The Land of Deepening Shadow: Germany-at-WarCurtin, D. Thomas (Daniel Thomas)
History
The Land of Deepening Shadow: Germany-at-War
Curtin, D. Thomas (Daniel Thomas)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Germany; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
On all sides from the surrounding girdle of forts the searchlights
swept the sky, and columns of weary soldiers tramped past me on
that four-mile road that led into Strassburg. I kept as close to
them as possible with some other pedestrians, labourers returning
from the great electric power plant.
Presently I was alone on the road when suddenly a soldier lurched
from the shadows and accosted me. I let him do the talking. But
there was no need to be alarmed; he was only a drunken straggler
who had got separated from his company and wanted to know whether
any more troops were coming on.
I had already passed through two cordons of functionaries outside,
and felt little fear in Strassburg itself, so long as I was duly
cautious. I had thought out my project carefully. I realised that
I must sleep in the open; for, unprovided with a pass it was
impossible for me to go to an hotel. Thankful that I was familiar
with my surroundings I wended my way to the beautiful park, the
Orangerie, where I made myself comfortable in a clump of bushes and
watched the unceasing flash of searchlights criss-cross in the sky
until I fell asleep.
Next day I continued my investigations, but in Alsace as elsewhere
my personal adventures are of no importance to the world unless, as
in some instances, they throw light on conditions or are necessary
to support statements made, whereas the facts set down belong to
the history of the war. Therefore I shall here summarise what I
found in the old French province.
The Germans have treated Alsace-Lorraine ruthlessly since the
outbreak of war is no part of the Empire is the iron hand so
evident. In Strassburg itself all signs of the French have
disappeared. Readers who know the place well will remark that they
were vanishing before the war. Externally they have now gone
altogether, but the hearts and spirit of the people are as before.
What I saw reminded me of the words of a Social Democrat friend in
Berlin, who told me that the Prussian Government determined, at the
beginning of the war that they would have no more Alsace-Lorraine
problem in the future.
They have, therefore, sent the soldiers from these two provinces to
the most dangerous places at the various fronts. One Alsace
regiment was hurled again and again at the old British Army on the
Yser in November, 1914, until at the end of a week only three
officers and six men were left alive. Some of the most perilous
work at Verdun, was forced upon the Alsatians.
The Prussian authorities deliberately retain with the colours
Alsatians and Lorrainers unfit for military service, and wounded
men are not allowed to return to their homes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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