Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-19
GERMANS JUSTIFY
L0UvA|N SAcK|NG
Declare Citizens Fired on Sol
diers From Houses After
I City Surrendered. j.
GENERAL STAFF ASKS
Letter BE PUBLISHED
Former Embassy Secretary Here
Sends Communication, With
Request for Publicity.

NEW YORK, September 19.-Adolf Won
Bruening, former secretary to the Ger
man embassy at Washington. who is
now at Genoa, Italy, has sent to arela-
tive here the following Communication
from DR.. Alfred F. NJ Zimmerman,
German under secretary of foreign at
fairs. with the information that the
German government requested that 1t
be given publicity:
Berlin, August. 30, 1914.
"Omcial communication Of the Cert
man general staff:
1.-THE city of Loewen rGouvain) had
surrendered and was given over to us
by the Belgian authorities. On Monday,
August "a, some of our troops were
shipped there and intercourse with the
Inhabitants was developing quite
friendly.
."on Tuesday afternoon, August rs,
our troops, hearing about an imminent
Belgian sortie from Antwerp, left in
that direction, che commanding gen
eral ahead in motor car, leaving be-
protect railroad Qandsturm battalion
Neuss'). AS the rest of the command
Ing generals staff, with the horses,
was going to follow and collected in
the market place suddenly rifle fire
opened from all the surrounding
houses, all the horses being killed and
i've officers wounded, one Of them seri-
ously. !
simultaneously fire opened 1t about
ten different places in town, also on
waiting on the square in front of the
station and on incoming military
trains-a designed cooperation with
the Belgian sortie from Antwerp es-
Al
caught in handing out ammunition to
the people were shot at once in front
OF the station.
Street fight Lasted Day.
"street fight lasted till Wednesday.
the 26th, in the afternoon (twenty-four
hours),s when stronger forces, arrived in
the meantime, succeeded in getting the
upper hand.
ron the part of the Belgian govern
ment q general rising o. the >popula & on
against the enemy had been organized
Tor long time, depotS OF arms were
found, where to each gun was attached
the name of the Citizen to be armed.
"A spontaneous rising OF the people
has been recognized. at the request of
the smaller states at The Haeue con-
ference, as being within the law of ma
lions, as far as weapons are carried
openly and the laws OF civilized war
fare are being observed. but such ris-
Ing was only admitted in order TO hSht
the attacking enemy.
In the case OF Loewen the town. had
already surrendered and the population
renowned. without any resistance. the
town being occupied by our troops.
Nevertheless the population attacked on
all sides and with murderous fire the
occupying forces and. newly arriving
troops. which came in trains and auto
mobiles, conside ring the hitherto peace
ThereAore there can oe no question
OF means of defense allowed ny the
law OF nations, neither of warlike
guet-apens {ambush3, but, only of a
treacherous attempt of the civil popu-
lation all along the line, and all the
more to be condemned az it was APP
parently planned lone beforehand with
simultaneous attack from Antwerp, as
arms were not carried openly, as .wom-
en- and young girls took part IN the
light and blinded our wounded, stick
Ing their eyes out.
Justify Their Action.
1.-THE barbaror- attitude of the Bel
gian population in all parts occupied
by our, troops has not only justified
our severest measures, but forced them
on US for the sake of self-preserva-
tion.
the population Is shown by the fact
that in Loewen twenty-four hours was
necessary to break down their attack.
We ourselves regret deeply that dur
ing these fights the town of Loewen
has been destroyed to a great extent.
Needless to say that these conse-
Quences are not intentional on our part,
but cannot be avoided in this infamous
nc-tireur war being led against us.
whoever knows the good-natured
character of our troops cannot seri-
ously pretend that they are inclined
to needless or frivolous destruction.
The entire responsib ility for these
events rests with the Belgian govern
ment, who, with criminal frivolity,
have given to the Belgian people in
structions contrary to the law of ma
lions and melted their resistance, and
who. in spite of our repeated warn
ings, even after the fall of Luettich
(Liege): have done nothing to induce
them to a peaceful attitude"