A few days ago in a Berlin theatre the audience burst into spontaneous applause merely because the orchestra began to play an old military march-not a German march, either, but an Austrian one, the Radetzky march. Do not think that this meant a demonstration in favour of a war of revenge-not a bit of it. But the army and all that goes with it has been in the tradition of the German people for a hundred years and it would betray a very poor knowledge of men to believe that such a tradition could be uprooted when people is bidden by the terms of a treaty to give up compulsory military service. (Gustav Stresemann)

A few days ago in a Berlin theatre the audience burst into spontaneous applause merely because the orchestra began to play an old military march-not a German march, either, but an Austrian one, the Radetzky march. Do not think that this meant a demonstration in favour of a war of revenge-not a bit of it. But the army and all that goes with it has been in the tradition of the German people for a hundred years and it would betray a very poor knowledge of men to believe that such a tradition could be uprooted when people is bidden by the terms of a treaty to give up compulsory military service.

Gustav Stresemann

Related topics

applause army audience austrian begin believe berlin bid bit burst compulsory demonstration few german hundred men knowledge march mean military orchestra people play poor service theatre think tradition treaty war favour years days

Related quotes