The former Power, seeing Napoleon in difficulties, pushed on apace her military organization; and Germany heaved with suppressed excitement at the news of the Spanish Rising.

The dormant instinct of German nationality had already shown signs of awakening.
In the early days of 1808 the once cosmopolitan philosopher, Fichte, delivered at Berlin within sound of the French drums his "Addresses to the German Nation," in which he dwelt on the unquenchable strength of a people that determined at all costs to live free.
On the philosopher's theme the Spaniards now furnished a commentary written with their life-blood.

Thinkers and soldiers were alike moved by the stories of Baylen and Saragossa.

Varnhagen von Ense relates how deep was the excitement of the quaint sage, Jean Paul Richter, who "doubted not that the Germans would one day rise against the French as the Spaniards had done, and that Prussia would revenge its insults and give freedom to Germany....

I proved to him how hollow and weak was Napoleon's power: how deeply rooted was the opposition to it.