a%el! pr(ee$e$ pea(e*#ll!4 Wile%e +es%er& par% * era&!, #p % &+, as sl#'ere$ i& sa%is*ie$ e$i(-ri%!, i&$ee$, e)e& %e sig&s * $e(a$e&(e a)e i&(rease$, %e (#rage#s(&$#(% * peple i& %e era& De(ra%i( Rep#'li( ae i% (lear %a%%ere are s%ill )al#es +i( are +r% risi&g &e5s li*e *r4 S#$$e&l!,*ree$ +as %e i$ea +i( i&spire$ all %e 'e%%er i&$s * #r &a%i&4

I& 19;9, e)e& as i& Fra&(e %e! +ere (ele'ra%i&g %e 200% a&&i)ersar! *%e Fre&( Re)l#%i&, a real-li)e re)l#%i& +as #&$er +a! i& Eas%er&E#rpe a&$3*r #s era&s &a%#rall! * spe(ial ipr%a&(e3als i& %e4D4R4 Wa% a ag&i*i(e&% (a&(e, % p#% % #se all %a% is psi%i)e i& +a%+as a(ie)e$ i& %a% earlier Re)l#%i&, '#% als % a)i$ e)er!%i&g %a% le$% i%s rela%i)e *ail#re 5A&$ i* !# $are &% !#r li*e% s%ae, Ta% li*e !# &e)er !#r +& +ill ae45


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i$ealis%i( ge&era%i&, !e% %e! ga)e %is ge&era%i& se%i&g +i( +asperaps e)e& re pre(i#s> a peri$ * s%a'ili%!, +i( peri%%e$ %isge&era%i& *i&all! % 'e a'le % realie %eir pes +i%#% a grea% +ar a&$+i%#% a pera&e&% re)l#%i&4 4 4 4 Te e&s#i&g %ie * s%a'ili%! +as %e

'es% pr* %a% i% +as a 8#es%i& * a 5legi%ia%e5 r$er, a s!s%e * r$er,+i( all sig&i*i(a&% s%a%es re(g&ie$, s#( %a% %e! s%r)e *r &+ &re % re)e %e $i**i(#l%ies i& %e *rae+r * %e s!s%e, %a& %

peraps )er%r+ %e s!s%e4"

Tis is ea(%l! %e %i&i&g * all %se +, *ri&s%a&(e, are sa!i&g %$a!,al&g +i% erge #s, %a% "i&a5s s%a'ili%! is i& %e i&%eres% * %e=&i%e$ S%a%es," a&$ + +#l$ ra%er appr)e * %e assa(res * %e W#:i&g Paraili%ar! Pli(e, %e Se(#ri%a%e r %e S%asi, a&$ %e )er! rear-a'le (lse (lla'ra%i& * %e a&$ IA, *r %e sae * "s%a'ili%!," %a&

s#ppr% %e pea(e*#l $e&s%ra%i&s * $e(ra%i( *r(es4 A&$, i& *a(%, %eHl! Allia&(e +as a s!s%e * %e $ares% rea(%i&, +i( s+are$ +i%pli(e age&%s a&$ i&*rers4 E)e& S(leiera(er5s ser&s +ere &-i%re$4

#% %e Hl! Allia&(e, +e)er, als ea&% %e (ple%e +i%$ra+al * all%e a(ie)ee&%s * %e Pr#ssia& re*rers a&$ %e re-i&%r$#(%i& * a*e#$al r$er4 T#s ?e%%er&i(5s sall-%ie sp!, Frie$ri( )& e&%, +r%ei& a era&$# *r %e arls'a$ &*ere&(e %i%le$ "& %e Di**ere&(ee%+ee& %e Pr)i&(ial Die% a&$ Represe&%a%i)e S!s%es * )er&e&%,"

%a% %e l$ era& pr)i&(ial $ie%s +ere 'ase$ & es%a%es a&$ s#&$r! rig%s(rea%e$ '! $ isel*, +ereas %e alie& represe&%a%i)e s!s%e +as 'ase$& %e re)l#%i&ar! $el#si&s * pp#lar s)ereig&%! a&$ * #&i)ersale8#ali%! * rig%s4 I& %e *rer, %ere +#l$ 'e lii%e$ &ar(i(al p+er&l! i& %e eer(ise * i&$i)i$#al rig%s, +ile i& %e la%%er, %ere +#l$ 'e as#'/#ga%i& * %e (r+& % %e (apri(e * %e pp#lar represe&%a%i)es

"N+ (es %e S(iller Era4"

Now Comes the Schiller Age!

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