Chapter XV: Appendix: D.--Louvain (3)

As to Case: From August 19th to 26th, 1914, I was in Louvain, wounded, where I was stationed with other wounded men in a school arranged as a hospital.

On August 25th, shortly after 9 p.m., we suddenly heard rifle fire coming from the street, which later on was augmented by machine-gun fire. As we could see nothing from the window owing to the geographical position of our house, an Offizierstellvertreter, unknown to me, called the hospital guard, which was stationed in a building separated by the school-court, to inquire about the reason for the firing. The guard having replied to the query, the Offizierstellvertreter ran quickly over and returned in a few moments. He ordered all lights in the house to be extinguished, and no one was to fire. On the afternoon of the following day the hospital was cleared. All the wounded, I amongst them, were conveyed to the station in a furniture van. Immediately behind the van, sisters of the Red Cross carried a severely wounded soldier. When we had arrived at the station, and were about to leave the van, we were suddenly fired on by civilians who were passing. None of the wounded were hit, nor the sisters, but a few of the Landwehr men, who were accompanying the conveyance of the wounded. They, as well as the guard at the station, at once replied to the firing. A number of the assailants were hit by rifle shots.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: EMIL GETZKE.

The witness was then sworn.

Proceedings closed.

Signed: QUANDER, Officer of the Court.
Signed: TROSCHEL, Secretary.

D. App. 29.

COLOGNE, _November 13th, 1914_.

Royal Government.

Present:
President GREEVEN, as Judge.
Referendary, Dr. WOLTER, as Secretary.

On citation there appears as witness the soldier Dadaczynski, 6th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 27, who states:

As to Person: My name is Stanislaus Anton Dadaczynski, aged 31; Catholic; gardener in Stassfurt, near Magdeburg, at present in the reserve battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 27.

As to Case: When my battalion was in a village before Louvain, the name of which I do not remember, I was taken by a non-commissioned officer to Louvain on account of lung-trouble, together with two other soldiers who were suffering with their feet.

On Tuesday, August 25th, 1914, about 9 p.m., we were lying in the barracks in which I was placed, in our rooms, on the straw. Each one had by his side his rifle, also loaded cartridges. Suddenly we heard shots directed upon our barracks from the hospital opposite. Shots also came from the houses near the hospital. I can say with certainty that shots were also fired from the hospital. We could hear distinctly that shots were being discharged not only from guns, but also from machine-guns.

When we heard the shooting we took our rifles and ran from the second or third storey, where we were stationed, downstairs. As the main entrance of the barracks was covered by machine-gun fire, we could not get out of the barracks. Some of us, who tried all the same, were wounded; one fell dead. When the shots ceased for a moment we ran, thirty to forty together, out of the barracks. We were shot at from all surrounding houses, from cellars and windows.

We now stormed all the houses from which shots had fallen; I with four others rushed into the first house to the left of the hospital. We brought out five inhabitants; from the other houses, close by, about twenty men were brought out. Those who were found with arms were immediately shot or bayoneted. Some twenty men, who were unarmed, we brought to the barracks. From all side-streets near the hospital came shots. We had to rush house after house. Wherever an armed inhabitant was discovered he was killed. The house in which he was found was set on fire. I myself, together with a comrade, bayoneted one inhabitant who went for me with a knife.

Shots were fired not only from the windows and cellar-openings, but from the upper storeys of houses tin boxes filled with hot tar were thrown on us. I saw myself how a box filled with tar was thrown upon the helmet of one of my comrades, so that the tar ran down his neck and shoulder. Another comrade had been hit by such a tar box on the arm, so that the tar ran down his sleeve. Happily for them, the tar was no longer so very hot as to cause worse burns.

During the storming of the houses we again made a number of prisoners, among them women and children; these were taken for safety's sake. We brought these prisoners also to the barracks, and had to guard them there.

Shots were heard until 2 a.m., and between 6 and 7 a.m. the firing commenced afresh.

At about 9 a.m. I saw a church burning near the town hall, also many houses in the neighbourhood. The shooting continued intermittently until Thursday, August 27th, when I received instructions to accompany the convoy of captured francs-tireurs, to which were added about four hundred English prisoners, from Louvain _via_ Aachen to Cologne, where we were dismissed to the Ersatz Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 27.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: STANISLAUS DADACZYNSKI.

After the importance of the oath had been urged upon the witness, he was duly sworn.

Proceedings closed.

Signed: GREEVEN. Signed: Dr. WOLTER.

D. App. 30.

AIX-LA-CHAPELLE, _November 14th, 1914_.

Garrison Command.

Present:
President of the Court, Captain SCHNEIDER.
Secretary, KLINKE.

On citation there appears as witness Herr Hubert Sittart, Member of the Imperial Diet, living in Aix-la-Chapelle, and on being questioned he declares the following:

On August 31st a number of women of Louvain told me there, with tears in their eyes, of the sorrow caused them by the bombardment of the town. They admitted emphatically that our troops had been fired at from the houses and cellars. One of them, the widow of a medical man, thought the firing had been done by the Garde Civique. But when she heard that wounded were lying at Aix-la-Chapelle who had been seriously wounded by small shot, she had to admit that civilians had also taken part in the firing. She also agreed with me when I declared that the Garde Civique, as well as the regular troops, deserved no forbearance if they fired from an ambush, from cellars and roofs instead of in open, honest fighting.

The vice-rector of Louvain University, Monsignore Coenraets, told me that he was ordered as hostage to read out to the people a proclamation to the effect that the hostages would be shot and fire opened on the town if the troops were treacherously fired at. He had hardly read this out in one street when shots were actually fired upon the German soldiers accompanying him.

The importance of the oath having been pointed out to the witness, he was sworn according to regulations.

Signed: H. SITTART.
Signed: SCHNEIDER. Signed: KLINKE.

D. App. 31.

LOUVAIN, _November 14th, 1914_.

Court of the Government-General of Belgium.

Present:
President, STEMPEL.
Secretary, STEMPER.

On citation there appears the witness Albert Lemaire, aged 37, professor of medicine, chief physician of St. Peter's Hospital at Louvain, living in the Leopoldstrasse, and he declared:

In the afternoon of August 25th German Landwehr (I do not know the number of the regiment) was quartered on me. The Germans behaved quietly and decently. Later on they marched out in consequence of an alarm. Later on in the evening, whilst taking supper with my family, I heard violent firing in the street. We fled to the cellar. Between 11 and 12 o'clock (Belgian time) I went once from there into the garden. There I was several times fired at, but owing to the darkness I cannot tell by whom. Previously I heard a German call out, "Louvain is on fire." I could see from my garden various reflections of conflagrations. I did not see civilians fire from houses or in the streets. Nearly all the houses of doctors and professors in the Leopoldstrasse are burned down.

On the following day I had my family taken to the hospital by two German soldiers for safety's sake. On Thursday, August 27th, the bombardment and destruction of the town was announced. I went to the country with my family. On my return I found my house burned down.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: Professor Dr. ALBERT LEMAIRE.

After the importance of the oath had been pointed out, the witness was sworn according to regulations. The examination took place in the German language.

Signed: STEMPEL. Signed: STEMPER.

D. App. 32.

Proceedings at LOUVAIN,
_November 20th, 1914_.

Court of the Government-General.

Present:
President, STEMPEL.
Secretary, STEMPER.

_Legal Statement of Evidence._

In a side-street of the Rue de Tirlemont at Louvain, near the prison, the following was ascertained:

In this side-street there is on the left-hand side, coming from the Rue de Tirlemont, a long wall, about 4 metres high. Opposite this wall lies a continuous row of houses of several storeys. The wall shows numerous traces of gun-shots. According to the traces of these shots, which are still clearly visible, they have been fired without a doubt from the upper storeys of the houses opposite. The range of these shots on the wall extends, according to the traces there left, transversely from the top to the bottom.

Signed: STEMPEL. Signed: STEMPER.

D. App. 33.

DEPOSITION of Reservist Hermann Behnke, 11th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 86, received by Pastor Friedrichs in the reserve field hospital at Hagen, on September 21st, 1914.

On August 25th we arrived at Louvain station in a military transport train. We heard brisk firing, so that we assumed that a battle between our troops and the Belgian troops was taking place. However, when we arrived in the town, we saw that civilians were firing from the houses and from trees. We noticed that German troops were fighting a regular street battle with these civilians. We went to the assistance of our troops. The civilians were requested to leave the houses from which firing had taken place. These houses were then set on fire.

Proceedings at Hagen in the Office of the reserve field hospital, Hochstrasse 45, on November 28th, 1914, placed at the disposal of the Royal War Ministry, Military Examination Office for infringement of military law.

There appears Hermann Behnke, reservist, 11th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 86, and declares:

The above is my correct name. I was born on February 28th, 1887, at Neuhof in Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Protestant; married.

Admonished to speak the truth, I make the following statement:

I maintain as correct the deposition made on September 21st before the Protestant minister, Wilhelm Friedrichs. This deposition is true in every respect, and it has been read over to me.

Behnke is then sworn.

Signed: HERMANN BEHNKE.

The correctness of the above is certified by:

Signed: Dr. JOTEL, Chief Regimental Surgeon.
Signed: WINAND ENGEL, Clergyman of the field hospital.

D. App. 34.

QUARTERS AT THIESCOURT, _November 29th, 1914_.

Present:
Leader of the proceedings, Lieutenant STEGMUELLER.
Secretary, SCHMIDT.

There appeared as witness Captain Josephson, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out, declared:

As to Person: My name is Walter Josephson, aged 46; Protestant; Leader of 2nd Battalion, Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 53.

As to Case: On August 27th, 1914, the 3rd Battalion, Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 53, marching from Rotzelaer to Louvain, had to conduct a transport of about 1000 civilian prisoners. At first, the 9th Company, under my leadership, and the 12th Company, Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 53, under the leadership of Captain Ernst, carried out the supervision. When subsequently further transports of prisoners were added, the 1st Battalion of the Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 53 assisted in the supervision. Amongst the prisoners were a number of Belgian clergymen, one of whom particularly attracted my attention because at every halt he went from one prisoner to the other and spoke to them excitedly, so that I had to put him under special supervision. At Louvain we delivered the prisoners at the station; another section of the troops, whom I cannot now name, undertook the watch over them. On the following morning I was told by various people, amongst whom was also Captain Ernst, that the clergyman above mentioned had fired upon a guard, but had not hit him, and that he had therefore been shot on the square outside the station, probably by the order of the local commandant. Captain Ernst saw his body still lying there on the following day.

With regard to the conditions then prevailing at Louvain I am able further to state the following:

The 3rd Battalion, Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 53, entered Louvain on August 25th, that is, on the day of the sudden attack, and remained at Louvain from August 27th to September 1st. My company was quartered on the Belgian rector of an intermediate school, a very quiet, sober-minded man, with whom I fully discussed the attack. He related to me that he had gone for a walk in the neighbourhood of Louvain on the day of the attack, and had visited an inn. The host told him that on that day a troop of about 100 young men, who conversed in different languages, had passed his house on the way to Louvain. They asked for drinks and lodgings for the night, but the whole thing appeared to him so suspicious that he removed the sign outside his inn, so as to have nothing to do with these people. He said to the rector literally, "If these people get to Louvain, there will be bad smells there to-morrow," by which he meant to say that then blood would flow. The rector also stated to me that in almost every house at Louvain a room for students is to be let. These rooms were tenantless at the time in question on account of the university holidays; friends and acquaintances of the students, or persons who posed as such, could quite easily get admission to these rooms; he assumed that these rooms had been occupied by the above-mentioned persons. It was, at any rate, a striking fact that when I rode at the head of my battalion, together with Captain Ernst and the adjutant, Lieutenant Stegmueller, in order to quarter myself at Louvain in the Rue des Joyeuses Entrées, there was a young man in almost every house, whereas the younger Belgian male population had been called up for war service; that, furthermore, the inhabitants absolutely urged us to quarter only officers in their houses, and that, finally, in all officers' quarters there was--so we were told--only in the outhouses room for the officers' servants, and never in the houses in which officers were quartered.

I had to supply the guard at the railway station from my company; opposite the station building lies a block of houses, and in front of it a street fenced off by boards from the station. From this plank-fence the watch was fired on daily in the dark. I had then all the houses cleared and the block of houses surrounded by guards. On the evening of this day I saw myself how, at dark, a troop of 50 to 60 civilians emerged from the wood which was about 600 to 800 metres away, but withdrew when the guard was noticed. From this date the firing upon the guard ceased.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: JOSEPHSON, Captain and Battalion Leader.

The witness was sworn in accordance with regulations.

Signed: STEGMUELLER. Signed: SCHMIDT.

D. App. 35.

Proceedings at RESERVE FIELD HOSPITAL AT CLEVE,
_October 9th, 1914_.

Royal Court of Justice.

Present:
Judge, FRITZEN.
Secretary, FRINGS.

There appears the under-mentioned witness, and, after having been acquainted with the object of the examination, he was examined as follows:

As to Person: My name is Adam Hoos, aged 32; Catholic; soldier, 2nd Company, Landwehr Regiment No. 55, at Wesel, at present in reserve field hospital at Cleve.

As to Case: On August 25th we entered Louvain and took part in the street-fighting. On the morning of August 26th, when searching the houses for wounded, we found in the cellar of a house a soldier of our regiment whose name I do not know, whose body had been cut open so that the entrails protruded. We did not ascertain whether the dead man was otherwise wounded. In my opinion, the cut could have only been effected with a sharp knife.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: ADAM HOOS.

The witness was sworn.

Signed: FRITZEN. Signed: FRINGS.

D. App. 36.

LÜBECK, _March 8th, 1915_.

Court of Justice, Department 10.

Present:
Judge, DUBEL.
Secretary, GIESE.

At the request of the war minister appeared on citation the witnesses mentioned below, who were examined individually and in the absence of witnesses to be heard subsequently.

1. Student Oldenburg.

As to Person: My name is Hans Ludwig Oldenburg, aged 24; Protestant; student of law; at present non-commissioned officer, 3rd Reserve Company, Reserve Battalion No. 162.

As to Case: On August 25th, between 9 and 10 o'clock p.m., our regiment entered Louvain in marching order. The standard of the battalion was at the head of our company. It was already dark and, in marked contrast to the places through which we had passed the previous night, a surprising number of gas-lamps were alight. In the doors of the houses stood Belgians in civilian dress who behaved in a quiet and not unfriendly fashion. I saw no windows illuminated. Having marched into Louvain for about ten minutes, there was suddenly a halt. Two to three minutes later, but perhaps sooner, we were suddenly fired at from the houses of the right and left. I also saw the flashes of several shots from the houses near me. From one house I also saw bombs fall; one fell about 10 metres away from me in the street and exploded there with great detonation. I do not know whether anyone was hit by it. I can point out accurately the house from which the bomb fell. It stood on the left side, near the second lamp, which stands behind the next cross-road, or the next yard-entrance, on the left.

When the bomb fell, no shots had as yet been fired by us. We now received orders, "About turn, march." But after we had turned we were ordered from the rear to shoot into the houses. We then fired into both fronts of the houses. I cannot say what reply was made to our fire because the noise and confusion was too great. It also became at once quite dark, because we demolished the lamps with our fire so as to offer no aim to the opponent. This firing may have lasted a full hour. During the firing I saw a soldier near me fall. I was then run over and lost consciousness. When I recovered from my swoon, the firing was still continuing. I dragged myself to the nearest wall, and was then driven by an automobile to the field hospital.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: OLDENBURG.

The witness was sworn.

2. Corporal Hoehne.

As to Person: My name is Max Robert Theodor Hoehne, aged 28; Protestant; art dealer; at present corporal, 4th Reserve Company, Reserve Battalion No. 162.

As to Case: On the evening of August 25th, at about 9 o'clock, our regiment marched into Louvain in column of route. At the head marched the 1st Company. Then followed the 2nd, to which I belonged. It was already dark. The gas-lamps were alight. Outside in the suburb a few windows showed light. People in civilian dress put water in the street for us. But we did not drink of it because an officer warned us not to do so. The civilians behaved in a quiet and not unfriendly manner.

We marched over the railway bridge into the town straight on. At a point where there was a square occupied by automobiles, the road made a sharp bend. We marched past this bend straight on again. Up till then nothing happened, except that we saw no civilians at all in the town. The windows of the ground floors in this part of the street were closed by shutters. The windows of the upper floors were open. But this fact only struck me when we were fired at. Shortly after my company passed the bend of the road, a shot rang out, and this was immediately followed by brisk firing. I saw many such shots flash from the upper windows, and also noticed how sparks flew about as the bullets fell into the street. Immediately at the beginning of the firing two men behind me fell; one of them was Corporal Wiessner. Wiessner sat down at the roadside; the other soldier remained lying in the street, face down. We now dispersed on both sides and fired into the upper windows. During the firing I saw yet another soldier fall. In the meantime we had destroyed the lamps by our fire, so that nothing could be seen. I cannot say how long the firing continued. After some time the order was passed along to cease firing. When we were about to reassemble we were fired at from the windows of the ground floors. I was hit by small shot that had been fired directly through a window-pane on the ground floor; the shot remained in the haversack and coat. A comrade who turned towards the window fell at once owing to, so I assume, a shot in the head.

We now fired also into the ground-floor windows, removing in part the shutters. I, with a few others who had burst open the door, entered the house from which came the small shot. We could find no one in the house, but in the room from which the small shot had come, an overturned paraffin-lamp, still smouldering, was on the table.

When the firing ceased, the order to "rally" was sounded, and I only heard the call of our company. We rallied outside a restaurant at the corner of a street, and were suddenly fired at from a window near us, with revolvers, as I could tell by the sound. After having rallied, we wanted to return in close order, but were again fired at from the houses. The greater part of us continued the retreat. I and four others, however, turned about and marched on in the old direction. We joined some few other soldiers going in the same direction. On our way we saw more than half a dozen wounded soldiers lying in the street. Two men lay beneath and beside a shot horse. One of them pulled himself from beneath it. I pulled away the other from the horse, but left him lying because he was dead. In doing this I was kicked on the knee by the horse. Later on we joined the main body of our battalion near the station bridge in that road which one reaches when entering Louvain straight from the railway bridge. The troops were here drawn up and ordered to search the houses. Shortly before, a woman, with a child upon her arm and with two children beside her, passed right through the troops. No harm befell her. She was allowed to pass into the town unchecked.

Read over, approved, and signed.

Signed: MAX HOEHNE.

The witness was sworn.

Signed: DUBEL. Signed: GIESE.

D. App. 37.

BREMEN, _January 10th, 1915_.

Present:
Officer of the Court, AHRENS.
Secretary, HEINHORST.

At the investigation regarding the events at Louvain the following witnesses appeared, and, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to them, made the following statement:

1. Officer's Deputy Walter Kruse, 3rd Company, Reserve Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 75.

On the evening of August 25th, 1914, at about 9 o'clock, the 3rd Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 75, entered by train the station at Louvain. At a distance of about 300 metres from the station building our train was suddenly fired at from both sides of the railway embankment. I heard the shots rattling against the carriages. The train stopped, and an order was given to leave the train. I made my men at once deploy along the track and reply to the firing. We were about three to four minutes under fire when I received some small shot in the right upper thigh. I then had myself bandaged, and was not a direct witness of the subsequent events. The firing, after scarcely ten minutes, suddenly ceased, whereupon the companies were rallied. In the dark one could only see the flashes of the shots. They came for the most part from above, so that one was obliged to assume that they had been fired from the windows, roofs, and trees. I did not see any individual persons who fired. About an hour and a half later I heard from the railway station, where I lay wounded, another burst of violent firing, which, however, ceased again at once.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: WALTER KRUSE.

The witness was sworn.

2. Sergeant-Major Ludwig Hilmer, 3rd Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 215, at present at Bremen.

When the train with the 3rd Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 75, entered the station at Louvain on the evening of August 25th, 1914, at about 9 o'clock, we were suddenly fired at from both sides, at a distance of about 300 to 400 metres from the station building. The window-panes in my compartment broke at once. We got out and replied to the firing. The enemy could not be seen, because it was already quite dark. We only saw the flashes of the shots, and assumed that they came from the houses at each side of the railway. Five men of my company were wounded in this fight. I ascertained that the wounds were partly caused by small shot. After about ten minutes the firing ceased, but was resumed again at once. Only when we had the lights on the station extinguished did the firing cease. The companies now rallied to the station, removed their packs, and were ordered to fire all the houses from which firing had taken place, after searching them first. With this order we received strict injunctions not to hurt a hair of women and children. My company entered in groups the houses of the section allotted to it. Captain Brinckmann and I entered an inn diagonally opposite the station, and found there behind the bar a waiter with a ball-gun and ammunition. He was immediately taken to the railway commandant by some men. We then continued searching. Various civilians were led off by my men, and after a final decision of the commandant they were shot in the place before the station. In accordance with my orders, I helped to fire several houses, after having convinced myself in every case that no one was left in them. At about 12 o'clock p.m. this work was finished, and the company returned to the station building, in front of which lay about fifteen inhabitants, shot. Two clergymen also stood there who were to serve as hostages. I heard a patrol report that in a church inhabitants had been taken with guns and munition. Sleep was not to be thought of during the night, because the town was echoing with the explosion of bombs and munition stored in the burning houses. One might have believed oneself in a heavy artillery fire. On the morning of August 26th the company was again alarmed, because baggage was being fired at in the town. We advanced into a street about five minutes' distance from the station, and were here fired at from the houses, apparently with shot-guns. We entered the houses and took prisoner several civilians whose behaviour had been suspicious. The houses from which the firing had come were then set on fire. About noon the company returned to the station. At about 3 o'clock p.m. I stood with an acting-sergeant-major at the monument in front of the station, when we were suddenly exposed to a violent fire. Immediately afterwards five riderless horses galloped towards us, coming from the street in which the shots had been fired. As was ascertained subsequently, the horses were those of gendarmes whose riders had been shot in the town. Arrangements were now made and published in the whole town by the ringing of bells and the beating of drums that every company advancing into the town must be headed by a number of hostages. These were to be shot the moment there was any more firing from the houses. Among the hostages held at the station were clergymen and state officials. In spite of these measures, the inhabitants again fired on that evening and during the night. The morning of August 27th passed without any special events for my company, because we urgently needed rest. It was only during the afternoon that we were again active. As peace could not be restored in the town by means of hostages, the order was issued to take all male inhabitants, aged seventeen to fifty. I carried out this order by the help of a strong platoon of eighty men after the order had been read out everywhere by a lieutenant. The people had to be fetched out of every house. After three hours' work I took 200 to 300 persons to the station. Every man on whom arms or munition was found was shot; these again numbered some fifteen to twenty persons. The others were notified that if shots were again fired during the night they would all be put in front of a machine-gun. This announcement was effective, for the next night passed perfectly quietly. On the following morning, hardly were the prisoners dismissed when the firing began afresh. My company, accompanied by hostages, advanced again into the town, and was again fired at. Again we had to fire some houses. On this occasion I saw with my own eyes how a civilian fired from a high window upon Captain Brinckmann. I heard the shot fall in the street. The Captain at once ordered the burning of the house. From here we advanced to a monastery on a hill. It was said that firing had taken place there, but we found neither arms nor munition. But immediately we again heard cries for help from the main road leading past the monastery; we hurried back, and had to assist an artillery column that had been fired at. We again set a few houses on fire, whereupon the command was given for all inhabitants to leave Louvain, as firing with artillery was to commence. This happened between 2 and 4 o'clock p.m. whilst our battalion was still at the station. I observed myself that the artillery projectiles only fell in those parts of the town in which attacks had been made.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: HILMER.

Hilmer was sworn.

3. Soldier Heinrich Westerkamp, company of wounded, Reserve Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 75.

At noon, on August 25th, I had arrived at Louvain with the 2nd Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 75. Whilst we were being provisioned from the field-kitchens in that part of the town which is near the suburb of Herent we were struck by the number of young strong people who were in the street and putting their heads together. At Herent I was transferred to the baggage because of foot-trouble whilst my battalion marched on. I was about to draw water from a well when suddenly the baggage was being fired on from all sides. The baggage had already turned about, and as the horses could not be stopped we returned to Louvain at full speed. But there, too, all was not safe, as we heard from stragglers; we wanted to drive past the station into the nearest village in order to spend the night there. We got, however, only about 50 metres beyond the station, and had to halt there because a wheel had come off a cart. Hardly had the carts stopped on the perfectly dark road when we were violently fired at from the houses near us, as well as from those on the other side of the railway and from the bushes on the railway embankment. The man beside me on the cart immediately received a shot in the foot. We dismounted and tried to make ourselves safe. At that moment a civilian came running up towards me from a house, pointing a revolver at me. I immediately shot the person down. A hand-grenade exploded immediately after this, about 7 to 8 metres away from me, and smashed a horse. Three of us now sought cover in the recess of a house, from which we succeeded in reaching a goods-shed. At this time--about 9 p.m.--the 3rd Battalion arrived, which we joined. During the night the detonations never ceased, and the houses round the station were burning. From the Hôtel du Nord a machine-gun had even been fired, as could be distinctly heard from the regular shots. On the following morning I ascertained that five horses of the baggage transport had been killed. I remained in front of the station building until noon on August 26th, and I here saw that about forty persons were examined by an officer and about half of them were shot. Two clergymen were also brought forward, one of whom declared himself a German, and said that he had not fired. I heard subsequently, however, that a Browning pistol was found on him. I also saw a man of Regiment No. 162 or 163 carried past on a stretcher. He whimpered terribly, and I heard that whilst doing patrol duty in the town several inhabitants fell upon him and cut off the scrotum. Later on I heard that the man had died of his wound. A Belgian who addressed me in German declared that the whole misfortune could have been avoided if the clergy did not from the pulpit praise those who fire upon German troops. At noon on the same day we followed the company with the baggage after having previously received fresh horses. We only found a heap of ruins where the village of Herent had stood. About three days later I met Lieutenant Foerster (now of the 4th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 75). He told me that German soldiers had had the genital members cut off and put into the mouth, and that the latter had then been sewn up.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: WESTERKAMP.

The witness was sworn according to regulations.

Signed: AHRENS, Lieutenant and Judicial Officer.
Signed: HEINHORST, Non-commissioned Officer.

D. App. 38.

ALTONA, _March 1st, 1915_.

Court of the Commandant.

Present:
President, Dr. STEENGRAFE.
Secretary, KOCH.

There appeared the merchant Gruner as witness, and, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, he was examined as follows:

As to Person: My name is Richard Gruner, aged 23; Protestant; merchant in Hamburg.

As to Case: After mobilisation I offered my services voluntarily and went into the field as a motor driver on the staff of the IX. Reserve Army Corps. On the evening of August 25th, 1914, we arrived at Louvain. As a sortie had been announced from Antwerp, the German troops were taken from Louvain and, as I assume, employed in the attack. The baggage, including the motors, stopped in the square in the immediate vicinity of the Hôtel Métropole. At the command of Captain von Esmarch, I followed the troops who were marching off and brought back one company for the protection of the staff, which was then drawn up in the place mentioned above. At about 9 o'clock p.m. I saw a green rocket ascend over the town. At the same moment commenced the firing upon us from the houses surrounding the place. I also heard the regular "tak, tak" of machine-guns. The German soldiers fired again and succeeded in beating down the hostile fire; the houses from which firing had taken place were set alight. I had the impression that the proceedings had been systematically prepared. Up till then we had been treated by the inhabitants with the greatest kindness and amiability.

After the attack in the centre of the town had been dealt with, the troops in the interior of the town were conducted to the station. Until then I had not seen any sign of interference on the part of the Belgian clergy. On the way to the station I saw a man in clerical garb, with unmistakable clerical physiognomy and a broad-brimmed hat with two tassels, directing our troops to a certain road. I myself drove along another road, following some cars before me. Subsequently I heard that the troops who had followed the directions of the clergyman reached a cul-de-sac, and were there exposed to fire from the houses.

When I arrived at the station I heard that here, too, an attack had been made upon the German soldiers by the civilian population from the surrounding houses, and had been defeated; in the station square and throughout the town houses were burning. All citizens taken were conducted to the station square, examined, and, if their guilt was ascertained, shot according to martial law. I myself acted as interpreter during part of the examinations. The examinations continued through the night until the following morning. The number of persons shot by court-martial may have been eighty to a hundred; among them may have been ten to fifteen clergymen. This number is exclusive of one man in unmistakable clerical garb, because beneath his clerical garb he wore civilian dress. Among the clergymen shot was the one I mentioned previously, and of this I am quite sure. He was pointed out by soldiers as the one who had directed them and their comrades into the cul-de-sac; he, too, was shot. I interpreted during the examination of two further clergymen. On one of them a revolver was found that still contained four cartridges, and one had been discharged; he, too, was shot. It had, moreover, been announced previously that every inhabitant on whom arms were found would be shot. I cannot now say what was furthermore ascertained in relation to this clergyman; but no one was shot whose participation in the attacks upon the German troops was not determined beyond doubt by at least two witnesses, or on whom arms were not found. Those brought up for examination must have rendered themselves suspect in some way, otherwise they would not have been examined at all.

During the night isolated attacks upon German troops took place, also during the day.

During the examinations many of the Belgians related that their behaviour towards the Germans had been represented to them by the authorities, also by the preachers, as a matter of faith. When we fetched the wounded in automobiles during the night we were fired at, and also from a convent.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: GRUNER.

The witness was duly sworn.

Authenticated:

Signed: STEENGRAFE, President.
Signed: KOCH.

BERLIN, _March 19th, 1915_.

Ministry of War.

Military Examination Bureau for Infringements of Martial Law.

Present:
President, Dr. GRASSHOFF.
Secretary, PAHL.

There appears on citation merchant Richard Gruner of Hamburg-Grossborstel, Holunderweg 12.

The importance of the oath was pointed out to the witness, and he declared:

As to Person: My name is Richard Gruner, aged 23; Protestant.

As to Case: I repeat, first of all, all the statements made during my judicial examination at Altona on March 1st, 1915. This statement, which has just been read to me, is perfectly true in all respects. I add further what follows:

The examination of the volunteers brought forward by the German troops on the station square at Louvain on the night of August 25th to 26th, 1914, was conducted by Captain Albrecht, who was then reporting officer on the staff of the IX. Reserve Army Corps, and who fell later, at the end of October 1914, at Noyon. Captain Albrecht was attached to the Grand General Staff in peace time. I was requested by him to act as interpreter during part of the examinations. The examination proceeded in such a way that the soldiers brought forward the civilians taken by them, whilst the firing in the town continued. I was given about 100 to 200 persons to search and to examine. Captain Albrecht passed from one group of persons assembled in the station square for examination to another group, and inquired the result in order to give instructions for the further treatment of the accused. Altogether about 600 persons may have been brought forward, at least 500 of whom were spared death by shooting because no sure proof of their guilt was brought forward during the examination. These persons were led aside; the men amongst them were later on sent to Germany, whilst it was left to the women and children to go to Anvers.

It is not true that the persons were arbitrarily selected when arrangements for shooting them were made; on the contrary, the examinations were carried out strictly according to the facts. I examined myself the persons brought forward for arms, and frequently found arms on them. I also had instructions to see whether the accused were Belgian soldiers, which could be seen from the identification disc. On many of the persons brought to me I found the military disc in the pocket or in the purse. Captain Albrecht proceeded--I assume on higher command--in such a way that he ordered those to be shot on whom either arms or a rallying sign was found, or those of whom it was testified by at least two witnesses that they had fired upon the German troops. In my opinion it is quite out of the question that any innocent person lost his life; particularly Captain Albrecht did under the circumstances all that was possible to exhort the soldiers to speak the truth; if no arms or identification discs were found, he himself questioned the witnesses as to whether they could make their assertions with certitude, and he pointed out to them that the life and death of a man depended upon their word. And only when the soldiers maintained their assertions after this admonition, the command for the shooting of the condemned was given.

Amongst the persons brought forward were a number of priests; of these about ten to fifteen in all were shot. I ascertained myself that one priest carried a loaded revolver which had been fired once, and the empty cartridge-case was still in the barrel. I furthermore recognised another priest as the one who, according to the testimony of the soldiers, had intentionally decoyed them into the fire of the francs-tireurs. These two were undoubtedly genuine clergymen. On a third man wearing clerical garb, and civilian clothes underneath, I found a military identification disc.

I was in the station square during the whole examinations, and I can therefore testify from my own knowledge that no mock-execution of priests has taken place, and that not one of the involuntary spectators of these scenes was forced to applaud.

Among the persons brought forward there were many civilians who, when they became aware that I spoke French, called to me that they were innocent, and that the priests bore the whole guilt of what had taken place. They expressly pointed to the priests who had been brought forward. Amongst them was a Belgian civilian who, as a sign of his goodwill to the Germans, showed a document, according to which the King of Prussia had bestowed the Order of the Red Eagle upon him. I took the opportunity to remonstrate with this person that he, an educated man, and the other men of his station had not stopped the populace from making the attack; he replied, "It is quite impossible for us to prevail upon the people who are in the hands of the clergy."

I remained at Louvain until August 26th, 1914, 4 p.m. During August 26th I still heard and saw, now and again, firing from the houses; comrades of mine were wounded actually at my side; thus also the voluntary soldier Wuppermann. During the morning of August 26th I spoke in the station square, where there were many women prisoners, with two of them who evidently belonged to the educated classes. One of them, an American from St. Louis, addressed me in English and begged me to release her and another known lady from imprisonment, as they were innocent. She explained to me that the clergy were responsible for the events. She then called the other lady, a Belgian, with whom I also conversed in French. She also confirmed to me that the firing from the houses was due to the conduct of the clergy. She related the following: In the evening, Belgian soldiers dressed as civilians entered individual houses and forced the inhabitants by threats to receive them and to admit them to the windows in order to shoot from them; previous to that the clergy had gone into the houses and declared to the inhabitants that it was their duty to receive and support the Belgian soldiers because the German troops were making war upon the faith of the Belgians.

During the critical days, particularly violent firing on the German troops came from a convent outside Louvain, on the road from Louvain to Bueken. I have heard this repeatedly from soldiers, and on August 26th, 1914, in the afternoon, whilst going in my automobile to Bueken, I had to pass the street near the convent under special protective measures. In order to be safe from any firing from the convent we had to take with us several civilians, who were placed partly upon the footboard of the car, partly upon the cooler.

I wish to emphasise that even during the examinations in the station square we were fired at from houses there. I particularly remember the incident when about ten to twelve young people in sporting-caps--which was frequently the distinguishing mark of disguised Belgian soldiers--were brought up quite close to the station building, and that I was fired upon from a building opposite on my way to see these persons, and that the prisoners ran away, and that we Germans fired after them.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: RICHARD GRUNER.

The witness was sworn.

Proceedings closed.

Signed: PAHL.
Signed: Dr. GRASSHOFF.

D. App. 39.

GUISCARD, _March 1st, 1915_.

Present:
Member of the Military High Court, RIESE.
Secretary, REISENER.

There appeared as a witness Non-commissioned Officer Muesfeldt, and, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, he was examined as follows:

As to Person: My name is Willy Muesfeldt, aged 33; Protestant; non-commissioned officer, IX. Reserve Corps.

As to Case: On August 25th I arrived with the first party of the General Command at Louvain. We unloaded and drove with the baggage to the market-place. Here we remained, as it was said that the English were near, and that we might have to go into action that day. In the evening, at about 9 o'clock, Captain von Esmarch, leader of our baggage, arrived in the automobile and said that matters had turned out differently, and that we could march off to quarters. The Captain mounted the horse and gave the order "Mount." He had hardly said this when firing commenced from all sides. I fetched my rifle from the cart, took cover, and fired. Then I noticed that the Captain lay on the ground, wounded; I brought him into safety beneath a cart, and continued firing. I cannot say exactly how long the firing continued. When it ceased, the order was given to search the houses from which the firing had taken place for francs-tireurs. I approached a house from which firing had taken place, battered the street door, and went down the cellar, from which shots had also been fired. I found there a man of about forty years of age, with dark pointed beard, who had a revolver in his hand. I immediately threw myself upon him, and in spite of his struggles I led him up the stairs, where I handed him over to gendarmes. I did not indeed see this man shoot, but I assume it with certainty, since I found him with the revolver in his hand; he struggled, and there was no one in the house except his wife. All this I related to Captain von Esmarch at Christmas when he was here on a visit to the General Command. There was a pharmacy in the house, which I mentioned above.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: Non-commissioned Officer MUESFELDT.

The witness was sworn.

Proceedings closed.

Signed: RIESE. Signed: REISENER.

D. App. 40.

ALTONA, _March 1st, 1915_.

Court of the Commandant.

Present:
President, Dr. STEENGRAFE.
Secretary, Sergeant MEYER.

There appears as witness engineer Weiss, who, after the importance of the oath has been pointed out to him, he declares as follows:

As to Person: My name is Robert Weiss; engineer, in Altona; aged 31; Christian; motor-driver.

As to Case: After mobilisation I offered my services as a volunteer, and went into the field as motor-driver on the staff of the IX. Reserve Army Corps.

On the afternoon of August 25th, 1914, we arrived at Louvain. The inhabitants behaved at first more than kindly towards us.

Towards the evening I had driven a wounded man to the field hospital near the market-place. The field hospital was established in a monastery. About 9 o'clock I drove the car with Captain von Harnier in it from the monastery back to the market-place, when suddenly firing began on all sides from the houses. I stopped my car and remained unhurt; Captain von Harnier was wounded in the arm; he hurried to the market-place, and I sought cover beneath the car.

I may have remained there about half an hour when a platoon of German infantry came along the road. I called to the leader, and he had the surrounding houses, from which the shooting continued, covered by fire. I then took the car to safety in the yard of the monastery.

When, after a short time, I wished to leave, Captain von Esmarch was carried in, covered with blood. Whilst being carried to the field hospital, he was fired upon from the monastery. I went into the monastery with an infantryman; we found a revolver, but to save ourselves from being cut off we could not enter the vaults of the monastery into which the people had evidently retired.

The Belgian field hospital did not want to bandage Captain von Esmarch; I finally forced a Belgian surgeon, whom I caught by the arm, to apply the bandage.

Subsequently, on driving my car to the market-place, and from there to the station with the General Staff, I saw everywhere on the way burning houses; now and again isolated firing from the houses still took place.

At the station there were no burning houses, and strict orders had been given to set no houses on fire there. After half an hour the firing from the hotels opposite the station began. From that point right to the station there was firing with machine-guns; I could distinctly hear the regular "tak, tak."

It was only then that orders were given to raze the houses in front of the station; they were set on fire, but even from the burning houses, and finally from the ruins, the firing continued briskly. We suffered losses.

Later on, isolated shots were fired.

The citizens who had in any way taken part in the attack were brought to the station square, and, if found guilty, shot according to martial law.

The soldiers, who brought the citizens along, were exhorted--as I have myself heard--to bear witness carefully and conscientiously. The examinations were conducted by officers of the General Staff. Whoever carried loaded arms, in spite of the prohibition issued and announced, was shot at once.

In the town lay several men in clerical garb, shot; at the station, too, several men in clerical dress were shot; all were examined, but I was not present at the examinations.

On the following day, too, isolated shots fell upon us from houses.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: WEISS.

The witness was sworn in accordance with the regulations.

Signed: Dr. STEENGRAFE, President.
Signed: MEYER.

D. App. 41.

Court of the Commander.

Present:
President, Dr. STEENGRAFE.
Secretary, MEYER.

ALTONA, _March 3rd, 1915_.

There appeared as witness merchant Dammann, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, was examined as follows:

As to Person: My name is Carl Dammann, aged 31; Christian; merchant in Hamburg; soldier of the Reserve.

As to Case: After mobilisation I volunteered for duty as motor-driver, and as such I was assigned to the Staff of the IX. Reserve Army Corps.

On the evening of August 25th, 1914, we arrived in Louvain. At first the inhabitants were very obliging.

My motor-car was put in the market-place, a big square near which is the Hôtel Métropole. In the evening, towards 9 o'clock, we motor-drivers stood under the trees of the place and chatted together. Comrades told me they had seen a rocket go up.