The citizen., 1914-10-02
GERMAN STAFF TELLS or
DESTRUCTION OF L0UHalN

D-E-A- -E l4-l ING = - O--N--- 49,
/ municztion o. the German general
stat regarding The destruction o. Lou
E vain.
The city Q. Louvzin had sur0ea-
dered and vas given over to Is By the
Belgian authorities Or Monday. Aug
-. some Of our troops we're shipped
E there and intercourse with the inh2os-
. tsnts vas developing quite friendly
or Tuesday Afternoon. Aug =. ouE
( troops. hearing about Al imminent Bel
Z gizn sortie from Antwerp, left II thai
direction. The commanding general
ahead il = motor czr. leaving behind
Only 6 colonel With soldiers 70 protect
The railroad glzndsturu bztt2loa
:. NeuszJ-
Civilians open Fire.
As the rest OF the commanding
generals star. vith the horses w2s
going 70 follow and had collected o.
The marke; place. rife fire Suddenly
opened from aM the surrounding
houses. al The horses bsing killed and
I've officers wounded. one OF them -
riously.
simultaneously IRE opsRsi a.
about ten different places il IoSa.
also OF some q Cur troops Just ar
-lvec and waiting on The square 4
front Of The station. and O. incoming
military trains That il vas de-
signed cooperation with the Belgian
sor,ie from Antwerp was established
beyond : doubt
Two priests ~ho we're caught hand
ing oat ammunition 70 the people ~ere
shot 81 once II front ot the station
Fig7, Lasts y Hours.
The street fight lasted till Weduas-
day. tie 2sth- il the afternoon
gtventy-tour hours. when stronger
forces. which arrived II the mean
tine. succeeded n getting the upper
hand The town and northern suburb
we're burning - different places. and
b. this tine probably have burned
down altogether
On The pan o. the Belgian govern
zea1 : general rising o. the populs-
ton against TIE enemy had been Or
gznlzed tor z long time; depots ot
arms were found where 20 each gun
vas attached Ehe name o. the citizen
% bs armed
a spoztzneols rising o. the peo-
PIE has been recognized 81 the request
q tie smaller states 81 The Hague
conference IS bei1g within The law OF
nations. IS far IS Weapons are carried
openly and the LAWS q civilized var
fare z-e being obseved: bit such
rising vas only admitted II order 20
fight The attacking enemy.
Trssche-y of 5elsians-
II the case @ Louv2in the toEz
alrsa6y had surrendered and The pop
ulztion rs1ounced without any resist
ancs. the town being occupied oy our
troops
Nevertheless The population at
tackled Us On all sides and poured nur-
dereus fire into the occupying forces
and newly arriving troops, which came
II trains and automobiles
! Therefore there can be 10 question
I OF means o. defense allowed b. the
I Law Of nations. neither OF 3 warlike
/ guerapens ambush. but only OF
trsacherous attempt q the civil popu-
/ lation ali along the line. and all the
I more 10 be condemned as Il was appaT-
/ entity planned long beforehand with q
I simultaneous attack from Antwerp. as
arms were not carried openly. as WON
en and young girls took part in the
! fight and blinded our wounded. stick
ing their eyes out
German Acts Justified
The barbarous attitude OF the Bel
gian population in al parts occupied
by our troops has nGt only justified
our seyeres1 measures but forced them
on Is for the sake Of self-preservation.
We ourselves regret deeply that
during these fights The town Of Lou
vain has been destroyed 10 q great
extent Needless 10 say that these
Z consequences are not intentional OF
our part but cannot be avoided il
this in famous franc-tireur war being
led against Us
Blame Belgian Government
Whoever knows the good nstured
character OF our Troops cannot serious
II pretend that they are inclined TO
needless or frivolous destruction
The entire responsibility for these
events rests with the Belgian govern
ment. which. with criminal trivolity.
has given 10 the Belgian people III
/ structiCns contrary 10 the law OF ns-
lions and melted their resistance. and
which. in spite OF our repeated warn
ings. even after the fall OF Laettich
gLegel. has done nothing TO induce
them 10 a peaceful attitude
Theirs i IN. ,aSs ~ r;a;,v ;-.a