The Washington times., 1914-12-26
Tomorrow,
ALSAT|AN FAMILY
IS SPLIT BY WAR

NEW YORK, Dec. A.-Paul Robis-
chung, a young Alsatian. who, after
spending several years in New York.
left a place at the Vanderbilt Hotel
last May to take a berth I'm a big fac
tory in his native town Of Wesserling.
got back to the Vanderbilt yesterday
and obtained his old job. Robischung
who is a member of the German land
stur1n, though he has never had to do
military service, spent some time as
prisoner of war in France. but having
relatives in the French army, was re-
leased after several weeks detention,
and allowed to proceed to Geneva
1.-The factory in wesseriinE Is owned
nv Frenchman who was Schoolmate
OF General Joffre," said Robischung: 1
had been working on my new Joo Two
months. and my prospects were bright
Nobiiization took place in the latter
part of July, but IN Wesserling we
were not held when the war actually
began Indeed, il was not unul Au-
gust when We found the war actually
upon us that We civilians IN Wesser-
linz knew it had started. only the
night before I.had asked one OF the SUI
perior officers of the reserves about IL,
and he replied that so far as he knew.
there had been nothing but border
troubles.
Frenchmen Arrive.
eve had heard Of soldiers being shot
here and there, but these were reported
as merely incidental to bad feeling that
had cropped up. So it was that on
August a brigade Of 1900 Frenchmen
came trooping into wesserling and
shooting was heard all over the town.
xorne ~ lls we're in the factory took to
the cellar. The garrison OF the town
consisted only of a company OF infan-
try. equipped with rapid-fire guns and
a sdlIadron of Uhlans. They mas
little resistence, THAR instructions being
to make a only fcint of opposition and
then retreat.
'sThe French troops were well re-
ceived and a French government was
set I'D. They let those OF us who were
OF military age go about our WORK
without molestation as long as IL SEEM
ed that the French flag was there to
stay. but on September 10 it became ap-
parent that the French would fall back
before the German army which was
then advancing. and so about 1000 Al
satians from the neiShborhoOd of Wes-
serlinr and Thanh who were subject TO
German military service were rounded
I'D and taken over into France, myself
among them.
we were taken to Besancon, where
We were examined. They wanted to
find out where our ltlhtlNeS were. II
happens that while have brother in
the German navy, / have another who
Is in the French army. a member Of q
regiment of Zouayes now in Africa, and
my brother-in-law is in the French
navy. That is true OF many Alsatian
families. In the case OF those who are
with the French, their enlistment was
voluntary, while in numerous Instances.
members OF the came family are COM
PEELED by Law to do their military serv-
ice with the German army.
Detained Ten Days
Those of us who could prove 10 the
satisfaction Of the authorities that VIC
were non-combatants we're detained for
about ten days. and then we were quar-
tered in school. This was not strictly
imprisonment. for We were allowed 20 go
about in the town as we liked. OF
course. some things we're not quite COM
Portable. but we were not ill-treated and
had plenty of simple food. II was quite
different from being in a concentration
camp.
ON the strength OF having relatives
in the French army and navy, / made
application to be allowed 10 leave
France and 20 TO the United states.
This was favorably considered. and as
] was not able at the time to purchase
transportation ! was permitted 10 so TO
Geneva, where ] got work. Then, when
] was able To do so, they permitted me
to 20 across France to Havre TO sail on
a steamer All Alsatians we're not SO
fortunate as L, for in the same quarters
with me was "A fellow who had lived III
New York. and who has an American
wife. now in Paris, and so tar ne has
not been permitted to leave.
ON the second ay after the French
came to WesseTiinS | was standing by
the roadside when typical Paris
notorious drove up. In the driver I
recognized my cousin. a French citizen.
now in the army, whom | had not seen
for some years.
Il cannot discuss the sympathIes OF
the Alsatians," said RObisChung. That
might be a dangerous matter for rcla-
tives back there. Because OF the TACT
that his country is changing hands so
often these days no Alsatian will be able
safely to tell YOU whether he Is Tor
France or Germany until he finds out
how the war is going to end