The New York Times Current History, A Monthly Magazine: The European War, March 1915Various
History
The New York Times Current History, A Monthly Magazine: The European War, March 1915
Various
World War, 1914-1918
As the bombardment of open towns constitutes without doubt a violation
of international law, we thought it necessary to go to Rheims, which
was for eighty days bombarded by the Germans. We received a sworn
statement from the Mayor, from which we learned that about 300 of the
civilian population had already been killed; we saw that in different
parts of the town numerous buildings had been destroyed, and we took
note of the enormous and irreparable damage which had been inflicted
on the cathedral. The bombardment has continued since the 7th of
October, the day of our visit; the number of the victims, therefore,
must now be very considerable. Every one knows how the unhappy town
has suffered, and that the attitude of the municipality has been above
all praise.
While we were working at the Hotel de Ville, six shells were fired in
the direction of this building. The fifth fell only a short distance
from the principal front, and the sixth burst fifteen or twenty meters
from the bureau.
Next day we went to the Chateau of Baye and witnessed the traces of
the sack which this building has suffered. On the first floor a door
which leads into a room next to a gallery, where the owner had
collected valuable works of art, has been broken in; four glass
cabinets have been broken and another has been opened. According to
the declarations of the caretaker who, in the absence of her masters,
was unable to acquaint us of the full extent of the damage, the
principal objects stolen were jewels of Russian origin and gold
medals. We noticed that the mounts covered with black velvet, which
must have been taken out of the cases, were stripped of a part of the
jewels which had previously been affixed to them.
Baron de Baye's room was in the greatest disorder. Numerous objects
were strewn on the floor from the drawers which remained open. A
writing table had been broken open. A Louis XVI. commode and a bureau
a cylindre of the same period had been ransacked.
This room must have been occupied by a person of very high rank, for
on the door there still remains a chalk inscription, "J.K. Hoheit." No
one could give us exact information as to the identity of this
"Highness"; however, a General who lodged in the house of M. Houllier,
Town Councilor, told his host that the Duke of Brunswick and the staff
of the Tenth Corps had occupied the chateau.
The same day we visited the Chateau of Beaumont, which is near
Montmirail, and belongs to the Comte de la Rochefoucauld-Doudeauville.
The wife of the caretaker declared that this house had been sacked by
the Germans in the absence of its owners during an occupation which
lasted from the 4th to the 6th of September. The invaders left it in
an indescribable state of disorder and filth. The writing tables,
bureaus, and safes had been broken open. The jewel boxes had been
taken from the drawers and emptied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account