Norwich bulletin., 1915-06-09
Stories of the War
The Bavarian Soldiers.

For generations the Bavarian sol dier has sustained the reputation of being one of the best fighting units in the world. He has always been, in rible man to be pitted against. His name has been synonymous, with mill itary efficiency, and especially during the present war, his enemies have whispered more than that about him
 Many do not know or will not be- lieve that the Bavarian has any other side than a fierce desire to fight and to win, at any price. He is at the same time singularly devout and re- ligious and in this lies one explanation for the present relative content of the civil population of that part of con- quered France which lies to the north ward. German system, in taking scrupulous care of the people, has played a large part, but the religious nature of the Bavarian soldier has had a share in the result.
 An Associated Press correspondent who toured Northern France recently listened with some little degree of in- credulousness as German officials in sisted that the population of the oc- cupied country and of the cities were quiet and submissive, fairly happy, and bore few traces of bitterness to- ward the invaders.
 The people. to be sure, showed no outward signs of resentment. Nor would those with whom the corre- spondent talked admit of harboring i'll feelings against the Germans Nevertheless it seemed impossible that they could be reconciled to their position-stronger probably in North ern France than anywhere else where fighting is going on.
 Through the wonderful stained glass windows of the cathedral of St Quentin there streamed the afternoon sun of an early May Sunday-illumi- mating the strangest congregation that probably ever gathered in beautiful old Notre Dame. In the nave there knelt fully a thousand women from all classes of the population. Three quarters at least wore mourning mute evidence that they had lost sons and husbands, brothers and lovers The strains of a wonderful organ car ried far into the streets about the cathedral, attracting more and more from outside.
 At first glance one saw only the women in their deep mourning. Then however, there came into view the drab gray uniforms of scores o1 Bavarian soldiers. kneeling, not or the little chairs but on the stone floor Some held little prayer books and were mumbling prayers in German even while the French priest chanted in his own language. As the music
 
 tered the church, and, finding no room among the audience, knelt in the rea1 until the building was packed clear to the doors.
 Suddenly the mass came to an end The women-but not the soldiers rose By twos and threes they be- gan to file out of the cathedral, pas; the men who had come into possession of their city and who had been re- sponsible for the death of their loved ones.
 The correspondent scanned each he expected to find written there. Not one woman in all the audience of a thousand cast even a resentfuI glance at the soldiers. Instead there was al- most universal approval as the French women walked by the rough German soldiers-peasants nostly-and saw their devotion. The antagontsm that was to be expected seemed to have been banished by the bond of a com mon religion and common devo- ton.
 Hardly had the women left the church than a German priest entered and began mass in German especial ly for the soldiers who gradually filled up the body of this church just va cated. The organ pealed again and this time the men, and not the choir took up the refrain, and sang until the whole building reverberated with the melody.
 Half an hour later the soldiers were seen on the streets of St. Quen- tin, chatting, laughing, greeting here and there some Frenchman whom they had come to know during the months of occupation. The brie1 episode in Notre Dame, wholly com monplace in many ways and yet given to so few to see, had put an entirely different complexion on an otherwise inexplicable situation. It was nc longer hard to understand why there is little feeling on the part of the in ha1bitants of St Quentin