The Sentinel=record., 1914-09-19
AS TOLD BY THE GERMAN COM.
MANDER TO THE GERMAN
GENERAL ARMY STAFF.
BELGIANS WERE TREACHER0US
Say a Concerted Attack Was Made
on Small Force Left to Garrison
City While Troops We're Out Fight
Ing Near Antwerp.

New York, Sept. 1S.-Adolph Won
Bruening, formerly secretary to the
German embassy at Washington, who
now is at Genoa, Italy, has sent to a
relative here the following communl-
cation from DR.. A. F. NJ. Zimmerman,
, German under secretary of foreign
affairs, with the information that the
German government requested that it
be given publicity:
Berlin, Aug. 80, 1914.-Official
communication of the German gen
eral staff:
"The city Of Loewen Louvain) hsH
surrendered and was given over to us
by the Belgian authorities. On Mon
day, August "a, some of our troops
were shipped there and intercourse
with the inhabitants was developing
quite friendly.
"On Tuesday afternoon, August 25,
our troops, hearing about an immi-
nent Belgian sortie from Antwerp,
I left IN that direction, the commanding
general going in motor car, leaving
behind only a colonel with soldiers to
protect the railroad. The rest of the
commanding generai's staff with the
horses was going to follow and had
collected on the market place. Sud
denly rifle fire opened from all the
surrounding houses, all the horses
being killed and five officers wwfid-
ed, one of them serious.
simultaneously fire opened at
about ten different places in town,
also on some of our troops just ar
rived and waiting on the square In
front of the station and on incoming
military trains. Two priests caught
handing out ammunition to the people
were shot in front of the station.
'On the part of the Belgian 1bveru,
ment a general rising of the popuia-
ton against the enemy had been or
ganized for a 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 Hague
conference, as being within the law
of nations, as far as weapons carried
openly and the laws of civilized war
fare are being observed; but such
rising was only admitted in order to
fight the attacking enemy.
In the case of Loewen the town
had already surrendered, the town
being occupied by our troops. Never
theless, the population attacked on all
sides and with murderous fire the
occupying forces and newly arriving
troops.
Therefore there can be no ques-
tion of means of defense allowed by
the law of nations, neither of a war
like guet-apens (ambush), but only of
treacherous attempt of the civil
population, the more to be condemned
as it apparently was planned long be-
forehand with simultaneous attack
from Antwerp, as arms were not car
ried openly as women and young
girls took part in the fighting and
blinded our wounded, sticking their
eyes out.
The barbarous attitude of the Bel.
gian population in all parts occupied
by our troops not only has justified
our severest measures but forced
them on us for the sake of self-pres-
ervation. The intensity of the resist
ance of the population is shown by
the fact that in Loewen "a hours
were necessary to break down their
attack. We ourselves regret deeply
| that during these fights the town al
Loewen has been desStoyed to great
extent. Needless to say these are not
intentional on our part but cannot be
avoided in this infamous franctireus
war being led against us.
"Whoever knows the good-natured
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO,