Another monument in honor of a great German has been added to the large number of such statues which Chicago may boast of by the erection of the one dedicated to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, the German poet, thinker, dramaturgist, and critic, creator of the great drama, "Nathan der Weise", that incomparable first German National comedy, "Minna von Barnhelm", also that first German national tragedy, "Emilia Galotti," and many other outstanding works.

It is most gratifying to our population of German origin to find their pride in this great genius of their own race expressed in this noble statue which now adorns our city. It found its site in the lovely rose garden of Washington Park, not far from the thoroughfare, so that the passer-by may pause and enjoy this splendid work of art which represents a life-size bronze statue, upon a granite base, of young Lessing whose pensive eyes look into the far future, as if to read in the hearts of men how his message of love and tolerance had touched them.

The statue is the work of the famous Chicago sculptor, Albin Polasek. The donor of the Lessing monument is the late Henry Frank who, at the age of 84, died in this 2city four years ago. He had come to America in 1852 with his parents, and, although having been a mere child at that time, had never lost during his entire life, the love and interest for German classic literature of which the works of Lessing had become his favorite. The ideals of this genius had influenced strongly his own path of life, and, as an expression of his deep admiration of Lessing, Henry Frank donated the sum of $25,000.00 to the erection of the Lessing monument which a ct in itself bespeaks the high mindedness of the donor. This gift to the city is not the only one Henry Frank bestowed upon mankind. He also was the founder of the Michael Reese Hospital, as well as many other institutions of social nature, among which is numbered the American Institute of Archaeology.

The dedication of the Lessing monument took place on November 2nd. About 500 persons witnessed the impressive ceremony at which various Chicago Singing Societies were singing songs befitting the occasion. After German Consul, Dr. Werner Schueller, had unveiled the statue, and a few short speeches had been delivered by Judge Henry Horner, Edward F. Kelly, and Karl Meyer, respectively, Dr. Otto L. Schmidt spoke about the event of the day, thereby giving a fine picture of the development and heroic life of Lessing.

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Dr. Otto L. Schmidt, himself known and loved as a great humanitarian, spoke shortly, but impressively, of the countless and desperate conflicts, and battles which, continuously, had confronted Lessing from his very youth to the end of his days. The speaker pointed out how the poet met Voltaire, and Moses Mendelsohn, the philosopher, whose friendship for Lessing had resulted in the latter's writing of his great drama, "Nathan der Weise", as a symbol of tolerance and humanitatian thought which, up to this day, have not taken root in the hearts of men as they should have.

Dr. Schmidt, further, said that Lessing in this way had dome more for the German people, and the world in general, than Voltaire with his sarcastic strain had done for France, and the French trend of thought. Lessing's principal meritorious efforts have been the cleaning of the German language from foreign influences, thereby giving the impetus for an independent German development concerning social life, art and literature of his time, and the epoch following it immediately, the time of Goethe and Schiller.

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In conclusion, the speaker remarked that Lessing's entire works, whether he had written them in his youth or during his declining days, and whether they were poems, ethical or critical essays, or dramas- they all contain a deep note of tolerance which is expressed in a most tender way, and, then, again in a more heroic form. And that this was the message which Lessing left to mankind, though new in its conception to most people, completely incomprehensible to some of them, and hated by many, and that, therefore, this monument's object was, according to the thought of its magnanimous donor, a permanent reminder of Lessing's urgent admonition for a mutual understanding and tolerance among the peoples of the earth.

The Lessing monument is the first one erected in Chicago to a German genius since the dedication of the Goethe monument in June, 1913.

Right here the question confronts us; Why is it that when a man loves and speaks the truth, his courage is seldom recognized, but is, on the contrary, condemned for his doing, and ostracized because of his fearlessness? It is, because we live in a world of hypocrites who cannot be tolerant towards their contemporaries of 5supermindedness, unless their own financial strength is able to support their ideals? But be it so, is not even then the lot of genius to suffer untold pain in consequence of the willful misjudgment of his lofty, yet so unaffected thoughts, by his fellowmen? Why should such intolerance and indignities, visited so bountifully upon these lonely ones, find the excuse that genius must suffer in order to create its undying works? On the other hand, have we ever considered the irreparable waste of inspiration caused by their suffering? What great works thereby, necessarily, must have been left uncreated?

Yes, indeed, they have suffered-the Beethovens, the Mozarts, the Schuberts, the Schillers, the Lessings, the Nietzsches, and their kind, and no landing, and celebrating of today, in honor of their memory, is able to penetrate their graves, and enliven their dust. No longer can a monument, dedicated to their glory, elate their decayed hearts which have been silenced under the doom of their resting place in the potter's field, as in the Mozart and in the Lessing case.

And so we remain their debtors in all eternity, because of not heeding, during their lifetime, their sacred message, taking for granted, instead, their imperishable 6treasures that have enriched not only our own lives, but those of generations before and after us. But there is some consolation in the thought that the creative strength of genius carries it aloft to realms unattainable for us where its immortal spirit finds the inspiration to create its heritage to man-its undying works.