Appendix I — The Göttingen Insurrection
Göttingen, Dec. 8th-9th (1830),
About two o’clock at night.
I finally despatched the letter in which I wrote you of the mutterings of the revolution; it broke out here at midday, with the striking of the twelve o’clock bell. There was a great outcry on the streets. “Revolution, Revolution!” they shouted; we rushed to the market-place, which was already filled with citizens and students; they stormed the town-hall and occupied it; in a trice all the booths were torn down and the goods packed up in the greatest haste. I hurried to my friend Kreiss, the Frenchman, whose windows look directly on the market-place and the town-hall. It was a remarkable scene; above and below, here, there, and everywhere, glittered sabres and rifles; guards were posted on the steps which led to the colonnade in front of the town-hall. Men in black, with long green, blue and red sashes, bustled about under the colonnade, and looked consequential; one man was carrying away a pole with a big piece of sail-cloth; they tore it from him and wanted to use it for a banner, and there was a great deal of laughing and joking. A number of details, to be seen and heard at every step, I cannot mention here. More guns appeared, sabres, broadswords, rapiers, muskets, rifles, pistols, clubs; every man armed himself and they all rushed to the town-hall, to inscribe their names blindly on the lists. These were presented to the citizens and students by the chief revolutionists, especially a Dr. v. Rauschenblatt, who had quarrelled publicly with Professor Hugo, and had been forbidden to read with the students. No one knew what he wanted, or what the spectacle was for. Westphal, the superintendent of police, immediately resigned his office, to prevent acts of violence. As far as I could hear, the citizens particularly demanded a better observance of the constitution and its improvement. They wished that the authorities should render an account of the revenues, which they had neglected to do for a number of years, that the high taxes should be reduced, and the excise abolished. So said those who had anything at all to say. V. Rauschenblatt with his aids had long since been denounced by the burghers, and therefore sought to win over the students. He made fiery revolutionary speeches in the town-hall. “The rule of Liberalism,” “Overthrow of Servilism throughout the land,” and such like general phrases appealing to the ear, were constantly repeated, and it was plain to see that this eccentric man in thus stirring up the people either had no clear and rational grasp of the situation, or else was pursuing his own egotistical aims. After a while none but armed men were allowed to sign; all the shops where swords were sold were bought out, there was no one left without some sort of weapon. I should often have been forced to laugh at all this hocus-pocus and madness, if I had not been vexed at it, for so far I did not believe that it would lead to any serious consequences.
Then they marched in rank and file to v. Poten, the commandant of the city, to demand that the military, who had been ordered out for this evening, should not be admitted, and that a National Guard should be organized. This was conceded. The citizens remained at the town-hall, the students went to another spot, where v. Rauschenblatt divided them into bands, and assigned them the senior members of the societies for leaders. It was reported everywhere that Professor Langenbeck would place himself at their head, but there were still very few of them who knew where, how or why. All the students actually assembled in front of Langenbeck’s house, and hurrahed for him, with a frightful clamor and clashing of swords. He showed himself at the window, and begged them all to sign together. Meanwhile the gate had long been closed and guarded, the soldiers had been dismissed, and were keeping quiet. When three hundred had signed, (and I among them, as the sole object was to keep peace and order,) v. Rauschenblatt came up with some of his adherents, and assured everybody that it was no longer necessary to sign: the only object was to lead the people astray, and to make use of them once more for the promotion of “Servilism.” They did not need court counsellors at their head to lead them: every one who signed here was faithless to his previous signing at the town-hall, and deserted the true cause, and so on; also no one must go at seven o’clock to the Rohns, (an inn and meeting-hall) whither the court counsellor Langenbeck had summoned us all. By this time it was already dark, all the streets were full of tumult. Heads were thick in the market-place. At the town-hall stood the musicians and played the Marseillaise, and then again God save the King, and then Lützow’s hunting song, and the barcarolle, and students’ songs. The crowd continually hurrahed and shouted and howled. I passed once over the piazza before the town-hall, always with a broadsword of course, for without it one could not get through anywhere. Rauschenblatt was standing above, and giving one vivat after another for freedom and equality. It was nearly seven o’clock. As I passed the demagogue I asked him “which way,” for we had heard of some other place where the revolutionists were assembling. “Only not to the Rohns,” he said hastily, “we will now march round the town.” Then the music had to go in front, and the whole crowd behind it. Wherever they passed they cried, “Bring out the lights!” The market-place had been already illuminated for a long time. Meanwhile it snowed hard. Soldiers had several times come before the gates, but because these were locked, and Poten himself ordered them off, they went away again. Then it struck seven, and I, always a good citizen, hastened with my friends to the Rohns. At first there were few there; the music had drawn most of the people to the other side, but it filled up more and more. I could already hear how the men were dividing up into different parties, for it was easy to understand that the revolutionists would disturb us. Now came Langenbeck and summoned us to form a national guard to maintain peace and order as they had done in Leipsic. Then a couple of violent brawlers took sides against him, and would hear nothing of it; “We shall join the townspeople,” they cried, “Here we are citizens! We don’t want to be nothing but academicians!” and so on. Langenbeck became undecided in his utterances, he did not wish to hear of any meddling with politics, they must let the townsmen do as they liked, not oppose them and not help them. But he had not presence of mind enough to give his opinions positively and strongly. Then Rauschenblatt pushed through the crowd, and Langenbeck became much confused. They got into a violent altercation, a fearful din was raised on all sides, we hurrahed for Langenbeck and the other men for Rauschenblatt, sabres and broadswords were drawn, so that the whole hall clattered; an instantaneous reflection of it would have made a splendid picture. I will not make you anxious by telling how I came forward and expressed my opinion, but it must be remembered that so far there had been no danger, as in the whole town there was no longer any one for the rioters to turn against, and therefore there was no bloody disturbance of the peace to fear. Some shots which were fired gave a little anxiety, but amounted to nothing. Langenbeck then got up on the table, but did not stay long on this platform and went away; he certainly might have managed his affairs better. Rauschenblatt now spoke much more forcibly and coherently—at least it sounded so to the ear; at the same time he brandished his pistols and talked of traitors, and then he went away too. But a great many were still left. They had not seen Langenbeck go out; he was loudly called for, for the men there were mostly his followers; the few revolutionists who remained only interrupted at intervals the appropriate and forcible remarks of the tutor, Göschen, who had now climbed on to the table and continued to speak in the same strain as Langenbeck. He bade them resolve above all to preserve peace and order for this night. Meanwhile the seniors of the societies had already come to an agreement, had set a main watch, and then sent out sentinels and patrols. On the whole the temper of the students seemed to have moderated, and our party to have increased in comparison with the revolutionists, who had at first been much more numerous. Then we went to Göschen’s (that is, some acquaintances and I) and eat our supper. Afterwards we went again to Langenbeck, who had meanwhile been to the main watch with the tutor, to take him again to the Rohns, as had been decided on. But this was not done, and we now set a watch in Langenbeck’s auditorium which is at the side of his house, stationed a guard of twelve men round his house, and took turns in patrolling through the town. Who goes there? Patrol or sentinel of the night watch, or this or that, was perpetually resounding through the streets; a drunken citizen was escorted home, we visited guards and gates, in short until two o’clock I was constantly on my legs, and now I am writing this to you immediately. But what I wish is that you should have no anxiety about me, for indeed I am not wanting in prudence; besides the whole affair up to now has not taken on any dangerous character, because there is no object for it. To-morrow, or rather early to-day, about nine o’clock we are to be at the Rohns again.
Sunday, Midday,
About one o’clock.
Langenbeck’s guard has long been removed. The societies join the citizens under the seniors and Rauschenblatt. Langenbeck had still a large party at the Rohns this morning at nine o’clock; he called delegates from the societies into his house, where several professors were assembled. The seniors who came, (there were but few of them) seemed to have become more moderate. Then Langenbeck went once more to the town-hall. There were assembled in the senate chamber the deputies of the town and other citizens and students, who now played quite a rôle. We guarded the door; Rauschenblatt, Dr. Schuster, Eyting and other revolutionists were inside; Langenbeck wished to come to an understanding with them, and stayed in there a long time, there was a very violent dispute, but he came out again without having settled anything, and he said himself that he must now withdraw, and that his party had dissolved. I, and most of my friends except Gravenhorst, will join nobody, not even the societies.—At the same time a general revolution has broken out all over Hanover. If it becomes more serious here I will perhaps leave the town, but so far there has been no danger; and perhaps the whole revolution will pass over quietly. I will write to you soon again, until then
Your Richard.
Among the letters to his father is the certificate signed by General von dem Busche, which permitted Lepsius to remain longer in Göttingen. For many students this tempest in a tea-pot was to have very disagreeable consequences, for a rescript from the King dated January 11th, 1831, commanded all Hanoverian subjects studying in Göttingen to leave the town immediately. Those who should remain in spite of this were deprived of all right to any situation in the public service of the King. The foreigners among the students were also expelled, and could only obtain permission for a longer stay by means of special intercessions. “Above all” the lectures were stopped until Easter.