IV. For war in the present and for peace in the future, March 1, 1871
LET
GERMANY feel happy and proud, with two provinces more and her liberty
less. But we, we pity her; we pity her this enlargement which contains such
abasement, we pity her for having been a people and for being now nothing
more than an empire.
I have just said that Germany will have two more provinces. But it is not
done yet, and I add, it will never be done. Never, never! To take is not to
possess. Possession presupposes consent. Did Turkey possess Athens? Did
Austria possess Venice? And did Russia possess Warsaw? Does Spain possess
Cuba? Does England possess Gibraltar? In fact, yes, but in right, no!
(…) We shall see France arise again, we shall see her retrieve
Lorraine, take back Alsace. But will that be all? No... Seize Trier, Mainz,
Cologne, Koblenz, the whole of the left bank of the Rhine. And we shall hear
France cry out: It's my turn, Germany, here I am! Am I your enemy? No! I am
your sister. I have taken back everything and I give you everything, on one
condition, that we shall act as one people, as one family, as one Republic.
I shall demolish my fortresses, you will demolish yours. My revenge is
fraternity! No more frontiers! The Rhine for everyone! Let us be the same
Republic, let us be the United States of Europe, let us be the continental
federation, let us be European liberty, let us be universal peace! And now
let us shake hands, for we have done one another a service: you have
delivered me from my emperor and I have delivered you from yours.
