D. App. 46. War Ministry. Military Examination Office for Infringements of Laws of War. BERLIN, _February 12th, 1915_. Before the President at the War Ministry in Berlin, Dr. Grasshoff and the Secretary Pahl, there appears to-day, without citation, Captain Karl Friedrich von Esmarch (permanently living at his country seat, Schönheim, Post Rinkenes, district of Apenrade, at present wounded in Berlin, Club Hospital, Wilhelmstrasse 30, landowner). The witness requests to be heard as such with regard to his observation of the events at Louvain on August 25th, 1914. The importance of the oath was pointed out to him, and he makes the following statement: As to Person: My name is Karl Friedrich von Esmarch, aged 40; Protestant. As to Case: On August 25th, 1914, I arrived at Louvain as Commandant of the Headquarters of the Corps, IX. Reserve Army Corps. We arrived in Louvain by train about 6 o'clock p.m. We detrained the horses and the 1st Division. We were to march to a Belgian hussar barrack, take in provisions, and move into quarters. On the way from the station to the barracks the adjutant brought me the order to turn back because the alarm was being raised as our troops were fighting about 10 km. outside the town. The horses and 1st Division were therefore to go to the Place du Peuple in Louvain, taking in provisions there, and the riding horses were to follow on a new order. We rode to the place designated, and drew up there. In the square stood a train column. The square was therefore rather fully occupied on all four sides with vehicles and horses. Gradually it became dark. Infantry regiments marched past us; on the south-west side of the square they went in the direction of the town hall. As I had only a few Staff guards to escort the hand-carts, I asked a passing infantry regiment for a company as reinforcement. I had become uneasy as to our safety for the following reason: At first the streets were full, very full of inhabitants; towards the evening all movement of the inhabitants suddenly stopped; the streets gave me the impression of being deserted; I also noticed that generally the roller shutters in the houses were down. I obtained the company and drew it up on the north-west side of the square; I then rode to the opposite (south-east) side of the square, where the forage master stood, in order to urge him to hasten matters.