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Books of special value and gift books, when the _ _^ giver wishes it, are not allowed to circulate. — Readers are asked to re- port all cases of books " marked or mutilated. Do not deface books by marks and writing. _ Cornell University Library DH 682.G37 1918a Belgium in war time, 3 1924 028 358 798 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028358798 IN WAR TIME byGomtnandant de Qevtache de Qotnevy %iii!afMM3aSs;S»:5&A#' » BELGIUM IN WAR TIME TRANSLATION OF NOTE TO THE FRENCH EDITION Published in October, 1915, in the Norwegian and Swedish Languages, in Christiania and Stockholm, UNDER the Title : " The Country that will not Die," the Present Work was set up by Joseph van Melle, Printer, of Brussels, attached during the War to the Publishing House of Berger-Levrault. Printing was completed on the 15TH of June, 1916, BY Berger-Levrault, at Nancy, after the Fuftm Bombardment of the City. BELGIUM IN WAR TIME BY COMMANDANT DE GERLACHE DE GOMERY DR. HONORIS CAUSA OF THE UNIVERSITY OP LOUVAIN CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND PARIS HONORARY UEMBBR OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETIES OF BRUSSELS, COPENHAGEN, GENEVA, PHILADELPHIA, RIO DE JANEIRO, ROME, ETC. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH EDITION BY BERNARD MIALL WITH S8 ILLUSTRATIONS, 6 MAPS AND MANY FACSIMILES NEW YORK GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY \ 1 L THIS BOOK IS PIOUSLY DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY BROTHER GASTON DE GERLACHE DE GOMERY WHO DIED FOR OUR COUNTRY THE 2ND OF AUGUST, I915 CONTENTS I PAGE BELGIUM I II THE NEUTRALITY OF BELGIUM 7 III THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM i . . . . 13 iv; BY FORCE OF ARMS 27 Vi BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 45 VI STILL erect! 99 VII IN THE LANDS OF REFUGE 132 VIII INVIOLATE BELGIUM 145 IX IN OCCUPIED BELGIUM . . . . vii 168 yiii CONTENTS X PACB RUIN AND WASTE AND DEVASTATION . 225 XI THE SOUL OF BELGIUM ■ • 228 APPENDICES— I TRANSLATION OF THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM . . . 239 II THE CIVIC GUARD OF BELGIUM 24O III — DECLARATION OF MME. TIELEMANS (WIDOW) CONCERN- ING THE HAPPENINGS AT AERSCHOT .... 24I IV — CIVIL PRISONERS . . . .... . . . 242 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TT-H • /-I t TAI Ti 1 ^° rOLLOW PAGE Hotel de Ville and Grand Place, Brussels 20 The King goes to Parliament, 4th of August, 1914 . . . . 20 The Cloth Hall, Belfry, Hotel de Ville and Cathedral, Ypres . . 20 German Troops Crossing the Belgian Frontier, 4th of August, 19 14 20 One of the Forts of Liege after the Bombardment .... 20 Living Shields 20 Page from the Notebook of Adolph Schliiter 52 The Church, at Vise, Burned loth August, 1914 .... 52 The Population took refuge in the Woods 52 At Tamines 52 Civilians Deported to Germany 52 At Louvain 52 In Louvain 52 The Crypt of the Library, Louvain, after the Tragedy ... 84 A Brabant Farmhouse, after the Germans had Passed ... 84 Foundry at Montigny-sur-Sambre, Burned by the Germans . . 84 Place de la Station, Louvain 84 A " Faked " German Postcard 84 Antwerp Raided by a Zeppelin 84 MM. de Sadeleer, Vandervelde, Carton de Wiart, De Lichtervelde and Hymans, Pilgrims of Justice 84 A Sample of the Work of the German " Pioneers " at Termonde 1 16 The Hotel de Ville, Termonde, after the 17th of September, 1914 116 Artistic Treasures were removed to a Place of Safety . . . 116 Exodus from Malines, 27th of September, 1914 . . . .116 At Malines, after the Bombardment of 27th of September, 1914 . 116 The Duffel Bridge over the Nethe, Destroyed by the Belgians . 116 Our Soldiers helping the Poor Fugitives as far as they were able 116 The Bathing-machines . . . like so many little Caravans . .116 Ostend, the 13th of October 148 Country folk forsaking their Burning Villages 148 Refugees' Camp at Bergen-op-Zoom 148 Who will Help Us to Search? 148 Belgian Postage-stamp, Havre 148 The Hostelry, Saint-Adresse 148 is S LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TO FOLLOW PACS The Yser Countryside 148 The Yser before the War 148 Whence emerge the Ruins of Farmhouses, and often Corpses . • 148 The Inundations have Produced Great Sheets of Water . . .148 During the Battle of the Yser 180 A German Villa, Prepared for Heavy Howritzers, Destroyed by the Belgian Engineers 180 Ypres . . . They Have Burned the Cloth Hall . . • .180 Ypres — ^A Chamber in the Cloth Hall before the War . . .180 The Same Chamber in November, 1915 180 He never, on the Yser any more than at Antwerp, leaves his Army for a Day nor an Hour 180 Elisabeth, Queen of the Belgians 212 At Dinant 212 Chateau near Malines Plundered and Burned by the Germans . .212 Inspection of Belgians capable of Military Service .... 2i3 Studio of a Belgian Artist Visited by Germans . . . .212 Safe Broken Open by German Soldiers 212 Traces of their Passage 212 Belgium became a vast Prison 212 Farm-houses, Cottages, and Windmills Demolished . . . .212 Brussels — Reading the German Telegrams 212 In the Palais de Justice, Brussels 228 The Yser is Bordered with Ruins 228 The Germans have Completely Destroyed Ypres .... 228 What the Germans Cannot Conquer ...... ,., . . 228 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME BELGIUM IN WAR TIME I BELGIUM When Belgium was separated from Holland, to which coun- try she had been arbitrarily united in 1814, she set up an ex- tremely liberal Constitution. This constitution, promulgated on the 7th of February, 1831, made Belgium a representative monarchy, under a hereditary ruler whose title is "The King of the Belgians" (not "the King of Belgium "; there is a distinction). Administratively speaking, Belgium is divided into nine prov- inces. The province of Brabant — whose chief city, Brussels, is also the capital of the kingdom — is the heart of the organism. Around it lie the provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liege, Namur, Hainault, and East Flanders. The two remaining provinces — Luxemburg and West Flanders — lie in the south-east and the north-west of the kingdom respectively. Considered from the standpoint of its area merely, Belgium is a very small country. Her surface measures, indeed, only 10,340 square miles, or rather less than one-eighteenth of Germany or France, her two powerful neighbours to the east and the south. Belgium is smaller than Denmark; smaller even than Holland, her northern sister. To cross the country by rail along its great- est diameter, from Arlon to Ostend, that is, from the south-east to the north-west, requires only four or five hours. Yet the soil of this little country presents a most remarkable variety of aspects. To begin with, there are the mountainous, wooded Ardennes ; the banks of the Meuse, with an infinite variety of wild land- scapes; the fertile table-lands of Coudroy and the Sambre-et- Meuse; the rolling, verdant landscapes of La Hesbaye and 2 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Brabant; the rugged Borinage or " Black Country " with its sul- len slag-heaps ; and, on the other hand, the melancholy Campine, with its heaths and pine-woods and sheets of water ; and, lastly, bordered by a strip of sand-hills which protect them froni the sea, the fertile plains of Flanders, traversed by the majestic Scheldt and the tiny Yser. If in place of considering her territorial dimensions we judge Belgium by the number of her inhabitants, we must at once as- sign her a more important position among the countries of Eu- rope. Her population, in short, on the 31st of December, 19 13, numbered 7,658,000 souls/ From the ethnical point of view there is, it is true, a distinc- tion between the Flemings and the Walloons. But in spite of all that has been said of this distinction, and in spite of a duality of language, common aspirations and common destinies have given them one single soul. When the vital interests of the country are at stake, all hearts beat in unison, and then, according to the happy expression of a national poet, " Fleming and Walloon are only baptismal names: Belgian is our family name." The same love of industry actuates the two races. Both dis- play in an equal degree the energy of action and the persevering determination which are the predominant qualities of the Belgian people. Again, if we consider Belgium from the economic point of view, we shall see that she bulks still larger; indeed, this time the increase will be prodigious. We shall find that the country is covered by a network of railways, covering a total length of 2,899 miles, over which — before the 3rd of August, 19 14 — several thousands of trains ran daily, carrying annually nearly 100 miUions of passengers.^ We shall find that beside this principal railway system there are numerous railways of secondary importance, covering a total of 2,608 miles, and in connection with our rivers and navigable waterways ' there are many canals. We shall find that Belgium is full of factories, workshops, foundries, etc., which consume 2,500,000 h.p., provided by ' This means an average of 676 inhabitants to the square mile. At this rate Norway would contain nearly 85 millions of inhabitants, Sweden 116 millions, and France 137 millions. ' The first Continental railway was built in Belgium in 1835, between Brus- sels and Malines. ° Rivers which have been dredged, deepened, or embanked, or otherwise made navigable. BELGIUM 3 30,000 engines. We shall find that the Belgian coal-mines yield about 25 million tons of coal each year, while the annual pro- duction of cast-iron is more than 2,500,000 tons. We shall find that the ever-increasing movement of shipping in the port of Antwerp — the commercial metropolis of the coun- try — amounted, in 1913, to more than 16 millions of tons, so that Antwerp is one of the leading ports of the world. Finally, we shall find that the national trade of Belgium — that is, the sum of her imports and exports (through freights being deducted) — amounted in 1913 to £350,000,000, or £46 5s. 7d. per inhabitant, which was — proportionately — three times the trade of France or of Germany: an enormous figure, which gives Belgium the fifth place in the statistical table of the world's com- merce. Yes; from the absolute economic standpoint little Belgium stands — or rather stood, in 19 13-14 — immediately beneath Eng- land, Germany, the United States, and France. From this point of view, then, Belgium is quite one of the " Great Powers." * * * This sketch would be too rudimentary did I not add a few data by w^ich I shall attempt to define the soul of my country. Here, to begin with, is an essential trait: the Belgians' love of liberty. If we go back to the origins of the Belgian people, and follow its history down to modern times, we shall often behold it in arms, but we shall find that it was always fighting for liberty. From the time of Caesar, who declared the Belgians to be the most valiant among the Gauls, throughout the course of the cen- turies, it was for independence and liberty alone that the Bel- gians fought. Sometimes it was to preserve rights already ac- quired; sometimes it was to obtain some additional franchise; but it was never to increase their territory or to dominate their neighbours. In all times the Belgians have loved liberty with a fervour which has often inspired them to deeds of the noblest heroism. The wonderful Hotels de Ville ( i ) ,' with their stately towers, which our ancestors have bequeathed to us — what are they but temples raised to liberty? Here is another trait of the Belgian character: the love of the arts, the worship of the Beautiful. Always the Belgians have loved the arts and have excelled in them. ' The figures in brackets refer to the illustrations. 4 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME The Hotels de Ville, the belfries, the guild-halls and market- houses, the ancient churches (3), and all those stirring records of the past with which our native soil is covered, are so many mas- terpieces of the art of architecture. And what inestimable jewels in these superb caskets — ^what wonders too in our museums! The works of the brothers Van Eyck — the inventors of oil-painting; of Van der Weyden, Mem- ling, Quentin Matsys, and other masters of the primitive Flem- ish school; the works of the fertile enchanter Rubens, of the graceful Van Dyck, and of the Breughels — a long and glorious line of painters; the works of Jordaens and Teniers, eloquent of the joy of life, which again is one of the characteristics of the Belgian soul; the works of De Vos, Snyders, and of many another master, whose famous names no Belgian can pronounce unmoved. How many other specimens of national art: tapestries, laces, stained-glass windows, household furniture, altar-screens, and what not; how many more specimens, carefully treasured up, which make Belgium one of those corners of the world in which is collected the greatest abundance of artistic wealth! As for music, here again — as a learned German writer upon music has very truly said — " this little out-of-the-way corner of the north-west of Europe, this land of alluvial deposits, a land of laborious industry and flourishing commerce, is the veritable home of the most bewitching of all the arts." Polyphony was of Belgian origin. Ludwig van Beethoven was of Flemish origin. " We must not overlook this fact," says Romain RoUand, " if we wish to understand the fiery independence of his character, and many peculiarities which are not properly German." Gretry was born at Liege. Ancient though it is, Belgian art has not degenerated. It remains worthy of its noble and most ancient traditions. The pictorial art of Leys, Charles Degroux, Stevens, Bou- lenger, Courtens, Gilsoul, Frederic, Baertsoen, Claus, Van Rys- selberghe, and I know not how many more; the sculptural art of Constantin Meunler, Jef Lambeaux, Victor Rousseau, and George Minnie, to name only these ; the musical art of Gevaert, Peter Benoit, and Cesar Franck, shine in the first rank amid the productions of contemporary art. And all those who follow the movements of international literature will also place in the front rank the work of Georges Rodenbach, CamlUe Lemonnler, Emile Verhaeren, and Maurice Maeterlinck. In the domain of the sciences many Belgians have distinguished BELGIUM 5 themselves, in the past as well as in the present. We may men- tion Mercator, who invented mathematical geography, and whose system of projections is still employed for the preparation of marine charts; Ortelius, who made the first geographical atlas; Vesalius and Van Helmont, who created anatomy and physiology respectively; Stevin, who invented the decimal calculus; Minckel- ers, who invented coal-gas in its application to lighting purposes ; all these were Belgians. Nearer our own days are other Belgian names radiant with the purest scientific glory : Quetelet, Plateau, Stas, Houzeau de Lehaye, Renard, the Van Benedens, etc. I am speaking only of the dead, and not all of them; but among these illustrious Belgians I must mention Brialmont, who was incontestably the greatest military engineer of the second half of the nineteenth century. Let us note also that for a long time Belgium has applied herself with victorious activity to " maturing the formulae of international law, and instituting laboratories of jurisprudence. Did she not dream of creating for the peoples a common intelli- gence, a human patrimony, a res communis omnium? The Institute of International Law was born of the initiative of an eminent Belgian, Rolin^Jacquemyns. The International Law Association was founded in Brussels in 1873. Two Belgians — A. Beernaert, the illustrious statesman, and M. Louis Franck — were present at the beginning of the conference on maritime law. The Institute of Comparative Law, more recently, has made it its business to give juridical studies a peculiar breadth, introducing an original and more profound method." ' There are in Belgium two State Universities, one at Liege and one at Gand, as well as three private universities: the Catholic University at Louvain, the Free University in Brussels, and the New University in Brussels. Besides these universities there are various scientific institutes and technical colleges, as well as schools of art and musical conservatories, and the majority of these es- tablishments are attended by numbers of foreign students, which is the best proof of the excellence of their teaching.^ A very old Flemish proverb, which is found also in Scotland : Oost, West, fhuis best—" East, West, hame's best "—proclaims the Belgian's love of his home and his country. Flemings or Walloons, the Belgians are a domestic, stay-at- home people. And although they have distinguished themselves in many overseas enterprises — such as the creation, in Central 'Eugene Baie, Le Droit des Natiomlitcs, Paris, 191S (Felix Alcan). 6 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Africa, of a colony eighty times larger than the mother country, the organisation of the public services in Persia, and the con- struction of important railways in China — as a general thing they do not often emigrate, and when they do so it is rarely without the intention to return. Life in Belgium, moreover, is — or was — pleasant, and it was for this reason, and because they were cordially welcomed, that so many foreigners have settled in the country. There were in Belgium, at the time of the last ten-yearly census (31st of De- cember, 1910), 248,562 foreigners, of whom 80,765 were French, 70,950 Dutch, 57,010 German, 6,974 English, 5,927 Austro-Hungarian, and 26,936 of other nationalities. To close this chapter I will make one more remark, to which present circumstances give especial interest. The Treaty of 1839, which ratified the separation of Belgium and Holland, gave to Holland the north of Flanders. It results from this fact that the mouth of the Scheldt is entirely Dutch. Holland commands the mouth of the Scheldt, and, therefore, holds the key of the two great Belgian ports, Antwerp and Gand. II THE NEUTRALITY OF BELGIUM When the delegates from the United Kingdom, France, Austria-Hungary^, Prussia, and Russia assembled in London, in December, 1830, to consider the conditions under which the Belgian provinces tnight be constituted an independent State, they put their heads together in order to inquire into " the new arrangements best adapted to combine the independence of Bel- gium with the interest of the security of the other Powers and the preservation of the European balance." Their labours bore fruit, on the 20th of January, 1831, in the shape of a draft treaty, which stated, in Article 5, that Bel- gium " should form an independent and perpetually neutral State," and that "the five (contracting) Powers would guaran- tee this perpetual neutrality as well as the integrity and inviolabil- ity of its territory." The treaty now known as the "Treaty of the XVIII Ar- ticles," which ratified this arrangement, recognised Belgium's " right to defend herself against all foreign aggression." A later treaty, knovm as the " Treaty of the XXIV Articles," which, being finally accepted by Holland, became, in April, 1839, the definitive international statute of Belgium, proclaims, in no less definite terms, the principle of Belgian neutrality. Their Majesties the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary and Bohemia, the King of France, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of All the Russias declare. In Article I of this treaty, that the articles ap- pended to the text of the treaty concluded between their Majes- ties the King of the Belgians and the King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, are regarded as having the same force and validity as though they were inserted in the treaty itself, and that they are thus placed under the guarantee of their afore- said Majesties. And Article VII of an appendix to the treaty stipulates that : 7 8 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME " Belgium, within the limits indicated by Articles I, II, and IV (of the appendix), shall form an independent and perpetu- ally neutral State," And that: " Belgium shall be required to observe this same neutrality in respect of all other States." Belgium could not, therefore, in the case of any conflict what- soever, dispose of herself to her own liking, declaring herself neutral or participating in the conflict. Neutrality was imposed CUid, "VIT £fmsfi\if(twti^f' Mc«c4v' . , /22L Jtffi, CSvuutf X 'gnt FACSIMILE OF ARTICLE VII OF AN APPENDIX TO THE TREATY OF 1839. Upon her perpetually, and this neutrality was guaranteed by Eng- land, Austria-Hungary, France, Prussia, and Russia. Before the present war there were only two other European States which were by treaty declared " perpetually neutral." These were Switzerland and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg. But there were distinctions in the character of these so-called " perpetual " neutralities. Switzerland had been bound to neu- trality — since 1815 — only by her own will; while Luxemburg and Belgium were compelled to accept neutrality by the express will of the Powers. " Belgian neutrality," says Colonel F. Feyler, the eminent editor of the Revue militaire Suisse, " is a creation of the Pow- ers, among them the German Empire, which succeeded to the obligations of Prussia. Belgium is not, properly speaking, a neutral State ; she is a neutralised State ; but she is also an armed State, with the reservation that she is armed exclusively in order to defend herself in case of attack. "As for the neutrality of Luxemburg, it dates from 1867, the year in which the Grand Duchy was in danger of kindling the THE NEUTRALITY OF BELGIUM 9 war which three years later broke out between France and Ger- many. " The King of Holland was Grand Duke of Luxemburg. Napoleon III arranged that he should sell the Grand Duchy to France. This was a menace to the Prussian frontier, and Prussia prepared for war. The areopagus of the five European Powers intervened, as in 1830, in respect of Belgium. A treaty was signed in London, on the nth of May, 1807. " ' The Grand Duchy of Luxemburg,' says this treaty, * will henceforth form a perpetually neutral State. It will be required to observe this neutrality toward all States. The high contract- ing parties undertake to respect the privilege of neutrality stipu- lated by the present Article.' "And the treaty adds: 'Luxemburg being neutralised, the maintenance of fortresses upon its territory becomes unnecessary and objectless.' " Consequently the fortress of Luxemburg was demolished. " To sum up : The Swiss Confederation is a deliberately neutral State, armed as much in defence of this neutrality as in case circumstances independent of its desires and its will should make a change of policy a matter of obligation. Its sovereignty is complete. "The Kingdom of Belgium is a neutralised State; that is, its neutrality is a condition of sovereignty, and it is armed in de- fence of this neutrality. "The Grand Duchy of Luxemburg is a neutralised State; it is also disarmed, the Powers having undertaken to watch over its security themselves." ' Article II of the Treaty of the nth of May, 1867, declares: "This principle (of the neutrality of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg) is and remains under the collective guarantee of the Powers signatory to the present treaty, with the exception of Belgium, which is itself a neutral State." Thus, incidentally, after the lapse of thirty years, the Treaty of the XXIV Articles was ratified. Three years later, it was confirmed and ratified anew, and this time in far more serious circumstances. The Franco-Prussian War had just broken out. Great Britain considered that the time had come to determine, for this particular case, the execu- tive details of the Treaty of 1839. Further treaties were con- cluded on the 9th of August, 1870, between Great Britain and ^Journal de Genhe, 27th January, 191S, 2nd edition. lo BELGIUM IN WAR TIME France on the one hand, and between Great Britain and Prussia on the other, with the " firm intention of maintaining the neu- trality of Belgium, as it was established by Article VII of the treaty signed in London on the 19th of April, 1839." The term of the validity of these new treaties was fixed at twelve months after the ratification of the treaty of peace, and it was expressly stipulated that after the expiration of this term " the independ- ence and neutrality of Belgium would continue as before to be based upon Article I of the five-fold treaty of the 19th of April, 1839" — that is, upon the guarantee of the same five Powers. What was the import of these new treaties? Baron Anethan, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, defined it, on the i6th of August, 1870, before' the Chamber of Representatives: " The separate and identical treaties concluded by England with the two Powers at war neither establish nor modify the obliga- tions resulting from the Treaty of 1839; they determine, for a given case, the practical method of executing these obligations; they by no means invalidate the engagements of the other guar- antee Powers, and, as their text testifies, they leave untouched as regards the future, the obligatory character of the previous treaty, with all its consequences." Whatever might be the nature of these private agreements between those of the Powers which guaranteed her neutrality, Belgium, being also fully determined to honour her engagements, remained mobilised throughout the entire duration of hostilities. With very few exceptions our statesmen, even until the last few years, have been intimately convinced that our neutrality would never be violated. One of them, M. Beernaert, who played a remarkable part in the deliberations of The Hague Conferences, even remarked, in the course of a debate upon the rules conditioning the occupation of invaded territory: " As for Belgium, her position is peculiar. Belgium is neutral, and this neutrality is guaranteed . . . notably by our powerful neighbours. Consequently we cannot be invaded." (First Conference, session of the 6th of June, 1899.) It is true that of late years some did on occasion venture to suspect the intentions of Germany. But on each of these occa- sions the leaders of German politics gave Belgium — directly or indirectly — the most definite assurances that her neutrality would be respected. THE NEUTRALITY OF BELGIUM ii In 19 1 1, in the course of the controversy excited by the pro- motion of the Dutch proposals concerning the fortifications of Flushing, certain newspapers asserted that in case of a Franco- German war the neutrality of Belgium would be violated by Germany. The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs then sug- gested that a declaration made in the German Parliament, on the occasion of a debate on foreign policy, would be calculated to appease public opinion, and to allay public suspicion, which was greatly to be regretted from the point of view of the relations between the two countries. Herr Bethmann-HoUweg, who was sounded upon this subject, replied that Germany had no inten- tion of violating Belgian neutrality, but that he was of opinion that by making a public declaration to this effect he would en- feeble the military situation of the Empire in respect to France, who, being reassured as to her northern frontier, would concen- trate all her forces upon the east. On the 29th of April, 19 13, there was a debate in the Reichs- tag, in the course of a session of the Commission for the Budget, on the subject of Belgian neutrality. According to the officially inspired Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Baron Beyens,' the Belgian Minister in Berlin, gave the following account of the debate : " A member of the Social Democratic Party remarked : ' In Belgium the approach of a Franco-German war is regarded with apprehension, for it is feared that Germany will not respect the neutrality of Belgium,' Herr von Jagow, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, replied: 'The neutrality of Belgium is deter- mined by international conventions, and Germany is determined to respect these conventions.' "This declaration failed to satisfy another member of the Social Democratic Party. Herr von Jagow observed that he had nothing to add to the plain statement which he had made respect- ing the relations between Germany and Belgium. " To renewed interrogations of a member of the Social Demo- cratic Party, Herr von Heeringen, Minister of War, replied: ' Belgium has no part in the vindication of the German scheme of military reorganisation; the latter is vindicated by the situa- tion in the East. Germany will not lose sight of the fact that Belgian neutrality is guaranteed by international treaties.' " A member of the Progressive Party having also spoken of 'To-day Minister of Foreign Affairs, having replaced M. Davignon, who was obliged to retire for reasons of health. 12 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Belgium, Herr von Jagow remarked once more that his declara- tion in respect of Belgium was sufficiently definite." ' At the same time, in certain quarters anxiety was felt as to the possible attitude of England. Vague rumours had been cir- culated of a possible landing of British troops in Belgium, to forestall, if need should arise, the passage of German troops. Now here, in this connection, are extracts from a letter ad- dressed by the head of the Foreign OSice to the British Minister in Brussels: a letter dated the 7th of April, 19 13, which de- scribes a conversation which Sir Edward Grey had had with the Belgian Minister in London: " I told him," writes Sir Edward Grey, " that he might with certainty assert that the present Government would never be the first to violate Belgian neutrality, and that I did not believe that any British Government would take such a step, that public opinion would never approve of it. . . . What we had con- sidered — and the question was rather embarrassing — was, what it would be desirable and necessary that we should do, as one of the guarantors of Belgian neutrality, if this neutrality should be violated by any other Power. . . . What we desired, for Belgium as for any other neutral country, was that her neutral- ity should be respected, and so long as it was not violated by any other Power, we certainly should not ourselves send troops across Belgian territory." ' * * * Not only was our neutrality guaranteed by the five Great Powers which were signatories of the Treaties of 1 83 1 and 1839; it was also guaranteed, morally at least, by all the other States which adhered to the second Peace Conference at The Hague in 1907. The Convention relating to the rights and duties of neu- tral Powers, which bears the signatures of the delegates of the forty-four States represented at the Conference, states, in its first Article : " The territory of neutral Powers is inviolable." ' Correspondence diplomatique relative d la guerre de 1914 (Second Belgian Grey Book). " The Times, 7th December, 1914. Ill THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM When, towards the end of July, 19 14, gloomy clouds, which grew more and more threatening, began to pile themselves up on the political horizon of Europe, Belgium became alarmed, and her uneasiness increased from hour to hour. Germany, however, down to the very eve of hostilities, en- deavoured to conceal her intentions. On the 1st of August, war being imminent, M. Klobukowski, the French Minister in Brussels, officially declared to M. Davig- non, our Minister of Foreign Affairs, that France would re- spect the neutrality of Belgium. Informed of this declaration by M. Davignon, Herr von Below-Saleske, the German Minister to Belgium, replied that he had not been instructed to make a similar declaration to the Belgian Government, but that the latter was aware of " his personal opinion as to the security with which Belgium was justified in regarding her Eastern neighbours." Moreover, on the preceding day Baron van der Elst, the Secretary-General to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had had a long conversation with Herr von Below, and had reminded him of the remarks made by Herr Bethmann-HoUweg In 191 1, and the public declarations made by Herr von Jagow in 19 13. Von Below not only admitted the accuracy of these statements, but added that he was " certain that the sentiments then ex- pressed had not been modified." Again, on the ist of August the Military Attache to the Ger- man Legation spontaneously congratulated the departmental head of the Ministry of War upon the rapid and remarkable progress of our mobilisation. For we had, as a special precau- tion, just mobilised our army, as Holland had done, for that matter. On the and of August, between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning, this same attache telephoned to the office of the XX " Steele (a Catholic newspaper, published in Brussels, which had 13 14 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Governmental tendencies), when the substance of his message was as follows: " Your newspaper announces this morning that war has been declared between Germany and Russia. This is quite untrue: there is no war. This news is certainly issued by interested persons. I beg you, therefore, to be so good as to contradict it, in the largest possible type, in your next edition." ' Stupefied, those members of the staff who were present asked one another whether they were not dealing with a practical joker, and for a moment they were inclined to decide to ignore this communication. But reflecting upon the grave responsibil- ity of suppressing such a contradiction, supposing it should have any foundation, they decided to telephone to the German Lega- tion for confirmation of the message. At this moment they received, from a reliable source, the news that the German troops — as had been rumoured in the city all the morning — had violated the Luxemburg frontier and had entered the , Grand Duchy : yet another reason, to their think- ing, for questioning the statement of the German Attache. M. Passelecq,^ who had received the first communication (and from whom I have received these details), then called up the attache on the telephone, gave his name, and reminded the former of his recent communication, complaining that it was difficult to believe it, and that it was, moreover, ambiguous. " The telegrams reporting the declaration of war have been very explicit," he said. " And what precisely do you mean to say? That the declaration of war does not emanate from Germany? That war has broken out without a preliminary declaration? Or that there is no war at all? " " I repeat," replied the Military Attache, speaking with en- ergy and emphasis, " that there is no war, that Germany is not at war, that the report of war is false, issued by interested persons who wish to embroil Germany with her neighbours, ' The German Ambassador in Petrograd notified M. Sazonov, on the ist of August, at 7.10 p.m., of Germany's declaration of war upon Russia. He left Petrograd on the 2nd of August. On the morning of the 2nd of August German troops invaded the neutral territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxem- burg, while others invaded French territory at a number of points. " M. Fernand Passelecq, advocate in the Brussels Court of Appeal, and at present Director of the " Belgian Documentary Bureau " at Havre, was not a member of the ordinary staff of the XX « Sihle, but on account of the gravity of the circumstances he was, that morning, as an exceptional thing, at work in the offices of the newspaper. Owing to this chance, and being close to the telephone at the moment of the first call, it was he who received the com- munication of the German Military Attache, which was officially intended for the Editor of the XX e Sihle. THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM 15 f.nd I beg you once again to deny the statement in the largest possible type." " But, M. le capitaine!" replied M. Passelecq, "we have this moment received, from the most reliable source, that your troops have already invaded the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and have seized its railways! " " Ah! I know nothing about that. I do not believe \t. Wait a moment; I will inquire here. ..." Silence; the attache, it seemed, had gone away; then, very shortly, he continued: "Well, it is as I told you: there is beside me someone who has just come from Germany and who confirms our statement that there is no war. As for Luxemburg, nothing is known about that here ; but everything leads us to believe that there is no more truth in that news than in the other, and that both re- ports have the same origin. Besides, the attitude of Germany toward Luxemburg is not the same as her attitude toward Bel- gium. . ,. ." " Then," concluded M. Passelecq, " can we say that this double contradiction comes from you, the German Military At- tache?" "Certainly!" There was no longer room for hesitation; information of such importance must of necessity be published. However, the editor of the newspaper, M. Neuray, who arrived shortly after- wards, wanted to judge for himself of the rights of the matter, so he, too, called up the German Attache. The reply was: " No, no war ; the invasion of the Grand Duchy Is most improb- able; please deny reports! " This time the German officer expatiated upon the different situation of the Grand Duchy and of Belgium, stating that the Belgians must not be uneasy; that the railways of the Grand Duchy were German; that Germany might, therefore, have to make herself secure in that direction; that It was not the same in Belgium; and he ended by confirming his authorisation to support the denial by the mention of his official quality. The XX ^ Steele, therefore. Inserted a brief report of this communication in the special edition which was then in prepara- tion, and which Issued from the press about 2.00 or 3.00 p.m. Almost at the same moment the Soir appeared. This gave a report, in a prominent position, of an interview which a mem- ber of its staff had had that morning with the German Minister 1 6 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME himself. The latter had given the Belgian journalist the most definite assurance as to the eventual attitude of Germany toward Belgium, and he concluded with the words : " We have never dreamed of violating your neutrality. You may perhaps see your neighbour's house on fire, but your own home will be i^- touched." These reassuring declarations assuaged the prevailing anxiety. Now at 7.00 p.m. Herr von Below handed to M. Davignon, in the name of the Imperial German Government, an insulting ultimatum, and he demanded a reply within twelve hours — within tl\s space of a night ! ' What a night it was M. Hymans, the Minister of State, has told us. What a night — what a tragic night! How could it ever be forgotten? "The Ministers with portfolios and. the Ministers of State met in the Palace (5), the King presiding. " We deliberated. " There were two solutions : one, to grant passage to the German armies marching upon France, and to obtain heavy indemnities for the loss and injury suffered. . . . This would be to tear up the statute of the Belgian nation, to violate, of our own accord, the neutrality decreed by Europe and accepted by Belgium; to betray the. obligations which this neutrality im- poses upon us. "The other solution was to risk war and invasion; to af- front the most formidable military Power in the world; but honour would be saved, the Belgian Statute maintained, and the treaties respected. " There was hardly any discussion. The decision forced it- self upon us. It was formed immediately: we should protest, and we should resist. " The reply was drafted in the Department of Foreign Af- fairs. It was taken to the Palace, and approved unanimously by the King and Council." ^ It had been necessary to translate the ultimatum, the original text being in German. On the other hand, the Minister of the Interior, M. Berryer, who had lately gone to Liege, there to ' We have a right to ask ourselves whether this document, which must as- suredly have been brought to Brussels by special messenger, was not brought by that very person who had "just arrived from Germany" about 1 1 in the morning, and who was mentioned as being in the Legation in the course of the telephonic conversation which we have just recorded. ' Preface to La Neutralite de la Belgique, Berger-Levrault, Paris, 1915. THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM 17 confer with the Military Governor and various civil officials, could not rejoin his colleagues until an advanced hour of the night, so that the day was beginning to dawn when the Minis- ters took leave of the King. Great clouds were gliding across the sky. "It is a gloomy day, indeed, that is dawning I " said the King, who had approached a window. "Yet," he added, after a moment's pause, " it has begun as though it was to be brilliant!" While this meeting was being held in the Palace, the 'German Minister, about half-past one in the morning, visited the Sec- retary-General for Foreign Affairs. He stated that he was in- structed by his Government to inform the Belgian Government that French dirigibles had thrown bombs, and that a French cavalry patrol had crossed the frontier, thereby violating the law of nations, as war had not been declared. Baron van der Elst inquired of Herr von Below where these incidents had occurred. " In Germany." " In that case I do not understand the object of your com- munication." Herr von Below replied, in substance, that these actions, be- ing contrary to the law of nations, were of a nature to lead one to suppose that France would not hesitate to infringe inter- national conventions in other ways. . . . At seven o'clock in the morning the Belgian reply to the German proposition was handed to Herr von Below. I will confine myself to transcribing this reply, which repro- duces the essential terms of the German ultimatum,' and will therefore make my narrative sufficiently clear: In its note of the 2nd of August, 19 14, the German Government has stated that, according to reliable information, the French forces are said to intend marching upon the Meuse by way of Givet and Namur, and that Belgium, despite her best intentions, would not be in a position to repulse an advance of the French troops without assistance. The German Government would hold itself obliged to forestall this attack, and to violate Belgian territory. Under these conditions Germany proposes to assume a friendly attitude toward the Government of the King, and engages itself, upon the conclusion of peace, to guarantee the integrity of the kingdom and of the whole extent of its possessions. The note adds that if Belgium places obstacles in the way of the advance of the German troops, Germany will be forced to regard her as an enemy and to leave the eventual settlement between the two States to the de- cision of arms. ' The entire text of this ultimatum will be found in the Appendix. 1 8 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME This note has profoundly and painfully astonished the King's Govern- ment. The intentions which it attributes to France are contrary to the precise declarations which were made to us on the ist of August in the name of the Government of the Republic. Moreover, if, contrary to our expectation, a violation of Belgian neu- trality should be committed by France, Belgium would fulfil all her in- ternational obligations, and her army would oppose the invader by the most vigorous resistance. The Treaties of 1839, confirmed by the Treaties of 1870, ratify the independence of Belgium under the guarantee of the Powers, and notably of the Government of His Majesty the King of Prussia. Belgium has always been faithful to her international obligations; she has neglected no effort to maintain her neutrality or to cause it to be respected. The attack upon her independence with which the German Govern- ment threatens her would constitute a flagrant violation of the law of nations. No strategic interest justifies the violation of justice. The Bel- gian Government, by accepting the proposals which have been put before it, would sacrifice the honour of the nation, while at the same time it would betray its obligations to Europe. ' Conscious of the part which Belgium has played for more than eighty years in the civilisation of the world, it refuses to believe that the inde- pendence of Belgium can be preserved only at the cost of a violation of her neutrality. If this hope should be betrayed, the Belgian Government is firmly de- termined to repulse by all means in its power every attack upon its au- tftiority. During the morning of the 3rd of August there was a meet- ing of the members of the Government, when they discussed, in particular, the expediency of an appeal to the Powers which, with Prussia, had guaranteed our independence and neutrality. But as our territory had not as yet been invaded, it was decided that this appeal would be premature. On the same day the King of the Belgians despatched the following appealing telegram to the King of England : Recalling to my mind the numerous marks of friendship vouchsafed by your Majesty and his predecessors, of the friendly attitude of England in 1870, and of the proof of sympathy which she now again gives us, I make a supreme appeal to the diplomatic intervention of your Majesty's Government to safeguard the neutrality of Belgium. Albert. But it was too late. Diplomatically, England could do no more; Germany wanted war, that war for which she had so long been preparing. "1^ •!■ T* Early on the 4th of August Baron Beyens had an interview THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM 19 with Herr von Jagow, which he reported to M. Davignon in the following terms: Well ! what have you to say to me? ' These were his first words, as he came forward with alacrity to meet me. " ' I have to ask you for an explanation in respect of the ulti- matum which the German Minister presented to my Government on Sunday evening. I suppose you have something to add to it, some reason to give, to explain such an action.' " ' An absolute necessity has compelled us to make this de- mand of you. The Emperor and his Government are intensely grieved that they have been forced to resign themselves to it. As for me, it is most painful, the cruellest decision I have ever had to form in all my career. But the passage through Belgium is for Germany a matter of life or death. Germany must de- stroy France as quickly as possible, crush her completely, so that she can then turn back to Russia, or she herself will be caught between the hammer and the anvil. We have learned that the French Army was preparing to pass through Belgium and attack us upon our flank. We must forestall her.' " ' But,' I replied, ' you are in direct contact with France along a frontier of 125 miles. Why, in order to settle your quar- rel, do you need to go a roundabout way through our country? ' " ' The French frontier is too strongly fortified, and we are obliged, I repeat, to act as quickly as possible, before Russia can have time to mobilise her army.' " ' Contrary to what you imagine, France has explicitly prom- ised us to respect our neutrality, provided you yourselves respect it. What would you have said if, instead of spontaneously making us this promise, she had made the same demand of us before you, if she had demanded passage through our country, and if we had yielded to her threats ? That we were cowards, incapable of defending our neutrality, and unworthy of inde- pendent existence ? ' " Herr von Jagow made no reply to this question. " ' Have you,' I continued, ' any cause to reproach us? Have we not always fulfilled the obligations which the neutrality of Belgium has imposed upon us correctly and scrupulously toward Germany, as toward the other guarantor Powers? Have we not been loyal and reliable neighbours to you since the founda- tion of our kingdom ? ' " ' Germany has no complaint to make of Belgium; her atti- tude has always been extremely correct.' 20 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME " ' Then in recognition of our loyalty you wish to make our country the battlefield of your struggle with France, the battle-, , field of Europe, and we know what devastation and ruin a mod- ern war involves ! Have you thought of that ? ' " ' If the Belgian Army,' replied the Secretary of State, 'al- lows us to pass freely, without destroying the railways, with- out blowing up the bridges and the tunnels, and falls back upon Antwerp without attempting to defend Liege, we promise not only to respect the independence of Belgium and the life and property of the inhabitants, but also to indemnify you for the losses you will have suffered.' " ' Sir,' I replied, ' the Belgian Government, conscious of its obligations toward all the guarantors of its neutrality, could only meet such a proposal by the reply which It has unhesitat- ingly made. The entire nation will approve of the action of its King and Government. You must yourself recognise that any other reply was impossible.' " As I pressed him to speak, Herr von Jagow, as a result of my insistence, eventually said: " ' I do recognise it. I understand your reply; I understand it as a private individual, but as Secretary of State I have no opinion to express.' " Then he again expressed his concern that matters should have reached such a stage after so many years of amicable rela- tions. But a rapid march through Belgium was for Germany a matter of life and death. We in our turn ought to understand this. I replied immediately: " ' Belgium would have lost her honour if she had listened to you, and a nation cannot live without honour, any more than a private person can do so. Europe will judge us. However,' I added, ' you will not take Liege as easily as you think, and you will have to face England, the faithful guarantor of our neutrality.' " At these words Herr von Jagow shrugged his shoulders. This movement might be interpreted in two fashions. It might have meant : ' What an idea ! Impossible I ' or else : * The die is cast; we cannot draw back! ' " I said once more, before withdrawing, that I was ready to leave Berlin with my staff and to ask for my passports. " ' But I do not wish to break off our relations like this 1 ' cried the Secretary of State. ' We may still perhaps have something to discuss.' . ,.|I,S '' ,fl' fK^t: ?^^. ,i'L4. ■,.'•:,:-;■ .^,sii»'« Bn r||S^ ^ II*- -i^ *5tii?ii|||| i|» MTf rr ^iW-' IW' I ^^^- I. HOTEL DE VILLE AND GRAND PLACE, BRUSSELS. {Page 3) 2. THE KING GOES TO PARLIAMENT, 4TH OF AUGUST, I914. {Page 21 ) 3. THE CLOTH HALL, BELFRY, HOTEL DE VILLE AND CATHEDRAL, YPRES. {Page 3) ^^^^^^^^^^^A^^^i^^' m 4. GERMAN TROOPS CROSSING THE BELGIAN FRONTIER, 4TH OF AUGUST, I914. {Page 24) 5- ONE OF THE FORTS OF LIEGE AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT, {Page 36) i'.t' 'S ^^—-\ 6. LIVING SHIELDS. (Page 33) (From a Drawing by Louis Raemaekers.) THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM 21 " ' It Is for my Government to decide upon that point,' I replied. ' It does not rest with you or with me. I shall await its orders to demand my passports.' " On leaving Herr von Jagow after this painful interview, which was to be our last, I came away with the impression that he had expected something different when I had asked to see him; some unexpected proposition, perhaps a request that the Belgian Army should be allowed to retire in safety upon Ant- werp, when It had made a show of resistance upon the Meuse, and had, as a matter of form, defended the principle of neutral- ity and the entrance to Belgium. My interlocutor's face, it seemed to me, betrayed disappointment after my first few words, and his insistence in asking me not to break off our relations just yet fortified the Idea which occurred to me at the beginning of our conversation." ' * * * The Belgian people approved unreservedly of the proud and dignified reply which Its rulers had made to the German pro- posals. Immediately and unanimously It felt that It represented jus- tice, that Its mission was a holy one, and that it could not fail to accomplish it. So, on the morning of the 4th of August, when the King, in campaigning kit, visited Parliament, where all the represen- tatives of the nation were awaiting him, there were frantic ac- clamations all along his route (2). Never had our handsome monarch appeared to greater advantage. On horseback, riding with a firm seat, he towered above the crowd, giving it the military salute, identifying him- self, by that martial gesture, with the feelings of all. And it was our sole voice, the voice of an entire people, which rose, vibrating, in a single impulse of patriotism, hailing him who, in that solemn moment, symbolised it with unexampled majesty. In Parliament the session was unforgettable. The great white hall had been arranged and decorated with great restraint, the effect being at once simple and impressive. In the place of the desk the royal throne had been installed — a large gilt armchair, upholstered in red velvet, on the back of which Is embroidered, in letters of gold, the national motto: L' Union fait la Force. Above the throne was an escutcheon with the national coat o^ ' Correspondence diplomatique relative a la guerre de 1914-15, II. (Second Belgian Grey Book, No. 51). Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1916. 22 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME arms, surrounded by the folds of the Belgian flag — ^black, yel- low, and red — and the colonial flag — ^blue with golden stars. On either side of the steps leading to the throne was a Bel- gian flag. The President and his assessors sat at the table which is generally used by the reporters. An extraordinary animation prevailed in the semi-circle of benches; the tribunes were overflowing. At ten o'clock the Queen arrived, accompanied by the little Princes. Greeted by an enthusiastic acclamation, she took her place in an armchair to the right of the throne ; her children were beside her. Then the King entered, and the cheering broke out again, prolonged and vibrating. But the President rapped with his maUet. Silence ensued, and the King, standing upright before the throne, deeply moved, delivered this speech: — Gentlemen : Never, since 1830, has a more solemn hour struck for Belgium: the integrity of our territory is threatened. The very force of our righteous cause, the sympathy which Belgium, proud of her free institutions and her moral victories, has always re- ceived from other nations, and the necessity of our autonomous existence in respect of the equilibrium of Europe, make us still hopeful that the dreaded emergency will not be realised. But if our hopes are betrayed, if we are forced to resist the invasion of our soil, and to defend our threatened homes, this duty, however hard it may be, will find us armed and resolved upon the greatest sacrifices. Even now, in readiness for any eventuality, our vailiant youth is up in arms, firmly resolved, with the traditional tenacity and composure of the Belgians, to defend our threatened country. In the name of the nation, I give it a brotherly greeting. Everywhere in Flanders and Wallonia, in the towns and in the countryside, one single feeling binds all hearts together: the sense of patriotism. One single vision fills all minds: that of our independence endangered. One single duty imposes itself upon our wills: the duty of stubborn resistance. In these solemn circumstances two virtues are indispensable: a calm but unshaken courage, and the close union of all Belgians. Both virtues have already asserted themselves, in a brilliant fashion, before the eyes of a nation full of enthusiasm. The irreproachable mobilisation of our army, the multitude of volun- tary enlistments, the devotion of the civil population, the abnegation of our soldiers' families, have revealed in an unquestionable manner the re- assuring courage which inspires the Belgian people. It is the moment for action. I have called you together, gentlemen, in order to enable the Legisla- THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM 23 tive Chambers to associate themselves with the impulse of the people in one and the same sentiment of sacrifice. You will understand, gentlemen, how to take all those immediate measures which the situation requires, in respect both of the war and of public order. No one in this country will fail in his duty. If the foreigner, in defiance of that neutrality whose demands we have always scrupulously observed, violates our territory, he will find all the Belgians gathered about their sovereign, who will never betray his con- stitutional oath, and their Government, invested with the absolute confi- dence of the entire nation. I have faith in our destinies; a country which is defending itself con- quers the respect of all; such a country does not perish! This speech, need we say, was frequently interrupted by the cheers of the whole Assembly, and the peroration was greeted by a stirring acclamation, such as had never before been heard within those walls. After the King had withdrawn with the Queen and the Princes, Baron de Broqueville, President of the Council and Min- ister of War, acquainted the Chambers with the events which had occurred during the last few days. He also read a Note which the German Minister had forwarded at six o'clock that very morning to the Belgian Government, in which Germany declared her determination to cross our territory by force of arms. This was war! " We shall defend ourselves," said M. de Broqueville finally, " and even if we are defeated we shall never be conquered." Various legislative proposals, inspired by the circumstances, were adopted immediately without debate. In particular the Chamber voted unanimously a credit of 200 million francs with which to meet the first expenses. Then, about eleven o'cloclc, the President of the Council, with tears in his eyes, announced that the national territory had just been invaded. He further announced, amid indescribable enthusiasm, that "the King, wishing to recognise the patriotic assistance which the Opposition had afforded the Government, had decided to appoint M. Emile Vandervelde Minister of State." ' This historic session was terminated shortly before noon. A few hours later words were spoken in Berlin which had '■ In Belgium, the Ministers of State have no portfolio ; selected from among those statesmen who have been of eminent service to the country, they form, so to speak, a Privy Council of the Crown. 24 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME less nobility than those which had rung through the Belgian Parliament. The Chancellor of the Empire, in short, made the following declaration from the tribune of the Reichstag: — Our troops have occupied Luxemburg and it may be (sic) that they have already entered Belgium. This is contrary to the prescriptions of international law. France, it is true, assured Brussels that she was de- termined to respect the neutrality of Belgium as long as her adversary did so. But we knew that France was holding herself in readiness to invade Belgium. ... In this way we have been forced to override the justified protests of the Belgian and Luxemburg Governments. We shall repair the injustice which we are committing as soon as our military object, is attained. That same afternoon the British Ambassador in Berlin, Sir Edward Goschen, had an interview with Herr von Jagow, which he reported to Sir Edward Grey in the following terms: — " In conformity with the instructions contained in your tele- gram of the 4th of August, I went to see the Secretary of State in the afternoon, and in the name of His Majesty's Government I inquired whether the Imperial Government would refrain from violating Belgian neutrality. Herr von Jagow immediately re- plied that he regretted to say that his reply must be ' No ' ; that the German troops had crossed the frontier this morning (4), and that the neutrality of Belgium had already been violated. Herr von Jagow then spoke once more of the reasons why the Imperial Government had been obliged to take this measure; he said in particular that the Germans were obliged to enter France by the quickest and easiest route, so that they could hasten their operations and endeavour to strike a decisive blow as quickly as possible. This was for them a question of life or death, for if they had followed a path further to the south they could not have hoped, owing to the scarcity of roads and the strength of the fortresses, to penetrate into France without encountering a formidable opposition, which would have resulted in a great loss of time. This loss of time on the German side would have been time gained by the Russians, who would be marching their troops upon the German frontier. Rapidity of action was Ger- many's strength, while Russia's consisted in an inexhaustible re- serve of troops. " I pointed out to Herr von Jagow that the fait accompli of the violation of the Belgian frontier rendered the situation ex- tremely serious, and I asked him if it was not still possible to THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM 25 turn back and avoid the consequences, which we should both have reason to deplore. He replied that for the reasons already given it was not possible for Germany to retrace her steps." After this interview Sir Edward Goschen had another inter- view with the Chancellor of the Empire himself. He found that " the Chancellor was greatly agitated." " His Excellency began a harangue which lasted about twenty minutes. He said the step taken by His Majesty's Government (the British Government) was terrible to a degree: just for a word — ' neutrality ' — a word which in war-time had so often been disregarded^ust for a ' scrap of paper,' Great Britain was going to make war on a kindred nation." There was no longer a question of a French attack by way of the Meuse.' Throwing off the mask, Herr von Bethmann- HoUweg cynically declared, as Herr von Jagow had done, that Germany was thinking only of her own interest, and that she would follow the plan of campaign worked out by her General Staff without troubling herself about treaties! * * * On the 4th of August M. Davignon telegraphed to Baron Beyens advising him to apply for his passports. He also begged Spain to watch over Belgian interests in Germany, to which the Spanish Government immediately agreed. On the 5th of August the Dutch Government notified the Belgian Government that it was establishing a system of " war sea-marks " in the estuary of the Scheldt, so contrived that it would still be possible to navigate the river in order to make Antwerp or to sail from it, but only during the day and with the aid of Dutch pilots provided with the necessary data. Navigation upon the Scheldt was, of course, forbidden, not only to warships, but also to vessels carrying troops, munitions ^ of war, or any kind of contraband of war. On the same date M. Davignon wrote as follows to all the diplomatic representatives of Belgium: — " By the Treaty of the i8th of April, 1839, Prussia, France, Great Britain, Austria, and Russia declared themselves guaran- tors of the treaty concluded the same day between His Majesty the King of the Belgians and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands. This treaty states: 'Belgium will form an in- dependent and perpetually neutral State.' "Belgium has fulfilled all her international obligations, she '■ Events, moreover, gave superabundant proof of the inanity of this pretext. 26 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME has accomplished her duty in a spirit of loyal impartiality, and has neglected no effort to maintain her neutrality and cause it to be respected. " Thus it is with a painful emotion that the King's Govern- ment has learned that the armed forces of Germany, a Power guaranteeing our neutrality, have penetrated Belgian territory in violation of the engagements which she has entered into by treaty. " It is our duty to protest with indignation against an in- fringement of the law of nations which no action of ours could have provoked. His Majesty's Government is firmly deter- mined to repulse by all the means in its power the attack made upon its neutrality, and recalls the fact that by virtue of Article lo of The Hague Convention of 1907, concerning the rights and obligations of neutral Powers and persons in case of war on land, the fact that a neutral Power resists, even by force, the attacks made upon its neutrality, cannot be regarded as a hostile action. " You will please immediately request an audience with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and will read to His Excellency the present letter, a copy of which you will leave with him. " If the audience cannot be immediately granted, you will make the communication in question in writing." It was not until after the German troops had invaded her territory — and about forty hours after the presentation of the ultimatum — that Belgium requested Great Britain, France, and Russia, co-signatories with Prussia and Austria-Hungary of the Treaties of 1831 and 1839, to aid her in her resistance. More- over, she declared that she herself was prepared to undertake the defence of her fortresses. But, alas! events followed one another with such rapidity that neither France nor England could give us help which was sufficiently prompt to be useful. In the words and according to the desire of the masters of German strategy, the attack was overwhelming. IV BY FORCE OF ARMS Between the German threats and their execution scarcely a day elapsed. We had to improvise everything, to organise everything, in a few hours. Yet nowhere in Belgium — and this may be as- serted emphatically — nowhere and in no department was there the least hesitation or the least confusion. Without faltering, and even with serenity, the little Belgian people prepared for the gigantic conflict. The long peace which it had enjoyed and the great prosperity which had resulted there- from had not enervated it; they had not destroyed the spirit of combat for justice and liberty which is characteristic of its entire history. For the rest, there was not a single Belgian who did not at once intuitively feel that the German proposals endan- gered the very independence of the nation, and that to subscribe to them would have been to forfeit our honour and to sign our own death-warrant. The whole nation, therefore, mindful of its noble traditions, came forward as one man ; and as in the heroic ages long ago, its first thought and its first care were to make ready for battle. Everywhere, in the villages as in the cities, the national flag was hoisted. Belgium had the appearance of a country making holiday. But it was only an appearance ; the nation was fully conscious of the gravity of the moment. Instantaneously, moreover, and without any hint from the authorities, all places of amusement were closed, and all bands and orchestras were silent. * * * The King left Brussels to place himself at the head of the army in the field. He addressed to his soldiers a proclamation which was inspired by the purest patriotism. The Queen, for the time being, remained in the Palace, but 27 28 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME she transformed it into a hospital. Never had the noble daugh- ter of a princely doctor, the medical philanthropist, felt so com- pletely at home ; but this did not prevent her from undertaking activities outside the Palace, and visiting other hospitals. One hospital in particular she visited on the very first day: it was that installed in the Maison du Peuple. In addition to the hospitals, v?hich were improvised and or- ganised on every hand, all kinds of organisations for aid and relief, responding to all the emergencies of the situation, came spontaneously into being everywhere. From every corner of the country, from all classes of society, came volunteers to swell the ranks of the army. Everybody wanted to be of use, down to the Boy Scouts, who, with touching conscientiousness and remarkable enthusiasm, un- dertook the duties of messenger, orderly, etc. Finally, in order to place as many obstacles as possible in the way of the invasion, railways, bridges and tunnels were blown up in the neighbourhood of the frontier, while within the range of the Liege forts farms, villas and chateaux were blown up in order to clear the line of fire. Unanimously, without hesitation or delay, the country made the greatest sacrifices. * * * I should not be speaking the truth were I to tell you that all the Germans who were living in Belgium were secretly betray- ing our confidence. There were some who deeply loved our country, who had become very sincerely attached to it, and who would never on any account have consented to betray it. But these, alas! were only honourable exceptions. Our eyes were suddenly opened, and we quickly realised that the great majority of these Germans, whom we had welcomed with such friendly simplicity, were the agents, of Pan-Germanism, who, slowly, patiently, and with great skill, had been preparing the way for the invasion and conquest of our country. There were thousands on thousands of them, and profiting by our too great confidence they had organised in the midst of us the most varied means of espionage and of gathering information. They were everywhere, and they first contrived to feel their way into, and then to impose themselves upon, all classes of society. In the interests of the national defence it was necessary to ex- pel all Germans from the country, or at least to endeavour to do so. There was no time to make inquiries, to sift the sheep BY FORCE OF ARMS 29 from the goats; besides, how could we still trust them, and how for certain tell the good from the bad? The people — justly indignant at the duplicity of these crafty aliens — gave themselves up, in the great cities, to noisy demon- strations which assuredly were not of a friendly nature. Win- dows were broken even, and shop-signs forcibly removed. But, in spite of all that has been said since then to inculpate us, the Germans who lived in Belgium were not the object of inhuman treatment; neither in Brussels, nor in Antwerp, nor anywhere else. Here, for that matter, is how one of these Germans describes of his own accord, in the Kolnische V olkszeitung of the loth of September, 19 14, the manner in which he left Brussels. To begin with, he says that as he had to leave on Friday, the 7th of August, at one o'clock in the morning, he repaired on Thursday evening to the German Consulate — which was already under the protection of the United States — but so many of his compatriots were there that some measure of organisation had to be taken, so it was decided to transfer all these people to the Royal Circus, " a large building, very spacious and well venti- lated " ; then he continues, " During this transfer, just as sub- sequently in the circus itself, and on the following day, at dawn, during the journey to the railway station, we were guarded by soldiers of the civic guard,' who behaved with such consideration that one would have thought they were instructed to look after us rather than to guard us. " They certainly made a lamentable spectacle, these innumer- able fugitives, with their wives and children, and we heard, in spite of the early hour, the pitying exclamations of the inhabi- tants at the windows of their houses. The civic guards were equally compassionate; there was not one among them whose expression, words and gestures did not betray a human pity. Many of them made themselves helpful to the fugitives by car- rying their portmanteaux or their children. Burgomaster Max himself came about two o'clock in the morning to make sure that everythirtg was being done in an orderly fashion.^ In the circus again there were soldiers who were looking after the children, distributing milk and food. An eye-witness told me that 'As to the civic guard, see the note in the Appendix. ' 1 might add that Mme. Henry Carton de Wiart, the wife of the Minister of Justice, passed a portion of this night at the Royal Circus, going from group to group, and attending with maternal solicitude to the more unfortu- nate. 30 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME he saw them taking up a collection for the benefit of a family without resources. . , . In a word, everybody did all that was in his power to help the fugitives." This disinterested narrative proves conclusively that the Ger- mans in Brussels were treated not only with every considera- tion which the circumstances permitted, but with real solicitude. It was precisely the same in the other Belgian cities. It was not possible to expel all the Germans residing in Bel- gium during the first few days of the war. Many slipped through the meshes of the net, and these, naturally, were the most dan- gerous, including spies of all species. They had to be hunted down. It was necessary, moreover, to discover and suppress their means of information. Accident favoured the search, which revealed surprise upon surprise, dis- covery upon discovery. It was noticed, quite accidentally, for instance, that certain advertising placards, which were posted more or less all over the country, were designed, according to the manner in which they were placed, to give such-or-such information to the enemy. They were veritable sign-posts ! But it was in the domain of wireless telegraphy that the most unexpected discoveries were made. Here was a telephone cir- cuit, cunningly insulated from the earth; there was a metallic weather-cock, a zinc cornice, a trellis of copper-wire fitted under the roof, or a wire mattress found in a garret, which served as antenns ; or kites of the Farman type were flown at night, or the stays of flag-staffs affixed on the roofs of certain industrial estab- lishments provided ideal antennae. Spies were discovered who, furnished with portable appara- tus, used to install themselves on the roofs at night in the heart of Brussels. There were spies everywhere, and they employed the most varied means to deceive us. Ah! This invasion of our poor too-trusting Belgium had been long and minutely prepared for, with astonishing treachery and cunning, and we entered the conflict under conditions of very great material inferiority. * * * Only a year had passed since military service had been made universal, compulsory for all; the new military law would not produce its effect for four or five years. And not only was BY FORCE OF ARMS 31 our army too small: it was lacking in almost everything. Cer- tain forts were hardly armed/ and our field artillery, too, was utterly insufficient. How would our troops behave under these conditions? The moment hostilities commenced we were completely re- assured, and we felt proud indeed : the Belgian Army was doing its utmost duty; was doing it courageously and nobly. jj|| P^Uplc BelgC! A large body of German cavalry — about twelve regi- ments — crossed the fron- tier early in the morning of the 4th of August, making for the Meuse. On the way thither they distributed in the villages which they passed through a proclama- tion, in which General von Emmich, " Commander-in- Chief of the Army of the Meuse," declared that he must have an " open road," and that " the destruction of bridges, tunnels, and railways " would be re- garded as " hostile acts." (This General von Em- mich, let us remark in pass- ing, was he who, the preceding year, had represented the Kaiser at the festival held at Liege on the occasion of the " Joyous Entry " of our young Sovereigns.) Behind this large body of cavalry troops of all arms, forming ' Many large pieces of artillery ordered from Krupp's, and paid for long ago, had not been delivered. ' To THE Belgian People ! — To my very great regret the German troops find themselves forced to cross the Belgian frontier. They are acting under the constraint of an unavoidable necessity, the neutrality of Belgium having al- ready been violated by French officers who, in disguise, crossed Belgian terri- tory in motor-cars in order to penetrate into Germany. Belgians ! It is our chief desire that there should still be a means of avoiding a conflict between two peoples who up to the present have been friends, even allies. Remember the glorious day of Waterloo, when the German arms contributed to found and establish the independence and prosperity of your country. But we must have an open road. The destruction of bridges, tunnels, or frvckr ■> rrmUft dt la Bttgiqn tlM Igluul Mu 1* coinnMi rw Mcnltt fr •«iuu* la MMlrtlllt tt U Balgiqu ayvt lU Mji ffuN* tu Su officiara ftwcaa «« uw H MguJHmal Mit trmna b liiTllDn Mga to HIBonbda Mv paaltrv * ASmagna Iilfit' tu urn |lK inii 0* 111 , a vn uiB nuiT ■ mtit an *■ (npu «l liitii ■■ jwi' I irtinl |Ka hm iDlt bnuo mi li t^tu fr k lUi/lM il I'lljttit la na tfmida «a at cMHtf I M« n ^Mr rMfateu M li rnitnll II ntrt fUrft Mill InwtullecMalilrillntatnellM kyiAi k IweIl k nia firrbi dtiroit llri rtgirdia uiiuii In iclliai bMtln. Ufu. no am 1 cliliir ' ■am no i uoffrlr fit itmin li ta fan: (u un payeran* ai» ormonnayihiiMnfi'ilfaiti pmln ii pip; qm m giMiU u ■tatrirmt Ici niinn uiH! f u |iii|k BEV ligol int ipiiwi It (liii lull utiH b flui gniidt i)fiii!iiltil£ Cast da votra aasaese at d'un pafrtoUama' blen oomprla qu'll lUpend d'ivltar * vatrw paya lea herreurs da la guorre. U UtinI tmiabix ea Bit rhak da ta liM von Emmloh. PROCLAMATION DISTRIBUTED IN THE PROVINCE OF LiflGE, 4TH OF AUGUST, I9I4." 32 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME the yilth, Vlllth, IXth, Xth, and Xlth Army Corps, entered Belgium. Early in the afternoon considerable forces reached the bank of the Meuse, at Vise, without having struck a blow. There they found the bridge blown up, and the crossing guarded on the left bank by the 2nd Battalion of the 1 2th Regiment of the line. This battalion resisted the hostile forces so valiantly that, although the latter were greatly superior both in numbers and in armament, they had to extend their movement toward the north. Two regiments of Hussars crossed the Meuse at the ford of Lixhe (close to the Dutch frontier), and thereupon the Belgian infantry posted at Vise were forced to fall back upon the line of the Meuse forts, or their left would have been turned. On the 5th of August a bridge was thrown over the river at Lixhe, and advanced bodies of the German cavalry made their appearance at Tongres. At the same time a regiment of enemy cavalry collided, to the south of Liege, at Plainevaux, with a squadron of the 2nd Regiment of Belgian Lancers, who charged them furiously, and lost in this unequal conflict three-fourths of its effectives. In the morning the bearer of a flag of truce was sent to Gen- eral Leman, the Governor of the fortified position of Liege, and requested him to allow the Germans to pass. They received a categorical refusal, upon which they proceeded to attack the forts of Chaudfontaine, Fleron, Evegnee, Barchon, and Pontlsse. Although supported by powerful heavy artillery, the assailants were everywhere repulsed with very heavy losses. There were epic struggles, especially between the Barchon fort and the Meuse. The enemy was finally thrown back In disorder beyond his original positions; his attack upon the Vesdre — Lower Meuse sector had miscarried. railways will be regarded as hostile acts. Belgians, it is for you to choose. I hope, then, that the German Army of the Meuse will not be compelled to fight you. An open road to attack those who wished to attack us — that is all we desire. I give the Belgian population definite guarantees that it will have to suffer nothing of the horrors of war; that we shall pay in minted gold for the pro- visions which it will be necessary to take from the country; that our soldiers will prove to be the best friends of a people for whom we feel the highest esteem and the greatest sympathy. It rests with your wisdom and patriotism, properly understood, to save your country from the horrors of war. The General Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Meuse, VON Emmich, BY FORCE OF ARMS 33 Fresh troops were then brought to bear upon the Ourthe — Meuse sector, which they violently attacked during the night of the 5th of August. At the same time two German officers and eight cavalrymen made a surprise entrance into Liege and at- tempted to assassinate General Leman ; Commandant Marchant, the General's aide-de-camp, was killed while endeavouring to protect his General. But the ten Germans who took part in this hateful attempt were all cut down. Between the Ourthe and the Meuse the assaults of the Xth German Army Corps forced the defenders of the intervals be- tween the forts to fall back; but the available elements of the 4th Division, sent from Huy, stemmed these assaults by counter-offen- sives. AUX HABITANTS PAYS DE LIEGE La gnaie Allaugge entVit Bttre ierritoin aprtt u nlliiutan qni ctostitoe id tiitngt La felHe Belgiqoe .3 relevi Gerenenl h wL Larnie va fiire soo devoir! La popglalioo it pays it higt aeeomplira 1e nen ! Aiissi ne tessera-1-elle de dooaer I'exeniple dn caloa d da respect aox loil Sob ardent patriotisoe en riponl Vive le Roi. coniaanlaot a ckef de raniia) Vive la Belgiqie ! Ulp is 4 AoOl 1014 UlSAH. But the struggle was far too unequal. It was un- equal not only by reason of the crushing numerical su- periority of our enemies, but also, and especially, by reason of the disloyalty of the " ruses " which they used and abused from the very first moments of the war; the improper em- ployment of the white flag and the flag of the Geneva Convention; the placing of luc ™i9°4 '''°^^^° "'^ "^'^^' ''^^ "'^ Belgian civilians in huddled ranks before attacking troops (6), pretended surrenders, by means of which the German " kamerads " approached, conceal- ing their machine-guns; the imitation, in the darkness, of Bel- gian bugle-calls; and I know not what other examples of deceit and cunning. ' To THE Inhabitants of the Li£ge District. — Great Germany is invading our territory after an ultimatum which constitutes a gross insult. Little Belgium has proudly taken up the gauntlet. The.Army will do its duty! The population of the Liege district will do the same! Therefore it will constantly set an example of tranquillity and respect for the laws. Its ardent patriotism will be answerable for this. Long live the King, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army! Long live Belgium! Liege, 4th August, 1914. — Lieutenant- General Leman, Military Governor of Liege. 34 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Literally overwhelmed, the troops of the 3rd Division, which since the 4th had been fighting necessarily at every point of a widely-extended front — placing more than 60,000 Germans out of action — were forced to fall back, on the evening of the 6th of August, to the left bank of the Meuse in order to link forces on the Gette with the main body of the army in the field, whose concentration upon this line was by then completed. The Germans entered Liege. This meant the taking of hostages, the posting of a proclamation — the first of a long series — requisitions, war-taxes, and what not. . . . At this moment the King issued the following " Order of the Day " :— Our comrades of the 3rd Division of the Army and of the 15th Combined Brigade are about to rejoin our lines after heroically defending the fortified position of Liege. No fort has been captured ; the fortified, position of Liege is still in our possession; standards and a quantity of prisoners form the trophies of these days. In the name of the nation I salute you, officers and soldiers of the 3rd Division and the 15th Combined Brigade; you have fulfilled your utmost duty; you have honoured our arms and have shown the enemy what it costs him unjustly to attack a peaceful nation, but a nation which derives an invincible strength from the justice of its cause. The country has the right to be proud of you. Soldiers of the Belgian Army, do not forget that you are in the van- guard of immense armies in this gigantic conflict, and that we are only awaiting the arrival of our brothers in arms in order to march to victory. The whole world has its eyes fixed upon you. Show it, by the might of your blows, that you mean to live free and independent. France, that noble country, which in history we find associated with just and generous causes, is rushing to help us, and her armies are enter- ing our territory. In your name I give them a brotherly greeting. Albert. On the 9th of August the following overtures were made to our Government by the agency of the Dutch Government: — Now that the Belgian Army has, by its heroic opposition to greatly superior German troops, maintained the honour of its arms, the German Government begs the King of the Belgians and the Belgian Government to save Belgium from the utmost horrors of warfare. The German Government is prepared to make any agreement with Belgium which can be reconciled with its quarrel with France. Germany solemnly asserts that she has no intention of appropriating Bel- gian territory, and that she is far from conceiving such intention.'' 'Author's italics. ■•^ r3 iM^. «.' .\ ^^' Ji" *v .9=*' 1 Mtricht . X igr» !^: n^m / -ivJ', v^? ?VITH MAP OF THE Ui.CE COUNTRYSIDE. 35 36 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Germany is always ready to evacuate Belgium immediately the state of the war will permit. To this fresh hypocrisy the Belgian Government proudly re- plied : — The proposal made to us by the German Government reproduces the proposal which was formulated in the ultimatum of the and of August. Faithful to her international obligations, Belgium can only repeat her reply to this ultimatum, the more so in that since the 4th of August her neutrality has been violated, a grievous war has been carried into her territory, and the guarantors of her neutrality have loyally and imme- diately responded to her appeal. The struggle therefore continued. Before Liege, on the 12th and 13th of August, guns of 21 centimetres' calibre were brought up, and on the 14th these pieces bombarded the forts of the left bank. Then howitzers of 42 centimetres arrived (16.5 inches), which came into action on the afternoon of the 14th of August (5). These howitzers threw projectiles weighing nearly a ton, their explosive power being unheard of. " We used to hear them travelling through the air," said General Leman, the valiant defender of Liege, in a report. At this moment he was in the Loncin fort, to the north-west of Liege. " Finally there was the sound of a furious hurricane, which ended in a terrifying thunderclap ; then gigantic clouds of smoke and dust rose from the trembling earth." Shortly after five o'clock on the afternoon of the 14th the fort of Loncin was blown up.^ General Leman, who was found unconscious under the ruins, was taken prisoner without having really " surrendered " ; and he insisted upon a statement to the effect that he was found unconscious. He was allowed to retain his sword in consideration of his valour. On the following day, before leaving Belgium as a captive, the heroic defender of Liege wrote this noble letter to the King: Sire, After honourable battles delivered on the 4th, Sth and 6th of August by the 3rd division of the army, reinforced from the 5th onwards by the 15th Brigade, I judged that the forts of Liege could no longer do more than play the part of barrier forts. I nevertheless maintained the military government of the fortified positions in order to co-ordinate the defence ' Some forts held out until the i6th and 17th of August. BY FORCE OF ARMS 37 as far as it was possible for me to do so, and in order to exert a moral influence over the garrisons of the forts. The propriety of these decisions was amply proved by the results. Your Majesty is aware that I took up my post in the Loncin fort from about noon on the 6th of August. Sire, you will learn with sorrow that this fort was blown up yesterday at about twenty minutes past five, burying under its ruins the greater part of the garrison, perhaps four-fifths. If I did not lose my life in this catastrophe it was because my escort, composed as follows: Captain-Commandant CoUard, a non-commissioned officer of infantry, who has doubtless perished, the gendarme Thevenin, and my two orderlies (Ch. Vandenbossche and Jos. Lecocq), dragged me from a part of the fort where I was on the point of being asphyxiated by the gases of the explosion. I was carried into the moat, where I fell. A German captain, by the name of Grusen, gave me something to drink, but I was made a prisoner, and then taken into Liege in an ambulance. I am confident of having maintained the honour of our arms. I sur- rendered neither the fortified position nor the forts. Deign to pardon me, Sire, for the carelessness of this letter; I am physically greatly shattered by the explosion at Loncin. In Germany, whither I am about to be sent, my thoughts will be what they have always been: of Belgium and her King. I would gladly have given my life to serve them better, but death would not have me. Lieutenant-General G. Leman. The German forces which had crossed to the left bank of the Meuse to the north of Liege, tried in the first place to outflank the left wing of our army in the field. On the 1 2th of August the German cavalry attempted to force the passage of the Gette at Haelen; six regiments of cavalry, supportd by two battalions of Chasseurs and three bat- teries, took part in this action. To these 4,000 cavalry, 2,000 infantry, and 18 guns the Belgian cavalry division could oppose only 2,400 cavalry, 410 cyclists, and 12 guns. At first these forces alone sustained the enemy's attack, giving way only step by step; about 3 o'clock the arrival on the battlefield of the 4th Combined Brigade enabled our troops themselves to take the offensive; at 6 o'clock the enemy fell back, abandoning his dead and his wounded. On the following day 3,000 corpses of men and horses were buried. Our losses were some 1,200 killed, wounded, and missing. However, the thrust of the enemy forces became more and more irresistible, and, despite the heroism which they displayed in many an advance-guard engagement, our brave soldiers were continually forced to fall back. On the 1 6th of August the rather serious action of Eghezee took place; the Germans, who had 38 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME taken the offensive at this point of our extreme right wing, were forced to withdraw, and our troops pursued them for two days. On Tuesday, the i8th of August — note the date' — the 6th Division, drawn up on the plain of Walhain-Saint-Paul, effected its junction with a division of French cavalry. But violent German attacks were delivered in the direction of Tirlemont on the previous night, and this town had to be evacuated on the Tuesday in question. The German forces were in such numerical superiority that our army was in danger of being cut in two and destroyed. Our right wing and our centre fell back in consequence upon Antwerp, while the French cavalry withdrew toward Charleroi. But in order that this retreat upon Antwerp might be accom- plished, the left wing of the Belgian Army and a portion of the centre had still to fight desperate battles. Near Louvain, in par- ticular, and above all at Aerschot, our soldiers fought with ad- mirable valour. * * * Yet Nature continued her eternal poem. The weather was radiant; never within the memory of man had there been a finer summer. The harvest was abundant. Everywhere in the countryside the peasants, hardly conscious of any unusual anxiety, were busy with their peaceful tasks. Communications with the occupied districts were gradually cut; sometimes at a distance of only a few miles nothing was known of the horrible crimes which were being committed in the east. But suddenly the scene changed: Mars arrived, expelling Ceres. Horrible massacres took place. These warriors from Germany respected nothing, destroyed everything. And those ' On the 4th of August an order of the French Ministry of War de- clared : — " Germany is about to endeavour, by means of false news, to lead us to violate Belgian neutrality. " It is strictly and explicitly forbidden, until a contrary order is given, to penetrate, even by means of patrols or single cavalrymen, into Belgian terri- tory, and aviators are also forbidden to fly over such territory." Only on the 5th of August, on the demand of the Belgian Government (formulated on the 4th), were French dirigibles and aeroplanes authorised to fly over Belgian territory, and French patrols to enter it. On the 6th of August a corps of French cavalry received orders to enter Belgium in order to reconnoitre the German columns and hamper their move- ments. The German allegations of the and and 4th of August were thus entirely untrue. BY FORCE OF ARMS 39 of the poor country-folk who escaped massacre or captivity had to flee in haste, far away, and always farther. "To understand what this invasion was," said M. Roland de Mares, in the Temps of the 27th of August, 1914, "you would have to see, as I have seen, the bewildered flight of old men, women, and children in the rear of the Belgian Army. Along the roads, across the fields, through the woods, they MAP OF THE COUNTRY CROSSED BY THE ARMY IN ITS RETIREMENT UPON ANTWERP. dragged themselves in compact masses, their shoulders burdened with their pitiful possessions, the children, barefoot, clinging to the skirts of their mothers. They marched without a cry, with- out a tear, with haggard eyes and pale faces, and nothing could have been more tragic than this distressful crowd, marching per- sistently toward the wide horizon." Our enemies advanced in Increasingly compact masses toward the south-west, and also toward the west. It became obvious that they intended to enter Brussels. 40 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Now it was impossible to think of defending this great city, which was not fortified. It would have been sheer madness. On the 1 8th, therefore, the Government, a portion of the functionaries of the Central Administration of the State, most of the Ministers of State, the Queen, and the Royal children, as well as several of the representatives of foreign Powers, left for Antwerp. To Antwerp also were removed all those of the wounded in the hospitals of the capital who were fit to be moved; and the funds of the National Bank were removed, with the plates in- tended for the printing of bank-notes. And in the precious, lamentable convoy, which for two days passed from one city to the other, which contained all that the fugitives hoped to save from the cupidity or ambition of the enemy, were also the horses, carriages, and automobiles of the Court: it would not have done for our enemies to seize them and exhibit them in Berlin! On the 19th the Burgomaster of Brussels posted this fine proclamation on the walls of the city: — Fellow-Citizens, Despite the heroic resistance of our troops, seconded by the Allied Armies, it is to be feared that the enemy may invade Brussels If such an eventuality should be realised, I trust that I may count upon the tranquillity and coolness of the population. Let all panic and disorder be guarded against. The communal authorities will not desert their posts. They will continue to fuliil their functions with the firmness which you have a right to expect of them under such serious circumstances. I need hardly recall to my fellow-citizens the duty of all toward their country. The laws of war forbid the enemy to compel the population to give information as to the national army and its means of defence. The in- habitants of Brussels must understand that they are right to refuse to give the invader any information whatsoever upon this subject. This refusal is obligatory upon them in the interests of the country. Let none of you consent to serve as guides to the enemy. Let everyone be on his guard against spies and foreign agents, who might seek to collect information or to provoke manifestations of some kind. The enemy cannot legitimately commit offences against the honour of the family, nor private property, nor religious or philosophic convictions, nor the free exercise of religious worship. Let any abuse committed by the invader be immediately reported to me. As long as I am alive and at liberty I shall protect the rights and the dignity of my fellow-citizens with all my energies. BY FORCE OF ARMS 41 I beg the inhabitants to facilitate my task by abstaining from all acts of hostility, all use of arms, and all intervention in battles or encounters. Fellow-Citizens, Whatever happens, listen to the voice of your burgomaster, and put your trust in him: he will not betray it. Long live Belgium, free and independent! Long live Brussels! Adolphe Max. The Government, for its part, informed the public that it found it necessary to leave the capital. " A laconic statement announced the retreat upon Antwerp ; not a sounding phrase, not a word of oratory. No effort was made to magnify the or- deal! " ' During the night of the 19th of August the Civic Guard of Brussels was disbanded and disarmed. The newspapers printed their last issues; then, stoically, they ' destroyed their presses, rendering them useless. Only the In- dependance Beige removed to Gand, declaring that *' as long as there is a corner of free soil in Belgium and a printing-press, it would continue to appear in order to proclaim to the world the suffering and the glory of the Belgian nation." As the free soil of Belgium grew less, the rolling-stock of our railways was evacuated into France or Holland, but up to the last moment and the extreme limits of possibility communication by railway was maintained. It was only when the occupation was imminent that the trains ceased to run in this or that dis- trict. Thus even on the evening of the 19th of August trains were still running between Brussels and the non-occupied portion of the country. On the morning of the 20th, although the Germans were then at the gates of the city, people were still leaving for Hal- nault and Flanders. On this date — the 20th — M. Max set out in good time to meet the German advance-guard, which he knew to be quite close at hand. He was provided with a white flag, hastily fash- ioned of a bedrom towel and a rough cane. The sheriff's Stiens and Jacqmain, as well as the communal secretary, accompanied him. The conditions of the surrender of the city were discussed, and the valiant burgomaster upheld the interests of his fellow-citi- zens with superb energy and dignity. ' Jacques Bardoux {Opinion, Paris, 29th August, 1914)- 42 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME About 1 1 o'clock the first German cyclists arrived. " From that moment," relates M. Louis Dumont-Wilden, " the conditions of the surrender were known. It was known that General Sixt von Arnim, in consideration of enormous requi- sitions, had promised that no attempt would be made upon the persons or the property of the people of Brussels. " Little was known of the murder, pillage, and incendiarism committed in the Walloon country. . . . So at first the en- trance of the Prussians was observed with more curiosity and astonishment than uneasiness. " It was the ' knock-out ' blow of which one at first feels only the shock. " But the invasion commenced immediately. . . . For three days they passed in their thousands upon thousands, a dejected herd, resigned, formidable, marching toward crime and death, without revolt, without ideas, under the command of remote and imperious officers. .1. ."^ Like huge birds of prey, aeroplanes hovered over the city, completing the painful impression. A relatively small force remained in Brussels, installed itself in our barracks, and made itself comfortable in our superb Palais de Justice, whose beautiful audience-halls and council- halls were shamelessly turned into barrack-rooms and guard- houses. Force paraded itself in the Temple of Justice. . . ,. The bulk of the troops — several hundreds of thousands — merely passed through before turning toward the south. * * * In the suburbs of Namur it was necessary, as in Liege, to free the line of fire from the forts, and to make great sacrifices : dwelling-houses, farms, and chateaux were levelled to the ground, and, which was even more distressing, quantities of beautiful trees had to be felled. The Germans arrived there in considerable force on the 19th of August, and immediately, at long range, began the siege. On the 2 1 St, without previous warning, they bombarded the city itself for twenty minutes; projectiles fell on the prison, the hospital, and the burgomaster's house, causing fires and claiming many victims. On the 23rd they succeeded in forcing the outer line of de- fences, and while the 4th Belgian Division began to fall back in 'Louis Dumont-Wilden {Opinion, Paris, October 31st, 1914.) BY FORCE OF ARMS 43 the sector between the Sambre and the Meuse, they entered the city about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. At the same moment violent encounters were taking place in Hainault between the Germans on the one hand and the French and English on the other hand. Like stupendous torches, towns and villages burst into flames, lighting the advance of German- ism with the sinister glow of their fires. The Germans, arrogant, cruel, and implacable, already occupied two-thirds of our terri- tory. They had not found the " open road," but they passed on, as they had threatened, " by force of arms." " The German plan has succeeded in its entirety," so a certain General Spohn thought it safe to proclaim in the official organ of the German Military Union. In his enthusiasm he praised the skill with which this plan had been elaborated. " The plan for the invasion of France was definitely laid down long beforehand," he said; "it was arranged to be carried out successfully in the north through Belgium, avoiding the line of barrier-forts with which the enemy had protected his frontiers on the German side, and which would have been very difficult to break through." ' As a matter of fact, the little Belgian Army had held the German forces in check so long that this famous plan of the Imperial Great General Staff, so " definitely laid down," was irrevocably spoiled. This is expressed in the following terms, under the title of " Honour to Belgium," in the Bulletin des Armies de la Repub- lique: — " If we had been told three weeks ago, on the first Sunday of the war, when France was awaiting the decision of London, and was still able to doubt whether she would see beside her the Army and the Navy of England — if we had been told that twen- ty-two days later we should have been able to complete our last preparations, and that along the entire front, or almost the en- tire front, our national soil would be untouched, who would have believed it without dispute? " Oh, we know at what a cost our present security was pur- chased ! " We know who are the true authors of this security. " Our troops have done their duty, but the heroic Belgian nation has done more than its duty. ^Parole, Deutsche Krieger Zeitung (edition for the armies in the field, Berlin, September 2nd, 1914). 44 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME " It owed it to itself, it owed it also to us, to defend its neutrality. " We expected everything of its loyalty and valour. But it has surpassed all expectation; by its determined resistance it has rendered possible our mobilisation, our concentration, the dis- embarkation of our Allies in our ports, their arrival on the front of battle, and the systematic organisation of this war in com- mon: our outer rampart was made of the breasts of the men of Liege, and the entire Belgian nation, yielding up its capital, has determined that Liege and Antwerp shall become, in history, synonymous with Thermopylas and Marathon. ..." BY ALL AND ANY MEANS From the time of their entry into Belgium the German troops displayed in every way an absolute contempt for the laws and usages of war and the Law of Nations, Not only did they make abundant use of treacherous ruses, unworthy of a self-respecting army, but they rendered them- selves guilty of abominable crimes, and presently there was not a single prescription of The Hague Conventions which they had not outrageously violated/ It was obvious that they had resolved to shatter our resist- ance not only " by force of arms," but also by all and any means. For this reason, on the 8th of August, quite early in the course of the hostilities, M. Henry Carton de Wiart, the Belgian Min- ister of Justice, instituted a " Commission of Inquiry into the Violation of the Regulations of the Law of Nations and the Laws and Usages of War." This Commission was composed of magistrates, diplomatists, university professors, and jurisconsults, all men of ripe age, unfet- tered conscience, and well-balanced mind, who, moreover, made it a rule to include in the reports which they addressed to the Minister of Justice only those facts which were rigorously es- tablished by reliable and consistent evidence, subjected to a searching criticism. I have written this chapter principally by the aid of these re- ports. ' Needless to say, Germany had subscribed to these conventions. For these early atrocities see The Road to Liege: The Path of Crime, by M. Gustave Somville, translated by B. Miall. Hodder and Stoughton, 1916. There is a preface by M. Carton de Wiart. 45 46 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME Living Shields (6) Counting on tKe nobility of Heart of their a3versaries, the German troops often endeavoured to protect themselves by driv- ing before them either Belgian soldiers who had been taken prisoners, or even civilians. Impossible as it may appear, soldiers and officers have fre- quently resorted to this vile stratagem; this cowardly and treach- erous manoeuvre has been practised in many different circum- stances since the beginning of the war. At the time of the fighting round Liege a body of German troops, passing through the interval between the Chaudfontaine and Fleron forts, had before it a number of civilians captured along the road; the majority had their hands tied behind their backs. Another group of civilians was forced to march in the midst of the troops, and among them was an old man of eighty years. German artillerymen firing upon the Carmelite convent at Chevremont secured themselves against the fire of the fort by placing all round their battery men, and even women and chil- dren, captured in the neighbourhood. On the 1 8th of August one Joseph Rymen, of Shaffen, was compelled, with two inhabitants of Meldert, to precede the German troops in their march through the town of Diest, and then to lead them to Montaigu. On the 23rd of August the Germans placed at the head of their attacking column at the bridge of Lives, below Namur, women and children, of whom several were wounded by the fire of the Belgian troops. In very many parts of Hainault the Germans forced civilians, men and women, to precede or accompany them. Thus a Ger- man column passing through Marchienne drove before it a group of several hundreds of civilians; it was marching upon Mon- tigny-le-Tilleul, where the first important engagement with the French took place. To guarantee a bridge over the Sambre from any attempt at destruction, the Germans placed upon it men and women — eight of whom were nuns — and children, who were forced to pass the night there. At Tamines also, during a fight between German and French BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 47 troops, the former drove civilians on to the bridge. When these poor people tried to take refuge in the house of the opposite bank (of the Sambre), the Germans fired upon them and mor- tally wounded several of them. The German troops who entered Tournai on the 24th of August were preceded by several ranks of civilians. I might give many more such examples. This stratagem, which consists in its essentials in saying to the enemy : " I know you will not fire on these unfortunate people, and I hold you at my mercy, disarmed, because you are less craven than I " ' — this stratagem, so often employed by troops on the march, was also employed by patrols. In the suburbs of Malines six German soldiers who were carrying off five young girls encountered, on their way, a com- pany of Belgian soldiers. They kept in the midst of the young girls in order to prevent the Belgians from firing upon them. And at the very outset of the hostilities a bicyclist who was going homeward was arrested on the way by one officer and eight hussars, who forced him to walk beside them, threatening him with death if the Belgian troops fired upon them. Here again I could go on citing examples. I could also cite many cases in which — contrary to the laws of war — Belgian peasants were forced to execute defensive works for the Ger- mans, and in particular to dig trenches. Massacre and Incendiarism Just before crossing the frontier, on the 4th of August, the German oflicers harangued their men, informing them that the outposts had been attacked by the population, and recommend- ing them to punish the latter implacably at the firing of the first shot. From that moment, and during the whole period of the invasion, soldiers and non-commissioned officers lived in a con- tinual dread of the attacks of francs-tireurs . This fear re- sulted in unheard-of panics. If any shots were heard, except in set battles, civilians were massacred instantly — under the pre- text of repression — and houses burned. And as the burning of houses was generally preceded by systematic pillage, this pre- tended repression, as a result of being thus stimulated, would extend to a whole village or an entire town. In this way hundreds of peaceable Belgian citizens paid with 'Joseph Bedier, Professor in the College de France, Les Crimes allemands d'apres des timoignages allemandes. (Armand Colin, Paris, igisO 48 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME their lives or their liberty for the frenzied libations of the in- vaders and the brawls which inevitably followed. Others, in their hundreds again, expiated the resistance of the Belgian soldiers, that determined resistance which the Ger- mans had certainly not foreseen, and which, from the first hours of the war, disconcerted them. Some were even executed — after a summary trial — for giv- ing our own troops information as to the advance of the Ger- man troops. But in most cases these massacres, burnings, and all the rest were not committed as punishment or in revenge, but merely as a matter of preventive terrorisation ! I will try to give you here some idea of these horrible ex- cesses. On the 4th of August, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a few German officers arrived in a motor-car in the little town of Herve (4,700 inhabitants), which lies on the road from Aix-la- Chapelle to Liege. On their way they questioned two men whom they met upon a little bridge, and shot them down without giving them time to reply. Doubtless, in order to give themselves cour- age, these gentlemen had consumed a generous lunch before en- tering Belgium, and were now amusing themselves. A little later on the same day German troops entered Herve. They took a few hostages, but otherwise they behaved compara- tively well. On the 8th of August, about 10 o'clock in the morning, some fresh troops arrived, who immediately began to fire in every direction. They burned the railway station, as well as the house of Mme. Christophe, who was asphyxiated, with her daughter. Seeing that the fire was reaching her house, a neighbour, Mme. Hendrickx, rushed Into the street, a crucifix in her hand; she was immediately shot down. After -this, other murders took place; houses were sacked and burned; forty persons, of whom five were women, were assassinated; the town was pillaged from end to end, and more than 300 houses were burned. On the 6th of August the village of Battice, which lies a few miles to the east of Herve, was pillaged and burned by the Germans, who were thrown back by the fire of the forts; thirty- five persons, of whom three were women, were massacred. And here the tragic adventure acquires a touch of irony: on the day before the invasion the cure, who was something of a Germano- BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 49 phile, felt It his duty to reassure his flock. " You have nothing to fear," he told them; " if you do not attack the soldiers, they will do nothing to you. Do you suppose they are going to sack your houses, burn the village, and assassinate the women and children? The Germans are not savages!"' Now not only were these soothing statements promptly contradicted by facts, but the priest who had made them with such serene conviction escaped death only by a miracle I Between Battice and Herve the majority of the houses which bordered the road here and there were reduced to ashes. The road running from Herve, through Melen-la-Bouxhe, to Micheroux, was also bordered by ruins. At Melen-la-Bouxhe the victims were no fewer than 120. Entire families were exterminated, on the 5th and 8th of August, by German troops infuriated by the resistance of the forts. Among the victims were old men of eighty years and children of five or six. One young girl, Marguerite W , was sacri- ficed to the lust of twenty soldiers before she was shot beside her father and mother. , On the 5th of August, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, some German troops, repulsed and thrown into confusion by the fire of the Fleron fort, entered Soumagne, a large village of 4,750 inhabitants. " It's your brothers who are firing on us from the forts! " they cried. " We are going to take our revenge ! " They arrested a hundred of the Inhabitants, led them into a meadow, and there killed them by rifle-bullet or bayonet. The village was partially burned. In the list of 105 victims I find the names of a baby of eleven months, a little boy of three years, a girl of thirteen, and sev- eral aged persons of either sex. And everywhere, all along the great highways of the inva- sion, there were, with a few variations, the same excesses. At Warsage six men were hanged. At Micheroux an infant of seven weeks, Pierre Gores, was violently torn from the arms of the woman who was carrying him and thrown to the ground; when it was possible to pick him up the poor little thing was dead. At Francorchamps, out of twelve persons shot, one was a little boy of six years, and four were old people. Of these latter two were women. ' Extract from a letter sent by M. I'Abbe Voisin, cure of Battice, to the Tijd, of Amsterdam. 50 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME At Foret thirty-six Belgian soldiers passed the night of the 4th of August at the farm of the Delvaux family. On the 5th, about 8 o'clock in the morning, the Germans arrived in force. While retiring, the Belgian soldiers fired upon them, coming off pretty well. Result : vengeance. The farm was spt on fire, and two of the farmer's sons were killed. The farmer and two sur- viving sons were driven before the troops, who were marching upon Liege. The communal schoolmaster, M. Rougy, was shot for refusing to trample underfoot the national flag, which had been torn down from the front of his school. At 01m, M. Rensonnet, the vicar, and the communal secre- tary, M. Fondenir, raised the blind of a window to watch the troops passing; they were instantly arrested, dragged out of the village, and shot. This was on the 5 th of August. In the even- ing, before proceeding to the assault of the Fleron and Chaud- fontaine forts, the Germans — no doubt to stimulate their valour — assassinated a poor old paralytic woman, the widow Desoray, as well as her daughter Josephine; they then set fire to their house. They drove M. Warnier, the schoolmaster, and his family out of their house, and shot M. Warnier before the eyes of his wife. " At a few paces distance," relates an eye- witness, " his two young daughters were treacherously shot from behind. The elder, her skull being merely grazed by a bullet, recovered consciousness in the ditch beside the road; a body was weighing upon her, that of her sister, killed outright by a bullet in the nape of the neck. The survivor remained where she was until the last of the soldiers had gone. She could hear, at a short distance, the death-rattle of one of her brothers. Not until later did this vigorous young girl notice that her left arm was broken in two places, while she had a wound in the head and bruises all over her body. Later still she found her mother and her little sister. The father, her sister, aged eight- een, and her two brothers, aged eighteen and seventeen, lay stretched upon the road with two inhabitants of Fairon and three of Foret. All the houses in the neighbourhood were reduced to ashes." On the heights of the left bank of the Vesdre the village of Louveigne is in ruins. It was completely pillaged, and the greater part was burned. One hundred and fifty houses were burned; only a few were left standing. A certain number of men were shut up in a forge; then, after the lapse of some hours, the Germans drove them out into the open. " In other words," BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 51 says a witness, " they opened the door of the cage, as in pigeon- shooting. The marksmen were waiting, and they brought down as many as they could; seventeen fell, never to rise again." " Pepinster, August 12. Burgomaster, cure, schoolmaster shot and houses reduced to ashes," writes Adolf Schliiter, of the 39th Regiment of Fusiliers, in his memorandum book (7). "We resume our march." At Sprimont, the owner of a chateau, M. Poirnez, and his son, were killed at the very moment when they were doing their ut- most to satisfy the demands of the invader as to requisitions ! Vise was a delightful little town of 4,000 inhabitants, built on the flank of a hill overhanging the Meuse, some ten miles below Liege, and quite close to the Dutch frontier. It was more than a thousand years old. Princess Bertha, daughter of Charle- magne, built a church there about 800 a.d., and since then, of course, the little town had known many vicissitudes. In par- ticular, for example, on the 30th of January, 1396, it was sur- prised in the night by a troop of German brigands, who sacked and pillaged it. But this was more than five hundred years ago, and in those days many things used to happen which in our times seemed impossible. Fresh German troops coming from Gemmenich, by way of Warsage, Berneau, and Mouland, reached Vise on the 4th of August, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The bridge by which they expected to cross the Meuse had been destroyed; moreover, some Belgian soldiers, who were in ambush on the left bank 'of the river, opened a well-sustained fire upon them. Enraged by this resistance, the Germans spread through the little town, shooting half a score of the inhabitants, and then began to pillage. On the loth of August they set fire to the church (8), pre- tending that the town formed a mark for the guns of the Pontisse fort. On the following day the Dean and M. Meurisse, Profes- sor in the University of Liege, and Burgomaster of Vise, were arrested as hostages. On the 15 th the inhabitants were forced to work upon the construction of bridges over the Meuse. Numerous troops ar- rived from the east. In the evening there were brawls between drunken soldiers; some shots were fired. . . . Hundreds of the inhabitants were immediately driven from their homes ; men, women, children, old people, sick people, all were driven by blows of the rifle-butt, and even by thrusts of the bayonet, to the 52 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME open place by the railway station, where, under a strong guard, they were made to pass the rest of the night. On the following day a poor old man, more than seventy years of age, one Duchesne, was shot — why, no one knows — having first been tied to a tree, his hands bound behind his back. His body was left on the spot. A man named RoujoUe also was executed under similar conditions, and with no more reason. A few hours later the men were ranged on one side, the women on the other. The women were authorised to take refuge in Holland. Three hundred to four hundred of the men were sent to Germany and interned in the Miinster camp. Others were forced to execute military works at Navagne. All this time the troops were pillaging, loading their booty upon waggons, which took the road for Aix-la-Chapelle. Then, systematically, by means of reservoirs of benzine and hand- pumps, they sprinkled the houses and set fire to them. When the flames were slow in spreading they helped them by throwing incendiary pastilles into their midst. Such was the end of Vise. From the 15th to the i8th of August the Germans gave them- selves up to all kinds of excesses on the left bank of the Meuse as well. At Haccourt, on the i8th, they pretended that the old farmer Colson had killed (or wounded) one of their horses. Without making any inquiry, and ignoring the denials of the accused, they set fire to his farm, after shutting his son and his daughter- in-law indoors. These two contrived to escape and hide them- selves, but old Colson was unable to endure the shock, and a few days later he died. At Heure-le-Romain 72 houses were burned; 27 persons were assassinated; among them a Mme. Fasset, and her child, five months of age. At Hermee 12 persons were shot and 46 houses were burned. Flemalle-Grande was the scene of unashamed pillage, incen- diarism and murder. A man's head was cleft by the blow of a sabre in the presence of his wife and child; his death-rattle was still audible when the soldiers removed his watch and all else that he had about him. At Tongres, on the i8th of August, some working-men's houses were sacked and burned, no one knew why. In the even- ing the most terrific drinking was followed by scandalous scenes; /'/ ■ ■ > ' - . ^ - ■ " ' V - ' ' ' ' > ' 1 / : . y . ^ ■^ /: /'^ .^ / -.'■'. ■ / -7 ^^>i' H '///..• 7. PAGE FKOM THE NOTEBOOK UF ADOLF bClILI lER. (I' age si) 8. THE CHURCH, VISE, BURNED lOTH OF AUGUST, I9I4. (Page Si) 9. THE POPULATION TOOK REFUGE IN THE WOODS. (Page 56) S;; I- 10. AT TAMINES. (Page 6i) Corpses of inhabitants on the ruins of a house. II. . CIVILIANS DEPORTED TO GERMANY. 12. AT LouvAiN. {Pdge 75) 13. IN LOUVAIN. {Page 78) The house on the right was spared on account of its name. BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 53 German soldiers, outrageously drunk, donned feminine clothing — Oh, much-vaunted Prussian discipline ! — and so showed them- selves in the streets. Others began to fire into the houses, killing ten persons thereby. Then, in the middle of the night, the town had to be evacuated, on the pretext that it was about to be bom- barded. In all haste the mothers aroused their children; the sick had perforce to leave their Chers Concitoyens. O'accord svep I'sutorite iiulitaire superieure elle> mande.j'ai rbonneurdevous recomoiander k nouvcau d« vous absteiiir d£ toute manifestation provocanle et de tout actes d'hostilite qui pourraient attirer ft notre ville de terribles repretailleis. Vous VOUS abstiendrez surtuut de Bt^viceii contre les troupes aUemaades et notamment de tirer sur elles. Oins IB cat fib dss habitants tireraieni sur das ssldats da i'armia alleniaiida. le tiers de la populatiOD tfe coni rappelle que let raiaemblemenli it ptut it dm/ ftmoanet miU atriclement defendiu et gue lei ptrionnet fin' eonlivehiu/raUnl a celte de/tnu, uront , arreitt tiance leaaale. , Hamlt, le 17 soat 1914. beds, and there was a desperate flight into the open country. One sick man died at the gates of the town; the Germans immediately buried him, under the eyes of his wife and daughter. Once masters of the place, officers and sol- diers alike began to pil- lage at their ease. On the 20th they allowed the inhabitants to return to their homes. Six pri- vate houses had been burned; in particular that of M. Huybrigts, which contained a remarkable collection of vases, coins, inscriptions, and tombs of Roman colonists (Tongres dating from before the Roman invasion). These treasures had disappeared: the fruit of forty years' patient re- search! Why? " Dear Fellow-Citizens, — In agreement with the superior German military- authority, I have the honour to recommend you once more to abstain from all provocative manifestations, and from all hostile acts, which might bring terrible reprisals upon our town. — ^You will, above all, abstain from attacks upon the German troops, and especially from firing, on them. — Should the inhabi- tants fire on the soldiers of the German Arnry, the third part of the male population will be put to death. — I will remind you that all gatherings of more than five persons are strictly forbidden and that persons who disobey this prohibition will be arrested on the spot. Hasselt, the 17th of August, 1914. — The Burgomaster, P'erd. Portmans. — By order of the German Military Authority. 1« Bourgnufin Febo. POBTUANS. >ar ordre de I'Autorlti mUttalre aliemande. FACSIMILE OF A PLACARD POSTED AT HASSELT.' 54 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME As for Hasselt, the market-town of Limburg, read the plac- ard reproduced above, which Burgomaster Portmans had posted by order of the invader. Aerschot. — The enemy troops entered Aerschot, a town of 8,000 inhabitants, lying to the north-east of Louvain, on the 19th of August, in the morning. No Belgian force was left there. Suddenly the Germans shot six of the inhabitants and set fire to a number of houses. In the afternoon the church was bombarded for two hours; then the soldiers ran through the town firing in all directions at random. Suddenly some officers declared that their superior, a general, had been killed by the son of the burgomaster, a boy of fifteen ! In his capacity as father and as burgomaster, M. Tieleraans was doubly responsible. He was doubly deserving of death! It was for this reason, doubtless, that his brother was arrested simultaneously with his son and hiftiself. A large number of their fellow-townsmen were arrested at the same time. Forty were killed the same night. The rest, who were imprisoned, were not to be executed until the following day. During the night the soldiers invaded the houses, turning everything upside down, breaking up furniture and strong-boxes, and starting fires. Then, on the morning of the 20th, the burgomaster, with his son and his brother, and all their companions in misfortune, were led into a field beside the Louvain high road. They were lined up at random, and while the burgomaster, with his son and brother, were kept in the line, of the rest two men out of every three were made to step forward, the soldiers counting " One, two, three," and each time the third man was left in the row. Then all who remained — who were selected by fate alone — ^were shot! Thus, with those killed in the town, nearly 150 victims were executed! And all this because the son of the burgomaster, a child, was said to have killed a German oflicer, which, by the way, was never proved! ' But this was not all. The " repression " was not suflicient. The houses of the Grande Place were fired, and the wives of the prominent citizens were forced to look on, holding their arms in the air. This torture lasted for six hours. During this ' See in respect of the Aerschot tragedy, the affecting letter of the widow, Mme. Tielemans, which will be found in the Appendix. BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 55 time the men who had been spared by fate were forced to dig great trenches, and to throw into them, pell-mell, the bodies of their unhappy fellow-townsmen. And while the pillage and the flames were at their height, men, women and children were shut into the church, where they were left for several days, suffering from thirst and hunger. It Is impossible to tell all; one would fill a volume in relat- ing the details of what each of these martyred towns endured. And what would it be if we had to enumerate the crimes com- mitted in all the villages? But I will say a few words more, still guided by reliable documents, of what happened in the region, of old so flourishing, to which we have now come. At Hasselt, to the north of Aerschot, 32 houses were burned; 23 persons were shot. At Rotselaer 15 houses were burned, after suffering pillage. At Schaffen, not far from Diest, at Lummen, Molenstede, and yet other communes, houses, farms and haystacks were burned, and everywhere hideous torments were inflicted. " A little before Diest," writes the German lieutenant, Kietz- mann (2nd Company, ist Battalion of the 49th Regiment of In- fantry), "a little before Diest," he says in his note-book, " lies the village of Schaffen. About fifty civilians were hiding in the church tower, and fired on our troops from above with a machine-gun. All the civilians were shot." ' Now nearly all the inhabitants of Schaffen had taken flight upon the approach of the Germans. When the latter arrived In the villages they found only a very few persons, whom they immediately massacred. And, If, instead of describing this tragedy as briefly as Herr Kietzmann has done, I were to enter into a few details, this is what I should tell you: The Germans found, In a cellar, Mme. F. Luykx and her daughter, aged twelve; they were shot. A little girl named Ooyen, aged nine, was shot; Joseph Reynders, aged forty, was shot; his little nephew, a boy of ten, suffered the same fate; Andre WlUem, aged twenty-three, was tied to a tree and burned alive; Gustav Lodtz and Jean Mahren, both aged forty years, were buried alive. But what a singular country Is Belgium! It has not enough rifles for Its army — for such was the case at the beginning of the campaign ^ — and yet every citizen in the tiniest village, every ' Bedier, op. cit. ' Owing to the quite recent reorganisation of the army, and the great num- ber of volunteers who came forward. 56 BELGIUM IN WAR TIME man and woman, every little boy, every little girl, is armed! For it will, of course, be understood that the little Luykx and Ooyen girls, and their little comrade, the nephew of Joseph Reynders, were "executed" as francs-tireurs ! There are not enough guns in the forts, but the last village belfry is armed! Moreover, the cures too are francs-tireurs. At Gelrode-lez-Aerschot the cure was arrested by a German patrol as he was helping two sick people to enter a house. Ac- cused of having fired on the German soldiers, he was imprisoned in the church at Aerschot. On the following day his hands were tied behind his back and his ankles were bound with iron wire. He was then placed with his face to a wall, and after several bullets had penetrated his head and back he was thrown into the river (the Demer). In many rural districts in the neighbourhood of Aerschot, Diest, Malines, and Louvain the devastation was, compara- tively speaking, greater than at Aerschot. " Whole villages have been annihilated," we read in the fifth Report of the Commission of Inquiry. " The population took refuge in the woods (9). They had neither food nor shelter. In the ditches by the roadside lie unburied unfortunate peasants, women, and children who were killed by the Germans. Bodies have been thrown into the wells, contaminating the water. Wounded men have been abandoned without attention. A peas- ant took refuge, with his little family, in a manure-pit which he had first emptied. The Germans came, lifted the cover of the pit, and fired into the group. The man was terribly wounded in several places. He remained five days in this condition. When he was rescued, which was when the Antwerp garrison made a successful sortie, it was necessary to amputate one leg above the knee. ..." In the whole of this district men were requisitioned in large numbers; in defiance of the laws of war, the Germans forced them to dig trenches and carry out defensive works to be em- ployed against our troops, their own compatriots! Andenne. — On the 22nd of August a proclamation was posted upon the walls of Liege, bearing the signature of the General and Commander-in-Chief von Biilow, of which we give a reproduction. Delightfully situated In a semi-circular sweep of hills on the right bank of the Meuse, between Huy and Namur, Andenne BY ALL AND ANY MEANS 57 & CSttUOTtaiA £bleiloDgnb.InLlf ISO. , DtlM was, in the Middle Ages, one of the favourite meeting-places of the chivalry of the neighbouring counties and duchies, which made the place famous by the tournaments held there. In the nineteenth century Andenne had become an industrial and commercial country; boat-builders' yards, paper-mills, porce- lain factories, pot-banks, chemical works, etc., were established there. Andenne, which numbered 7,500 inhabitants, was connected by a bridge with the vil- lage of Seilles, which was built facing it upon the left bank of the Meuse. Some Uhlans came to Andenne as scouts on the morning of the 19th of August. They could not cross the river, as Bel- gian soldiers had blown up the bridge some few hours earlier. They therefore withdrew — after seizing the com- munal funds and bullying the burgomaster. Dr. Camus, a man of nearly seventy years of age. The main body of the German troops arrived in the afternoon. The regiments spread through the town and the outskirts, waiting for the completion of a bridge of boats. On Thursday, the 20th of August, this bridge being com- 'To the Communal authorities of the City of Liege,— The inhabitants of the town of Andenne, after having proclaimed their pacific intentions, have made a treacherous attack upon our troops. It is with my consent that the General in Chief Command has had the entire locality burned and that about 100 persons have been shot. I bring this fact to the attention of the City of Liege, in order that the peo- ple of Liege may realise the fate with which they are threatened if they as- sume such an attitude. Then dum-dum bullets were found in an armourer's shop in Huy, etc., etc. X^es habitants de la ville d Andenne. apre* ftTOir protests de leura intdntions pacifiquea ont