Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-06
GERMANS CHARGE
CRUELTY BY RUSS
Memorial Record Given Out by Am
basssder Alleges Wanton Muir.
der and Pillage.
MANY INSTANCES ARE CITED

Bernstorff, today gave out lot pun
Heation the memorial record and
accompanying affidavits. issued by
the German government as White
Book Of March 20. last, relating to
atrocities committed by Russian
troops on German civilians and Ger
man prisoners of war" The am
bassador also announced that copies
of the document had been delivered
20 all the neutral governments. in
Guiding the government Of the
United states. and that other copies
would be open to inspection at the
German consulates Of New York
Chicago, philadelphia and San Fran
cisco. !
The memorial record" summarizes the
ats set forth IN the eighty affidavi's at
taohed as exhibits. each accusation being
ACCOMPANIED BY reference to the mum
bered affidavit giving details u the
charge. The memorial record" says;
The Russian troops have committed
atrooities during the present war which
are incompatible with the laws Of human
fly and the customs Of civilized nations.
ana which evidence the utter BARBARIAN
OF their warfare. These atrocities were
directed against the peaceful Inhabitants
Of the occupied German territory. AZ we'll
as against those German soldiers who
opposed them in lawful combat AMI who
had the misfortune OF being taken pris-
obers by them
The adjoining documentary marerial
shows that these are not isolated cases
Of cruelty and deeds Of violence. for
atrocities of the most bestal sort have
been committed In 30 many places and
BY 80 many different divisions OF troops
that undoubtedly q very large part OF
the Russian army II permeated by a
spirit Of inhrmGn savagery, a large num-
Der of cases IL already well known, but
IN the supplements only such cases will
be found as have been ineontrovcrtibly
established by official testimony. partic-
uIarly testimony on oath. or by official
report. These cases must. however. be
regarded as being only a selection OF the
innumsrable atrocities actually COM
mitted
The whole world knows that. owing 70
the barbario methocs OF warfare en-
ployed By the Russians. East Prussia,
once flourishing country. In parts now
presents q picture OF hopeless devasta-
tion. and that the peaceful inhabitants
we're forced TO flee and leave all their
belongings in order 70 save themselves
from assault and murder. II has boen Of
ficially aseertained that at the time Of
the first ~ we'll as Of the secand in
vasion Of East Prussia by the Russians.
thousands OF men. women and children
were carried off. thousands were MUIR
dered, about sc.op buildings were demol-
ished OF burned down. and that during
F. the second invasion alone. about $1,000
homes were plnndered and destroyed. The
last Russian expedition against Memel
+, likewise was nothing more than a savage
raid. accompanied by atrocities OF every
description The dispositions contained In
the supplements give an eloquent but
CHASTITY proof Of tho acts OF violence and
cruelty which individual inhabitants suf-
fered at the hands OF the Russians
Property stolen ana Destroyed.
The movable goods OF the poor as
well as Of the wealthy were destroyed
looted OF wantonly destroyed by the Rus
sian troops IN every conceivable way.
Cattle and provisions were taken without
payment or promlhsory certificateA Men
ana women had to give the covetous SOL
diers their last copperS. The dwellings
we're searched often by one division OF
troops after the other each soldier taxi
ing whatever took his fancy Finally,
homes, farm buildings and provisions
were. without reason or purpose. de-
stroyed BY fire. Thu population. includ-
ing women ana children. we're iil-treated
on empty pretexts OF without any reason
Whatsoever, although they dd every
thing 10 satisfy the desires of the Rus
sian soldiers a. 10 lodgings ana food.
This nl-treatment was partially eharao-
terizcd by exquisite cruelty; for instance,
the male population of an entire COM
munity. the Judge not excepted, were
beaten with whips and threatened with
death. Fugitives were shot down with
out further ado.
Above all. however. numerous citizens
were murdered without any cause, often
under terrible fortunes or In presence OF
their relatives. Young men were shot.
not because they had committed some
thing, but because they were liable 70
military service. A transport OF fuEttives
was suddenly attacked; the men were
separated from the women and killed
without procedure OF any kind A chief
forester, eaoorting a troop OF GERMAN
cenVicts, was taken prisoner by Russian
troops. brought before General Rennen-
kampf and. probably. In accordance with
that generals infamous order 10 kin ali
German foresters. deliberately shot The
brutal lust OF the Russian soldiers for
murder did not stop even Al old men.
women and children. The murder OF a
little SRI about or years old, Il a
particularly horrible instance. Revolving
alAo IL the case Of an entire family, which
fell victim 10 the lust Of murder OF Rus
sian toldiers The man was spiked 20
the table, the child 70 the door, the
breasts Of the wife were cut off and her
body eyiseerated. In another instance a
man and his wife were nailed by the
tongue 10 a table. In which position they
persisted OF hunger and loss Of blood
Many Attacks on women.
~innumerRble are the cases Of bestial
attacks upon women and girls. Very
often these pltiable victims were violated
~ several soldiers IN succession. who
IN cases, infected them with vensreal
diseases Women In advanced stages Of
pregnancy we're aiso abused By the
bestial soldiers. even Wofnen over Z,
years Of age were not spared A little
Eir4 { yearH old Waa xvioiataa - =.