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FAMOUS SONGS
the French yoke: they feared the new aspira-tions of their subjects, who, if victorious, would diminish their influence and strength personally quite as much as Napoleon I. It was out of these sentiments of fearsomeness and distrust that the notorious " Holy Alliance" grew.
Chief among the new politicians was the educated youth of the country, notably the students' associations {Burschenschaften). In those days it was treason, punishable by im-prisonment, to talk of reconstituting the Ger-man Empire, and consequently up rose the Secret Societies intent upon internal reforma-tion. The Burschenschaften, by the way, con-tributed enormously to the popular song-lore.
One of the most powerful war-hymns was that of Arndt, the first verse of which runs:
" Der Gott, der Eisen wacnsen Bess,
Der wollte keine Knechte ; Drum gab er Lanze, Schwert und Spiess ;
Dem Mann in seine Rechte. Drum gab er llim dem kuhnen Muth
Den Zorn der freien Rede ; Dass er bestuude bis auf's Blut
Bis in dem Tod dsJehde."
Ernst Moritz Arndt was also the author of " What is the German Fatherland ? " (" Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland"). He was a culti-vated writer and a professor at the universities.
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