31. Thirty Years of War 31. Der Dreißigjährige Krieg 31. Treinta años de guerra 31. Trente ans de guerre 31. Trent'anni di guerra 31.30年戦争 31. Trisdešimties metų karas 31. Guerra dos Trinta Anos 31. Тридцатилетняя война 31.三十年战争

"It is without example In the world's history." «Это без примера в мировой истории». —SCHILLER.

While the Pilgrim Fathers were building their new homes on the shores of America, the eyes of Europe were turned towards Germany, where war had broken out. It was destined to be one of the most terrible wars waged in modern times. Era destinata ad essere una delle guerre più terribili dei tempi moderni. This feud between the Protestants and Roman Catholics of Germany had long been simmering; but the great armed struggle finally broke forth on May 23, 1618, and continued till it had drawn nearly every European nation into its conflict, till it had lighted the fires of battle from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Seas. Questa faida tra i protestanti e i cattolici romani della Germania era in corso da tempo; ma la grande lotta armata scoppiò finalmente il 23 maggio 1618 e continuò fino a coinvolgere quasi tutte le nazioni europee, fino ad accendere i fuochi della battaglia dal Baltico al Mediterraneo.

To follow the war through all its many phases would be impossible, but two great names stand out from amid the waste of war, names among the most famous in the world's history—Wallenstein and Gustavus Adolphus. Seguire la guerra in tutte le sue fasi sarebbe impossibile, ma tra i rifiuti della guerra spiccano due grandi nomi, tra i più famosi della storia mondiale: Wallenstein e Gustavo Adolfo. The war had raged for fourteen years when these two great generals met on the battlefield of Lützen. La guerra infuriava da quattordici anni quando questi due grandi generali si incontrarono sul campo di battaglia di Lützen. They had never met in battle before. Non si erano mai incontrati in battaglia. They were never to meet again. Non si sarebbero mai più incontrati. A greater contrast than these two famous commanders never existed.

Wallenstein, fighting on the side of the Catholics, was cold, gloomy, silent. Ambition was the ruling power of his life. Амбиции были главной силой его жизни.

"I must command alone or not at all," he had once said. «Я должен командовать один или не командовать вообще», - сказал он однажды. All men stood in awe of him. Все мужчины трепетали перед ним. He was a rich landowner, and raised armies at his own expense for the emperor; but "God help the land to which these men come!" Он был богатым землевладельцем и собирал армии для императора за свой счет; но «Боже, помоги земле, в которую пришли эти люди!» said a frightened German who had just watched Wallenstein's troops marching past. Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, was a very different man. Frank and fearless, he was a staunch Protestant and the very idol of his own people. Откровенный и бесстрашный, он был стойким протестантом и кумиром своего народа. He now came forward to defend the liberty of his country and the Protestant religion, which both seemed in danger from Germany. Теперь он выступил, чтобы защитить свободу своей страны и протестантскую религию, которые, казалось, находились в опасности со стороны Германии. Landing on the northern coast of Germany in a storm of thunder and lightning, he had been the first to leap ashore and to kneel in thanks to God for his safe passage.

"A good Christian can never be a bad soldier," he said as he led his men forward. "Un buon cristiano non può mai essere un cattivo soldato", disse mentre guidava i suoi uomini. As he passed through German territory men flocked to his stand-ard; they even knelt before him, struggling for the honour of touching the sheath of his sword or the hem of his garment. Al suo passaggio in territorio tedesco gli uomini si accalcavano al suo posto; si inginocchiavano persino davanti a lui, lottando per l'onore di toccare il fodero della sua spada o l'orlo della sua veste. Когда он проезжал через территорию Германии, люди стекались к его штандарту; они даже преклонили колени перед ним, борясь за честь прикоснуться к ножнам его меча или краю его одежды.

"This people would make a king of me," he said sadly. «Эти люди сделали бы меня королем», - грустно сказал он. "My God knoweth that I have no delight in it. "Mijn God weet dat ik er geen behagen in heb. "Мой Бог знает, что мне это не нравится. Soon enough shall be revealed my human weakness." Nevertheless his march through the Protestant states of Germany was like a triumphal procession, and tears of relief and joy streamed down the cheeks of bearded men as they welcomed this "Lion of the North," who had come to deliver the oppressed Protestants. Gustavus Adolphus had reached the very heart of the nation. No wonder the emperor became alarmed and turned to Wallenstein, the only leader at all capable of measuring swords with the King of Sweden. Неудивительно, что император встревожился и обратился к Валленштейну, единственному лидеру, который вообще мог помериться силами с королем Швеции. Wallenstein answered his emperor's call. As if by magic he collected an enormous army. Словно по волшебству он собрал огромную армию. His military fame drew men of all nations to his banner. From north and south, from east and west, they came. "All swarm to the old familiar long-loved banner," and "Tutti sciamano verso il vecchio e familiare stendardo amato da tempo", e «Все рой к старому знакомому давно полюбившемуся знамени» и "Yet one sole man can rein this fiery host By equal rule, by equal love and fear Blending the many-nationed whole in one." «И все же один единственный человек может обуздать это огненное войско равным правлением, равной любовью и страхом, соединяя в одно целое, состоящее из многих наций». It was in November 1632 that this mixed army under Wallenstein found itself at Lützen, a small town in Germany. The winter was coming on and Wallenstein was moving into winter quarters, hoping his rival would do the same, when he heard that Gustavus Adolphus was marching on Lützen—indeed that he was near even now. Приближалась зима, и Валленштейн переезжал на зимние квартиры, надеясь, что его соперник поступит так же, когда он услышал, что Густав Адольф идет маршем на Лютцен - действительно, он был рядом даже сейчас.

Through the long dark night the Swedish army had been marching, till with the first streaks of dawn, when they had intended to surprise Wallenstein, they found a thick fog hiding everything from view.

Kneeling in front of his army, the king burst into Luther's hymn, "God is a strong tower," following it with his own battle-song, which began, "Be not dismayed, thou little flock." Some of his officers begged Gustavus to clothe himself in steel, after the custom of the age.

"God is my armour," he cried, throwing it aside. So he wore only a plain cloth coat and a buff waistcoat, which may be seen at Vienna to-day.

Toward eleven o'clock the sun burst forth, and the two armies could almost see the battle-light that glowed fiercely in each other's eyes. The Swedish king gave his last orders. Then drawing his sword and waving it above his head, he advanced with the Swedish war-cry: "God with us!" "It will now be shown whether I or the King of Sweden is to be master of the world," said Wallenstein gloomily, as he led his men to the battle. They had not fought long when the fog came down once more, and Gustavus dashed unawares into a regiment of the enemy. One shot passed through his horse, another shattered his own arm and wounded him in the back. He fell to the ground. È caduto a terra.

"Who are you?" asked one of his foes.

"I was  the King of Sweden," gasped the dying king, and murmuring to himself, "My God! my God!" he died.

As the mournful tidings ran through the Swedish army it nerved the men to fresh effort. La notizia luttuosa si diffuse nell'esercito svedese e stimolò gli uomini a nuovi sforzi. They cared not for their lives, now the most precious life had passed. With the fury of lions they rushed on the foe, and when the sun set that November night Wallenstein, defeated at last, was in full retreat.

Gustavus Adolphus, the great champion of Protestantism, was dead, but his men had won the victory as he would have had them do. They dragged a great stone to the place where their hero fell, and on it they wrote the words, "Our faith is the victory which overcometh the world." Wallenstein was assassinated two years after this great battle. Years later peace was made, and there has never been a war of religion in Europe since those days.