Irish Review (Dublin)

The Renaissance of Alsace-Lorraine Author(s): P. J. Sheridan Source: The Irish Review (Dublin), Vol. 1, No. 12 (Feb., 1912), pp. 581-584 Published by: Irish Review (Dublin) Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30063134 . Accessed: 16/06/2014 22:36

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This content downloaded from 194.29.185.109 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:36:24 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Renaissance of Alsace-Lorraine

'By P. Y. SHERIDAN THE positionof Alsace-Lorraine after the war of was a peculiarly difficult one. Placed by the conquest 1870-1or annexation under the tutelage of their western neighbours, for whom or their new conditions they had no affectionate regards, they could not readily or willingly forget their former state, and, still less, the sympathy and understandingthat had then existed between them and France. To the fact that the change was not of Alsace'sown seeking must be added the new difficulty of language, and we can recognise at once the rooted hostility of the people to the new conditions so rudely imposed upon them. This and the determination of the victor to be master in his new home led to the inevitable policy of settlement and oppression,which, in turn, has had to be abandoned for the saner and healthier policy of conciliation and National Self-Government. Alsace-Lorrainehave not been for centurieseither wholly French or German, and, interesting to relate, nearly all the works of a critical, historical, philosophical or scientific nature of its writers are written in French, whilst for the greaterpart purely literaryworks, whether in prose or in verse, are composed in German. The distinguished Alsatian writer and critic, Anselm Langel, makes an ingenious attempt to explain this peculiarity. The Alsatian genius, according to this critic, tends preferably towards the sciences when expressed in French, and towards Literature when expressedin German. He quotes long lists of writers in French and German in support of this view; and he adds- " What are we to conclude from this ? Are we to draw the conclusion that the genius of our Alsatian race is drawn, according as it becomes cultivated, towards studies more abstract, or that it becomes scientific when it thinks in French, and remainsliterary when it thinksin German? We shall let our readersjudge. The question is not easily resolvable." According to another writer, Henri Schoen, the reason is a much simpler one than the distinguished critic thinks. " The Alsatians, accustomed from their infancy to hear and to speak two languages, 581

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.109 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:36:24 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE IRISH REVIEW nearly always experience some difficulty in acquiring the qualities of form, the lightness of touch, and the brilliance upon which, in France, the success of a purely literary work depends. But their scientific honesty, their patience and their perseverancein the work of research, their regard for details and precision, their knowledge of several living languages, render them admirably adapted to all the works of pure science. "On the contrary,the simplicity of Germanversification, the supple- ness of the German language and the liberty of its syntax,all contribute to render German poetry easy of access to the Alsatians. Sensible to the elegance and clearnessof French prose, they impregnate the German tongue with some of the most precious qualities of French. That is why some of the writers who have handled the German language with the most elegance and clearnesshave been Alsatians!" Prior to i87o-I1 very little was heard of the Alsatian tongue which was so disdained as to have been abandoned to domestics and peasants. Works written in that dialect were not played at the theatres until many years after they had been written. Thus the renowned little play " Pentecost Monday " of Arnold, published in I816 and again in 1820, was not played until 1835. And, according as the nineteenth century advanced, the municipal theatres were more and more at the mercy of the theatres of Paris. Every piece that had attained any kind of success in a theatre of the capital was representedduring the year at Mulhouse, Strasburgand at Colmar. The writer, Lustig, celebrated to-day for his comedies and humorous pieces in Alsatian, used the Frenchand German languagesexclusively until 1870. Everywhere,in the church and the school, in the theatre as well as among the aristocratic and middle classes, the local dialect was driven backby the literarylanguage. Nor was this true of Alsacealone. During the first half of the last century in Normandy, Brittany, Gascony and in Provence the regionalisticliteratures and speech were driven to the wall under the influence of the absolute centralization dreamed of and organised by Napoleon the First. It was not until the regionalisticmovement had taken root in these countries that a real live interest began to be taken once more in the history, the traditions, the language and literature of each one of 582

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.109 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:36:24 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE RENAISSANCE OF ALSACE-LORRAINE them. The new regional universities also have strongly contributed to this end. Alsace,attached as its peopleare to the traditionsof their country, was not likely to remainlong outsidethe influenceof this movement. The generalrevival of local patriotismin the annexedprovinces had, however, anothergreat cause. After the war of 1870 the old Alsatianfamilies resisted all foreign influences. The theatrewas avoided-it was not good taste or right to assistat Germanpieces, played by Germanstoo. The cultivatedpeople remainedisolated thus for some time in the hope of the arrivalof a new era. But it did not come. The peoplewere forcedto rely on themselves,and beganto do so. They rememberedthat they were before everything else Alsatian. People delved into the historyof Alsaceand local literature. Alsatian exhibitionswere revived. It was sought to makeknown better the richesof Alsatianart throughoutthe centuries. Superbartistic publica- tions popularisedthe chefsd'aeuvre, ancient or modern,of the Alsatian masters. People startedto cultivate the native tongue, so long aban- doned, and soon its strong and picturesqueaccents were heard again. And here at last was a common platform on which people of all partiescould meet together in friendshipon behalfof their common country. In no otherdirection were the resultsof this movementso remarkable and successfulas in connectionwith the AlsatianTheatre, which was broughtinto touchagain with the Nationalsentiments and idealsof the people,and becamethe reflexof theirlife and manners. The profession of faith of the NationalTheatre of Mulhouseis very characteristicon this point: " Asleep,"it says," duringlong years,Alsace, having at last become consciousof its own worth and of the situation it ought to occupy,awakens from the lethargicslumber in whichit hasbeen plunged almost for centuries. A current of new and beneficentideas help generallyto shakethe Alsatianpeople from their sicklytorpor and give them the force and characternecessary to be able, once and for all, to recoverfor themselvesthe dialect and characteristicspeculiar to them. It is with this object that the popular theatre known as the Alsatian Theatre of Strasburg has been founded. Praiseworthy initiative that 583

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.109 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:36:24 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE IRISH REVIEW has had its echo from one end of the countryto the other, and notably at Mulhouse,where a similarsociety has just been founded." The need to affirm the Alsatian personalityand individuality becamemore necessary as the Germanimmigrants became more numerous " When their country was incorporatedwith Germany,"says Anselm Langel, in his fine study of the PopularTheatre of Strasburg," the Alsatianshad the sacredsentiment that in orderto continuethis self- affirmationit was necessarythat they shouldbe distinguishedfrom the new compatriotsthat the laws of war had given them. The use of Frenchhaving been forbiddenand the officiallanguage not being suffi- cient to establishthe distinctionthey wishedto make,they were forced to cultivateand, so to speak,ennoble the Nationaltongue which con- stitutesan incontestablyrich inheritance." The National Movement,which had alreadymanifested itself in the domainsof art, of politicaland socialeconomy, was sooneror later to triumphat the theatrealso. And now comesthe crowninggift of nationalself-government with its powerof healing,of buildingup, andof development. The Alsatians still predominateover the immigrants,with whomthey will nowhave an equalchance and a commoninterest in the developmentand progressof their country. With a nationalbasis to build upon, the new Alsace- Lorraineshould soon rival the old in the arts, in populationand in commerce

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This content downloaded from 194.29.185.109 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:36:24 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions