ared her intention to respect Belgian neutrality at all costs. On the other hand we have Bethmann-

no military preparations had been made on the Franco-Belgian frontier, and that the German armies first came into contact with

pp. 14-20. Grasshoff quotes the sworn statements of a German corporal who resided in Boitsfort, near Brussels. The corpor

in Germany, are also cited; these men maintain that they

e these statements in a prisoners' camp, a place where they were exposed to the temptation of German gold and the influence of Teutonic bull

rmen had crossed the latter's territories in order to drop bombs by Wesel, etc., then Bethmann-Hollweg would have had no reason to admit in the Reichstag that his country was committing a breach of internation

Cologne Gazette had published a notice three days before announcing that Germany had no

pelled to enter Belgian territory. They are acting under the compulsion of unavoidable necessity, for French offic

uld have been inevitably arrested at the German frontier. The fable was made public

peoples which up till now, have been friends, formerly even allies. Remember the glorious days of

ed hostile actions. Belgians! you have to choose. The German army does not intend to fight agai

aries which we may have to requisition; that our soldiers will show themselves the best friends of a nation for which we have the highest esteem and ardent af

eral Staff had been informed by an absolutely reliable source that the French intended to march through the valley of the Meuse into

legram to the King of England was a trick planned long ago. These facts will soon be supplemented by a large number of documentary p

iger Neueste Nachri

no inconsiderable literature. Probably the two motives which have inspired Germany-official and unofficial-to print many volumes on Belgian neutr

earest manner possible how Wolff's Bureau was again the source of a widespread campaign to prove that Germa

r existed in the popular imagination, and fear may be the father of ill-considered deeds. Nevertheless, there is no proof that mob law prevailed in Belgium, as it did in Germany. Moreover, the latter country outlawed herself

the last to declaim on the alleged offences against the laws of war by a small, weak, unprepared neighbour. If these c

er Belgium. The airship took a conspicuous part in the attack on Liége, and was able to intervene in a markedly successful manner. Our first bomb was dropped from a height of 1,800 feet, but f

cial report in the Berlin

ight when the airship appeared, and the effect of the bombs was truly awful. In view of the circumstance that it was already light, Ge

mendous ovation on their return, while the news of this dastardly murder was received with jubilation throughout the German Empire. In Lunévil

on the part of the Belgians. Among the numerous statements that Germans were murdered, only two names are

n himself in a cellar. As the raging mob could not find him they burnt sulphur in the house, which caused Webe

many other journals. On the following day the Vorw?rts announced that Her

house by a crowd of Belgian beasts because he had refused to hang a Belgian flag before hi

nische Volkszeitu

ed its readers that Herr Deckel was residing i

an rights which the whole German army has consistently shown in the Fatherland, during the orderly times of peace, will require little ima

lity at home, and above all, of the legal brutality of German non-commissioned and commissioned officers. How can Germany expect the w

e invading army, and that Germans had displayed brutal insolence to Belgians before a state of war had been declared. Nearly every single letter from soldiers, publ

cter in order to justify her own ruthlessness-naturally W

enceless foreigners been terribly ill-treated in Germany without distinction of sex? Have not shops and restaurants been demolished in hundreds, wherever a French w

s journal as well as the Fr?nkische Tagespost names Wo

how German reservists, when leaving Antwerp and Brussels, had sung their national songs in a loud, pro

al flag; and German employers had been among the first to discharge employees of their own nationalit

vernment must be held responsible for them being scattered throughout the land. After Germany's official representative had returned from Brus

liteness. Neither he nor any of his Legation Staff had experienced the slightest unpleasantness. Further, von Below expressed the conviction that only single instances of such

could have said the same with absolute truth

Secretary Dr. Delbrück, calling upon all persons who had been ill-treated in Belgium to report themselves, so that

f September 6th, from which the following sentences have been gleaned. "Even if it is true that Germans were subjected to inconsideration and il

an empty flat at my disposal for German refugees. At parting he and his wife were as deeply moved as we, and when I began to make excuses for being unable to pay the rent, she at once prevented me from speaking

ns are raised against the entire Belgian people, justice demands this statement that Belgians in hundreds of cas

ived special permission from the General Staff to visit Belgium and the theatre of war

ordfrankreich" ("Journeys in War Time through Bel

ties (German) are now permitting full investigation in those parts of Belgium occupied by our troops, and it is already obvious that many exaggerations were circulated by German newspapers. Without doubt beer-houses and business

02: Ibid.,

ed from Germany had obtained such a hold upon the people that the Belgian Government experienced ever-increasing difficulty in getting supplies voted in the House of Deputies, for defence purposes. Belgian Socialists unfortunately played into the hands of the German Government by doing their utmost to prevent money from being spent for th

vilianism has dared, merely to cherish thoughts contrary to the ideals of the ruling caste, no time was lost in seeking an opportunity to challenge a quarrel which invariably ended in humiliation fo

civilian ethos predominated, looks, words, and even deeds, expressed hostility. Such "provocation" would certainly rouse the military ego to a revenge ten thousand-fold great

-baiting will be forthcoming in that unhappy country. The policy of frightfulness was not only intended to drive an enemy into abject sub

and formed into barriers, but the civilian population was compelled at the bayonet's

ys. But all the civilian population which could be found, without regard to age, rank, or sex, was forced by ou

s zur Marne" ("Our advance to the

en, trembling with fear, watched us come in, for besides me there were twenty-four men. We had received emphatic warnings from headquarters not to allow

104: Ibi

ad calmed the animal a N.C.O. marching at my side had finished off th

e immediately slaughtered. A boy hardly fifteen years old was dragged out of a wet ditch with a gun in his hand. Before bei

was shown to anyone, and the houses were set alight. An attempt to storm the church-tower failed because the occupants fired from above. Bundles of straw were

the career of the lying, scoundrelly priest as he was trying to escape. Our los

105: Ibid.

ore tasting the water both man and wife had to drink first, and as this scene was repeated on innumerable occasions

e nach Belgien" ("With von Kluck's Army

er German writers, he saw no hostile act on the part of the civilian population, but they came to him as rumours. "That night we slept in a ba

ere in flames. In the last village before Louvain the sight was terrible in the extreme; houses ablaze; pools of blood in the street; here and there a dead c

village and together with a part of the inhabitants

m. Our artillery had taken up a semi-circular position on the

107: Ibid.

the sack of Louvain. It strikes one as remarkable that the German

ce. Joy shone in our faces and a feeling of pride swelled our breasts at being the first to enter Belgium's capital. These feelings found expression in our talk and shouts.

eeling of being in the capital of an enemy. They brought us water, lemon

108: Ibid.

r a rest-day. Shortly after 5 a.m. we were ready for the march. A fine rain was falling as we passed through village after village. We saw the villagers with frightened faces hurryi

109: Ibi

istance. Other German war-writers state that the Belgian and French Governments had organized a franc-tireur wa

truggles had taken place between German troops and Belgian soldiers, aided by the inhabitants. The Belgians have supported their troops in a manner whic

he district is fertile; now, however, sadness and devastation reign supreme. Nearly every sec

nt Wilson, in which he defended the German armies against the charges of ruthless

nd; not a pane of glass but what is broken. Still the inhabitants themselv

n durch Belgien" ("With the Queen Fusilie

they have been brutally, wrongfully treated. Lord Bryce's report as well as the French and Belgian official reports have been dealt with at considerable

d that these same men are immediately transformed into chivalrous knights so soon as they don the Kaiser's uniform. They seem incapable of con

g the fort I saw seven or eight Belgian civilians guarded by our men with fixed bayonets. They were charged with firing on German soldiers. I must say that the lamentations of these

e prudent are aware that it is a mad enterprise, but the instinct of self-defence is so innate in the simple country people that advice does not help in the least." (Von Bethmann-Hollweg a

um's national honour which will not easily be wiped out. A German would never perpetrate such

s is hypocrisy or

13: Ibid.,

ng the war in Belgium, and in all of them similar legends are mentioned, but in no single instance is a case proved and nailed down. No victim is n

y shows that the Germans created only too well

ssaries of life, into a neighbouring village. An old woman on crutches was trying in vain to keep up; a young mother with a sucking child was sobbing and pressing the babe to her bosom. The boys were weepin

114: Ibi

lgians, hand in hand; how nicely it was all thought out; Belgian neutrality-so solemnly pledged by all the Powers-was nothing but a screen behind wh

enjoyed the blessings of peace, was happy in its existence and ignorant of the looming clouds gathering on its frontiers. All hail to our chosen leaders who kept watch and ward

dern" ("From Liége to Flanders"), by

raps, cartridges, caps, tunics and rifles. To our soldiers this was a remarkable sign of flight, for they are accustomed to military training of a different sort. In the forts,

rtment of Belgium's national life, and these virtues they endeavoure

116: Ibid.

famine draw nearer, and we, as well as some neutral countries, are endeavouring to relieve the tortures of want. But charity only encourages the laziness of the inhabitants. Just as the refugees in Holland, the Bel

n eines Johanniters," by Fed

. This alone is a serious symptom of national weakness. Still, the Belgian army has fought bravely. It is true they had not the discipline a

Kotzde: "Von Lüttich

d seems to be a desolate land in the hands of the conqueror, and the graves of her fallen sons. Germany's evident intention is the annexation of that part of Belgium where Flemish is spoken. At the moment of