The German Army in Belgium, the White Book of May 1915Germany. Auswärtiges Amt
History
The German Army in Belgium, the White Book of May 1915
Germany. Auswärtiges Amt
World War, 1914-1918 -- Atrocities; World War, 1914-1918 -- Belgium
On citation Paul Kurt Büchner, Reservist, 1st Field Company, Pioneer
Battalion No. 12, in Pirna, appeared as witness and made a statement:
On the night of August 21st, 1914, my company was sent on a
reconnaissance towards Dinant in Belgium. The 2nd Battalion, Rifle
Regiment No. 108, marched with us. When we had arrived in the town we
were briskly shot at from the houses, and, indeed, chiefly with small
shot. We stormed a number of houses, and saw that the marksmen were
civilians without any military uniform or badge. We then withdrew.
On August 23rd, 1914, the 23rd Division advanced to the attack on
Dinant. Here, also, we were vigorously fired on from the houses, and
certainly only by civilians, of whom a number were killed. It was here
that I received a shot in the thigh.
I then got into the hospital which had been established in the Château
of Sorinnes. In the night the Château of Sorinnes was attacked and
fired at by the inhabitants of the place. The inhabitants were,
however, beaten off before they could force their way into the château.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: KURT BÜCHNER.
The witness was sworn.
Signed: Dr. ILLING, Chief Counsellor of the Military Court.
C. App. 5.
Present:
President of the Court, SCHWEINITZ.
Secretary, LIPS.
NEUFCHÂTEL, _February 20th, 1915_.
In the examination concerning the events in Dinant the under-mentioned
witness appeared and stated:
As to Person: My name is Herbert Max Reinhard Brink. I am 22 years old;
Protestant; Lieutenant in the 1st Field Company, Pioneer Battalion No.
12, XII. Army Corps.
As to Case: I was leader of the platoon of the 1st Field Pioneer
Company which took part in the reconnaissance in force on the night of
the 21st-22nd August 1914. In Dinant, on that occasion, we were briskly
fired at from the houses. I did not see the marksmen; certainly they
were not soldiers. I conclude this from the numerous injuries from
small shot which our wounded had. During the street-fighting a little
old cylinder-revolver, from which one shot had been discharged, fell on
my head. No officer and, still more, no soldier would have been likely
to use such an antiquated weapon.
On August 23rd, 1914, I marched into Dinant with a part of the 1st
Field Pioneer Company, and joined up with the detachment of Count
Kielmannsegg. We were fired at very vigorously from the houses, among
others also from those on the bank of the Meuse, but not at all from
the opposite bank. The marksmen were civilians without any military
badge. I myself saw several civilians with weapons in their hands. A
woman also fired down at us from the stairs as we were forcing our way
into a house. She was immediately shot down from below.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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