The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-22
eEMANY's PRISON CAMP
English captives Confined at Llmburg-
on-the-Lahan

fOuf LlmDureS dot the map OF Eu-
rope" says war geography bulletin
issued by the National Geographic So
ciety Of Washington, d. c., but the pro-
bable location of the German camp for
English prisoners, where the execution
stir in diplomatic circles recently, is
of two Irish soldiers created great
Limburg-on-the-Lahan. The other
Limburgs are: the smallest of the
nine provinces of Belgium; the small
est province of Holland; and Limburg-
on-the-Lenne, also called Hohenlim-
burg. OF course, there should be no
confusion of these places with the Ga
lician city which is spelled Lemburg.
"Limburg-on-the.Lahan is one of the
Oldest towns of Germany. 1t is stu
ated in the principally Of Hesse-Nas.
sau and is 80 miles east of the import
ant Rhenish city of Coblenz. AS a
prison camp it has the advantage Of
being comparatively near the battle
fronts of France and Belgium, yet suf-
ficiently far removed to be out of the
danger zone Of possible raid and res
cue. 1t is at least 100 miles in an air
line northeast of Verdun, the nearest
important point of conflict at the pre-
sent time, and lies 100 miles directly
east Of Malmedy, a town on the Ger
man-Belgium frontier. Germany s
great cathedral city, Cologne, is 65
miles in an airline to the northeast.
AT the outbreak of the war Lin
burg was a town of slightly less than
10000 inhabitants, and its chief inter
ests were tobacco factories, soap and
pottery works, machine shops and
breweries. To the east along the Lain
extends the Limburg Basin, for three
or four miles, and it is probably in this
plain that the English prisoners are
confined.
One of the exasperating features
of being a prisoner in Limburg must
be the recollection to many of the Eng
lish unfortunates that at this very sea
son OF the year in peace times they
were wont to flock to the famous
baths of Ems, just 20 miles down the
river Ems was accustomed to enter
tanning 10000 visitors during July and
! August, and the sufferers from pull
monary troubles gathered there from
all parts of Europe and the British
Isles.
Another interesting town in the vi
entity of Limburg is Nassau, II miles
to the west. 1t was here that the
great German statesman, Baron Stein
was born and spent his youth. Steil
was largely instrumental in saving
Prussia after Napoleon had imposed
the drastic terms of the treaty oftil
sit, for although he had only shor
time before been dismissed by hi
sovereign as a refractory, insolent
obstinate and disobedient official
when the critical moment arrived tn,
baron was the pre.eminently stronl
figure to whom Frederick William
could turn.
| During the middle ages Limbur
belonged to the counts of Langau, bu
early in the 18th century this line be
came extinct and the city passed III
der the jurisdiction of the Electors o
Treves, who governed the city 70
nearly 400 years.
THE most interesting building i
Limburg is the famous seven-towere
cathedral, whose history dates bac
} to 800. 1t was founded by the power
full Sale Count OF NiederlahanguI
Conrad Kurzbold, the remains c
whose castle adjons the church. TIL
present structure was erected in 121.
AZ, and was restored during the las
quarter of the 18th century.
"One of the most famous bridges |
Germany is the one which spans tn
Lain here. IL was built in 1916 an
stands as a remarkable monument
the engineering skill of six centurie
ago. A few miles up the river, PEREZ
ed on rocky eminence Is another al
cient structure, the famous old churc
of Dietkirchen, built in sol.
"Limburg is esteemed in the histor
of Austria as the place where Arc
duke Charles defeated the French u
der Jourdan in 1896.
zone of the most highly priced po
sessions of this city is the famous Lii
e burg Chronicle. or Fest Limpurgense
Il source for the history of Rhinelar
!. during the l4th century and especial
|, valuable on account of the light
4 throws on the German manners al
:, customs OF that period and for its pr
l servation of old German folk.songs.
: ut is n common error to think
this city of Limburg as the place ma,
notorious by a certain brand Of odoI
) ferrous cheese, but the dairy produ
the subject of many jests, original,
in the province of Luttich Belgium
In the neighborhood of Herve and W,
first marketed in Limburg Belgium
Its manufacture has spread throul
p Germany and Austria and large quar-
\ tiles of 1t are made now in New 70
and Wisconsin,"
The Proof Of the Pudding Is In ri