Initiation and initiative : an exploration of the life and ideas of Dimitrije Mitrinović

46 LIFE AND IDEAS OF MITRINOVIC

I have given him a number of addresses, Kropotkin, Wells, Shaw, Archer, Upward.!??

Unfortunately, the outbreak of war imposed strains on the Blut-bund which it failed to withstand. The immediate claims of nationalistic feeling upon certain of the members outweighed the pious pronouncements of faith in internationalism. The first sign of such pressures was revealed in a letter from van Eeden to his friend Henri Borel of August 29th 1914 when he referred to the fact that one member of the circle, Florens Christian Rang, “has unfortunately become patriotically inebriated.”'3 A few weeks later van Eeden was bemoaning the spell cast by German nationalist feeling upon other members of the group. Gutkind, who in July had been advising Mitrinovié to adopt an attitude of “Buddhist calm,” had evidently fallen under the spell of German xenophobia. After receiving a letter from Gutkind, van Eeden commented:

There is a real brutalising through ‘nationalitis.’ It is my plan to have this letter (of Gutkind’s) reproduced together with my reply. It is of the utmost importance to establish how far the depravity can go which is caused to noble minds by patriotic fever. He talks about the ‘English knout’ and the ‘hired murderers’ from England!! and so on! I will answer him very forcefully . . .'4

Despite such signs of “depravity” van Eeden remained committed to his ideal. On September 17th 1914 he confided to Borel:

I do not believe that the circle will break. But things will get very hot. I said to Sinclair that he must come over because great things have to be done. And the Swedes are still there. Buber does not seem quite free from the infection. But I am very curious to know how Daubler feels about this . . „15

By late September however Gutkind’s stance, according to van Eeden, was worsening. “He speaks of a ‘holy war’ against the English Empire: he makes me think of the Mahdi!!© Moreover, Rudolf Eucken, that “dear and noble old man” in the eyes of Mitrinovic, was evidently failing to withstand the patriotic call. “Have you read the silly twaddle from Eucken?” yan Eeden asked Borel, “they call that a philosopher . . .”!”

By 1915 a clear split had emerged within the group between the German and non-German members. Van Eeden placed the bulk of the blame on the shoulders of Martin Buber. In a letter to Borel written in the Spring of 1915 he enclosed a letter from Buber which had caused him considerable pain. He went on: