# 9. Essays from "Deutsche Wochenschrift"

The Week of February 22-29, 1888

The news from San Remo over the last few days has been difficult and sad, perhaps all the sadder because it leaves in half darkness what we suspect and fear. The official announcements are mostly limited to external or general matters, while private reports, which are attributed to the circle of doctors treating the crown prince, unfortunately severely shake the hope that one believed to be justified after the favorable news from the first days of this month and even after the happiest operation of the tracheotomy. As a result, the mood among the population of the German Empire is extraordinarily depressed, and even far beyond the borders of the Empire there is an outpouring of sorrow for the noble prince, who is the pride of his fatherland, his nation. It is said that Emperor Wilhelm has recently expressed the firm wish that his son should return to Berlin, but there is no definite confirmation of this report, which is in itself disastrous.

The deep shock that Frederick William's suffering has caused in the hearts of all Germans has also greatly diminished their interest in the course of major politics. People have only become more pessimistic, and the deep mistrust of Russia is expressed in a fall in the rouble exchange rate, which is almost tantamount to a financial catastrophe for the Tsarist Empire. On February 27, 100 gold roubles cost 198.7 paper roubles on the Berlin stock exchange, and a further fall is predicted. All the appeals for reassurance from official and semi-official sources in St. Petersburg are in vain. Russia is arming itself, and - so says the stock exchange - since it has not managed to raise a loan and yet needs and spends money, lots of money, the ruble press is at work. So we end up in a new age of assignats at the centenary of the French Revolution! And just as Russia is drifting towards a serious financial crisis, the past week has also brought it a political defeat, or at least a disappointment. In order to get out of the impasse into which it had got itself with regard to Bulgaria, it suggested to the powers that they should all "collectively" call upon the Sultan to declare to Prince Ferdinand that he was in Bulgaria illegally and that his accession to the throne was contrary to the treaty. Germany and France supported Mr. von Nelidov's move in this regard at the Porte, while England, Italy and Austria-Hungary remained silent, whereupon the Porte also initially withdrew into diplomatic silence. Thus the Bulgarian question continued to move in the same circles in which it had been drifting for a year and a half. Europe is still suffering too much from the weakness of the treaty to simply recognize the de facto acquis. In the meantime, the birthday of the young Prince Ferdinand on the 26th was celebrated by the Bulgarians with enthusiastic demonstrations. They wanted to keep him, and they were right to do so!

In the Prussian House of Deputies, Dr. Windthorst demonstrated a little for his Austrian comrade-in-arms, Prince Liechtenstein, with an ecclesiastical school supervision motion. The petitioner himself hardly believes it will have any effect, and he will hardly succeed in matching Liechtenstein's effect. The bigger stupidities always have the greater effect. And one mocking bird said that Prince Alois was only interested in stirring up political life in Austria for once. Well, that has happened, but the young aristocrat's head must be spinning. The liberal party owed him a special debt of gratitude and laid it down on the table of the House in countless petitions against the new school proposal, which arrived in the Imperial Council from all sides.

On February 27, the Pope received a large German deputation, which presented him with an address of congratulations and homage, and took the opportunity to emphasize anew the old demands of the Holy See.