THE LITERATURE OF PANGERMANISM
It is true that in his own country he has been criticised for merely advocating a Customs Union, and neglecting the political aspects of the problem (e.g., K. Eichhorn, "Mitteleuropa: A Criticism of Naumann's Book"). These critics have, however. been effectively answered by Kautzky, who points out that Naumann does actually go far beyond a mere Customs Union ("Die Vereinigten Staaten Mitteleuropas," 1916), and that his political ideas are Chauvinist enough. In point of fact, Naumann's ruling idea is that of the Prussian “Oberstaat," as he himself calls it; Austria-Hungary, although closely allied with Germany, is to play second string. Incidentally it may be noticed that by proposing Prague as the capital of the new "Central Europe," Naumann seems to accept Bismarck's estimate of Bohemia's importance for Germany and the Pangerman idea.
The economic relationship of Germany and Austria-Hungary is a common topic of discussion throughout the whole literature of Pangermanism. Dr. K. Landauer, for instance, in his "Literatur zur Frage der deutsch-oesterreichisch-ungarischen Wirtschaftsannäherung" ("Literature on the Economic Rapprochement between Germany and Austria-Hungary") gives a synopsis of no less than 50 separate projects which have been put forward.
Discussion of the "Central European " project tends to become more and more specialised, and the individual countries which will make up the union are being studied in very great detail. A typical example of this kind of propaganda is afforded by a pamphlet by A. Schmid, entitled "München-Bagdad: Eine bayrische Zukunftsfrage" (1916), in which, as the title itself suggests, Bavaria is treated as the natural bridge between Germany and Asia. A new railway is to be constructed from Munich to Constantinople, and plans for Bavarian canals from the Isar to the Euphrates are discussed in all seriousness.
As evidence of the seriousness and sustained interest with which the Germans regard the proposals for an economic policy based upon a Customs Union, it may be worth recording that some new periodicals have been founded in Germany for the express purpose of educating public opinion on this subject. Osteuropaeische Zukunft ("The Future of Eastern Europe"), first appeared in January 1916, and the Wirtschaftszeitung der Zentralmächte ("Economic Journal of the Central Powers") on February 11th.
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