Page:Thirty-five years of Luther research.djvu/55



It was of the greatest importance, when in 1883 the Prussian secretary of the interior allowed himself to be influenced by Koestlin and others, to guarantee the means necessary for a new critical edition of Luther's works, and to entrust its leadership to the already mentioned Knaake, who was to work in connection with a special commission created for this purpose. Even though at that time no one had a true conception of the wealth of material that has been discovered in the course of time, yet, now a storehouse was held in readiness for all new findings, and the possibility that the work would remain uncompleted through lack of funds was ruled out. It will ever remain a splendid page in the history of the House of Hohenzollern that it called upon students of theology, history and German culture and supported so generously their united endeavors toward completing a national edition of Luther that was commensurate with his importance. And it was a true sign of the religious as well as of the national bent of mind that prompted church and science, city and nobility, authorities and individuals to stand together and guarantee the production. In the proclamation of 1883 it was said:

"The great national memorial whose early stages should adorn the coming fête day can not be what it should be unless all of Protestant Germany cheerfully does its part. The word of the 'greatest man of the people, the most popular character Germany ever possessed,'27 as one of the famous men in Germany once