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
Apparently this firing did not only come from the windows, but also
from the openings in the roof and prepared loopholes in the attics of
the houses; it is because of this that one can explain the small harm
done to the men and animals. The street was narrow, and the rifles had
to be placed in an unnaturally slanting position, if they were to be
aimed at the halting columns in the middle of the street. The drivers
and soldiers of the supply column had in the meantime left their
waggons and horses and sought shelter from the fire in the doorways of
the houses. Some of the waggons had collided with each other, and the
restless horses, having lost their drivers, had broken loose.
As shots also came my way, I sought shelter against the partition wall
between the windows. After a short time, I thought I heard the firing
returned by our soldiers in the market-place. Soon after, signals and
calls were heard to "cease fire." The firing did then cease for a time,
but was apparently renewed on both sides, though not so violently as
before.
I had taken the opportunity to leave my billet during the cessation of
the firing, and go to the market-place, to inform a Colonel there of
the proceedings I had witnessed. At the same time, I asked permission
to set fire to the house from which the signal shot--as I took it to
be--had been fired, and from which the volley had also come. In my
opinion, the ringleaders were assembled there. The Colonel refused my
request. I hereupon returned to my street, but was there detained a
moment by a rifleman, who, standing in a doorway, called out, "Just now
I plainly saw a shot fired from the house opposite." He then pointed
out the house, which I recognised as that of the Mayor.
I now took a few soldiers who were standing near by (of the 140th
Infantry Regiment), and proceeded with them to the house from which
the first shots had been fired, and in the attic of which I guessed
the instigators and leaders still to be. In the meantime the regiment
arrived, and--giving my commands to the officer and his men--I ordered
the doors and windows on the ground floor, which were firmly locked,
to be battered in. The house had a front door and a shop door. I then
also forced my way into the house, and with the help of a fairly large
quantity of turpentine, which was found in a tin can holding about 20
litres, and which I had partly poured on the first floor, I succeeded,
after a short time, in setting the house on fire. Further, I gave
orders to the men who had so far taken no part in this affair to occupy
the entrances to the houses and arrest all men seeking to escape.
As I left the burning house several civilians, amongst them a young
priest, were arrested in the neighbouring houses. I had them taken
to the market-place, where in the meantime my troop of Field Cavalry
Police had assembled. I then ordered the columns to march out of the
town, and took over the command of all the prisoners, but released the
women, boys, and girls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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