Selections From Treitschke's Lectures on Politics #255372

Heinrich von treitschke was born in 1834 at Dresden, the son of a Saxon general of Bohemian origin. From 1858 to 1863 he lectured on history at Leipzig; from 1863 to 1866 he was professor at F reiburg. After a short period of activity at Kiel, he was in Heidelberg till 1874, when he went to Berlin, where he remained till his death in 1896. The lectures on politics, from which the following selections were made, were delivered at Berlin Uni versity. Their general tenor is apparent from the extracts here given; their great popularity in Berlin and their tremendous influence on German thought is vividly described in Germany and England, by the late Professor Cramb. His description might fittingly be supplemented by the illuminating passage which concludes Professor Meyer's brilliant criticism of Treitschke in his Deutsche Literatur des N eunzehnten Jahrhundert: But, for the very reason that his passions did carry him away, he can never be accused of dishonesty. He would have suffered martyrdom at any moment for what he said. His listeners felt this. When, after the first few minutes, they had grown accustomed to the strangely vibrant ring of his voice.