Chapter VIII: Appendix: B.--Andenne

App. B.

War Office.

Military Court of Inquiry into the Violation of the Laws of War.

BELGIAN CIVILIAN UPRISING IN ANDENNE ON AUGUST 20TH, 1914.

_Summary Report._

Andenne is a small industrial Belgian town of about 8000 inhabitants, situated on the southern bank of the Meuse, half-way between the fortresses of Huy and Namur, in the province of Namur. During their advance, the German troops had constantly come into contact with Andenne. About the 20th August 1914 two infantry regiments and a Jäger Battalion marched from Coutisse towards Andenne, towards the north, in order to be able to cross the pontoon bridge there over the Meuse. They were commanded by Major-General Freiherr von Langermann and Erlencamp; Major von Polentz was at the head of one of the infantry battalions.

The inhabitants of Andenne received the passing troops in an apparently friendly manner; they gave them water, and the soldiers believed that in the quiet of the evening they would be able to pass peaceably through Andenne and reach the Meuse, flowing northwards. But scarcely had the head of the marching column arrived at the bridge over the Meuse, when the peaceful picture presented by the town suddenly changed, and the inhabitants showed their true character, a thing which unfortunately occurred only too often in Belgium. This time their deeds were truly devilish. Bells pealed from the church tower; as they ceased, the citizens, recently so helpful, suddenly disappeared from the streets, and bolted their doors and let down the shutters. A mad fire from all sides was poured upon the unsuspecting troops. In the town they shot from the cellars and from specially prepared openings in the roofs, and bombs and hand-grenades were hurled down on the defenceless men who happened to be nearest. Machine-guns sent their murderous bullets through the soldiers' ranks. At the same time, hidden francs-tireurs began firing from the heights opposite the end of the bridge over the Meuse. Besides which men and women in wild fury poured boiling water from the half-open windows upon the German troops. Of Major v. Polentz's men alone over one hundred were scalded. Against this inhumanity the troops had to defend themselves energetically. They pressed into the houses and shot down the cowardly aggressors in their hiding-places. The houses which had served them for cover were set on fire. About two hundred inhabitants lost their lives in these fights.

These are the details of the street-fighting in Andenne, which are supplemented by the official report attached, made by Major-General von Langermann and Erlencamp; and also by the evidence on oath of Major von Polentz, as well as of Rifleman Roleff--all eye-witnesses--who gave evidence without prejudice; and by the report of Lieutenant Goetze.

BERLIN, _the 29th of September 1915_.

Military Court of Inquiry into the Violation of the Laws of War.

Signed: Major BAUER.
Signed: Dr. WAGNER, Member of the Supreme Court of Judicature.

B. App. 1.

BERLIN, _January 21st, 1915_.

_Official Report._

On the afternoon of August 20, 1914, I received the command to march from Coutisse to Andenne with the brigade (1st and 2nd Guard Reserve Regiment and Guard Reserve Jäger Battalion); from there we were to cross the pontoon bridge over the Meuse. In the industrial town of Andenne we had to call a halt of about ten minutes, during which the inhabitants standing before their houses in the narrow streets willingly gave us water and behaved in a remarkably friendly manner. Just as I had crossed the bridge at the head of 1st Guard Reserve Regiment, we heard suddenly and simultaneously a furious rifle-fire coming from the heights opposite the bridge and from the houses. Not only men fired at us, but also--as I was informed--isolated women. Our men pressed into the houses from which the firing proceeded, and shot down the armed inhabitants. By my order the houses, from which firing had proceeded, were set alight. These measures were helpful; the rifle-fire gradually decreased and finally ceased altogether, but was renewed later against the troops that followed my brigade. Marvellous to relate, our losses were insignificant; the francs-tireurs had aimed badly. I saw no single French or Belgian soldier in the town or in the surrounding neighbourhood. The fire directed on us came solely from the civil population. Later it was reported to us that a document had been found--on the next day, I believe--with the Commandant of the town, showing the attack of the civil population to have been minutely planned, with a fixed hour for its commencement. Shortly before the prearranged time all the inhabitants, who had met us with such friendliness in the streets, locked themselves in, and at the given minute the fire was opened upon us. No cruelties of any sort were practised by the troops under my command, and all inhabitants found without weapons in the streets were especially spared; if they seemed to us to be of a suspicious character they were arrested.

Signed: Freiherr VON LANGERMANN.

B. App. 2.

BERLIN, _November 21st, 1914_.

War Office.

Military Court of Inquiry into the Violation of Military Law.

Present at the Court:
Dr. WAGNER, as Judge.
Secretary to the Court, PFITZNER.

There appeared as witness Major von Polentz, of the above-named place, who declared:

As to Person: My name is Fredrich von Polentz. I am 42 years of age; Protestant; Major in the 3rd Foot Guards Regiment.

As to Case: In the latter half of August, as I marched through Belgium in command of the battalion of the 2nd Reserve Guard Regiment, I frequently saw the Belgian civil population take an active part in hostilities against our troops; in particular, they fired upon us. I draw attention to the fact that this happened in Birdontige, near Stavelot, as well as in Evelette, south of Andenne. The most serious case, however, occurred in Andenne (between Liège and Namur).

After we had marched in here, the bells from the church-tower suddenly began to ring out a signal at about 6.30 in the evening. Thereupon iron shutters were let down in all the houses; the inhabitants, who until then had been standing in the streets, vanished; and from different sides firing began on my troops, especially from the cellars and from openings in the roofs which the inhabitants had made by removing the tiles. Also, from many houses boiling water was poured over our men. In consequence, some bitter street-fighting ensued between the civil population and my troops, who had given no cause for this treacherous attack. That these measures were well prepared, and carried out by the whole population of the town of Andenne and its suburbs, is proved by the fact that 100--one hundred--of my men were hurt by scalding alone.

Also the marching column of troops following me was attacked by the civil population of Andenne, as well as those sections of the marching column preceding me, who were fired upon.

In Lenze, north of Namur, I was met by the priest of the place, who at first assured me in a friendly manner, on his word of honour, that no hostilities of any sort need be expected from the people in his parish. In spite of this, shots from six or eight houses were heard fifteen minutes later. These shots could only have come from the civil population, as the regular enemy troops had long since been pressed back.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: VON POLENTZ.

The witnesses were thereupon sworn as above.

Signed: WAGNER. Signed: PFITZNER.

B. App. 3.

BERLIN, _December 5th, 1915_.

Present:
President of the Military Court, STACK.
Secretary to the Military Court, Non-commissioned Officer WESSELMANN.

There appeared as witness Rifleman Hugo Roleff, of the 11th Company of the 2nd Reserve Guards Regiment, and after his attention had been called to the importance of the oath, he made the following statement:

As to Person: My name is Hugo Roleff. I am 28 years of age; Protestant Reformed Church; by profession a ribbon-weaver, living in Elberfeld, Osterbaum 9.

As to Case: I joined the 2nd Company of the 2nd Reserve Guards Regiment as private, and went with the regiment to the front.

On August 20, 1914, the first half of the 2nd Company was to serve as cover to the Artillery Munition Column. We arrived at Andenne in the evening. As everything was quiet we rode into the town. All went smoothly through a few streets, but as we were going to turn into the main street, bells were suddenly heard. At the same time we received a murderous rifle-fire out of all the windows and from all sides. Hand-bombs and hand-grenades were used against us, and machine-guns were also employed. I noticed this as I lay wounded in the street, and also that regular shots came from the cellar windows, and that the characteristic noise of machine-guns could be heard.

Our horses broke loose, our waggon was struck by a hand-grenade, the horses were thrown to the ground, the waggon was overturned, and, the following waggons driving into it, a wild confusion ensued. As the waggon was overthrown, I fell out and crushed the calves of my legs. We immediately returned the fire, for it had been recommended to us, and we were prepared in consequence. Before the munition column could be set in order again and proceed, we had to endure half an hour of continuous firing, until the defence guard came to our help.

On account of my wound I was just taken to the market-place, and then lay for two days in the house of a doctor, who was, however, absent. After that I was cared for in the schoolhouse, which had been turned into a hospital. Some German families, who had lived in this place for a considerable time, looked after us here. These told us that the whole attack had been planned, and that the clergy had issued directions from the pulpits.

Read over, approved, signed.

Signed: HUGO ROLEFF.
Signed: STACK.
Signed: RUDOLF WESSELMANN.

B. App. 4.

NAMUR, _January 8th, 1915_.

REPORT of the Inquiry into the alleged atrocities in Andenne.

At the command of the Imperial Military Government of Namur I went, on the 5th inst., to Andenne, in order to obtain information from the Mayor Emile de Jaer regarding the atrocities of war that were said to have occurred in Andenne. He only knew that on August 20, at 7 o'clock in the evening, a murderous fire was opened on our troops, who wanted to cross the bridge leading to Seilles. At my request he handed me over a list of those who had been shot; it contained 234 names. On examining this list it turned out that only 196 persons had been shot without any doubt whatsoever; 28 were missing. I instructed the Mayor to procure a number of trustworthy witnesses, who in his opinion were in a position to give information concerning the events.

Thereupon appeared:

1. Hermann Frerand, Place du Perron, merchant. He could give no evidence, as he had been a prisoner from August 21 to 23.

2. Alexander Wery, Rue Brun, merchant. He declared that he had kept in hiding during the days of agitation. He therefore knows nothing, but only heard reports.

3. Léon Lambert, Place des Tilleuls, merchant. He knows nothing of the events, as he had been in hiding in his cellar.

4. Florent Sebrun, factory director, Rue Wouters. On the evening of August 20, at 7 o'clock, he was in the garden of his brother-in-law, Dr. Melin, Grande Rue. A large aeroplane appeared at a great height, and the German troops immediately fired at it. Suddenly fire opened from all sides of the town.

5. Madame Ermine Blanchart, Rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, will state personal grievances, but knows nothing of the events.

6. Ernest Thys, Rue Brun, merchant, hid himself for five days in his cellar.

7. Dr. Isidor Loroy, Rue de l'Industrie, only knows that the Mayor, Camus, who was a doctor in private life, was shot in the Rue du Pont on August 20, after having spent the night as a hostage, together with the priest, in the town hall. He was released towards the morning. Loroy only knows of the events by report.

8. Pane Tillmann, Rue Bran, chemist, had been wounded since August 21, and can give no evidence.

9. Louis Cartiaux, Place du Chapitre, priest, was arrested on August 19, at 9 o'clock in the evening, and taken to the town hall. Here he met the Mayor, Camus, who had already been taken as hostage. Cartiaux was, however, released during the night. About the alleged events he could only state that a detachment of troops had already made an inquiry in September, and that three suspected persons had been arrested, who were, however, not inhabitants of Andenne. He did not know what had happened to these three people. He refers the matter of the boy who was supposed to have been shot because he carried a cartridge on his person, to George Belin, schoolmaster, Rue Bertrand. The latter had told him that a boy was going to be shot because he wore some lead as a charm that had been given him by his brother.

10. Achilles Rambeaux, Rue Bertrand, assistant to a notary, has nothing to report, as he had kept in hiding in his cellar.

11. G. Belin, the schoolmaster referred to in No. 9, was heard at Namur on the morning of January 6. He was asked if he was prepared to swear to his alleged statement concerning the shooting of a boy. He denied ever having made such a statement in the most vigorous terms. Pressure being brought to bear, he admits further that in Andenne the opinion is held that a Belgian soldier of the 8th Line Infantry Regiment stayed behind, put on civilian clothes, and actually fired on the German troops. This soldier was universally known to the townsfolk by the nickname of "Le Petit Roux," and was Flemish. Another Flemish soldier, also in mufti, had been in his company. Both had deserted from their detachments.

Furthermore all the above-named persons declared unanimously that another doctor (not Mayor Camus), aged 64 years, had not been shot. Those rumours were also false which gave out that seven members of one family had been killed by German bullets; this matter concerned two families and, moreover, two brothers of the name of Savin.

That a number of people had been brought out from the cellars, threatened with death, and placed in front of the machine-guns, in case of firing from the nearest barricades, could be proved from no side. It was universally admitted, however, that rumours went round the town, including those that gave out that inhabitants had been killed with blows from an axe.

In Andenne itself 25 houses were destroyed, 12 in the suburb Peau d'Eau, together therefore 37, while Andenne contained 1900 houses. Not a single factory was destroyed or burnt. Naturally, as is unavoidable in street-fighting, many houses were damaged by gun-shots, but not so severely as to cause the owners any considerable losses. It is true that a large number of window-panes were shattered when the cannon fired from the market-place.

According to the statement of the schoolmaster Belin, the population of Andenne is rather a simple-minded one, which accounts for the incredible rumours abroad in the town.

Signed: GOETZE, Lieutenant.