The Detroit times., 1916-09-11
DIARY OF A FRENCH VILLAGE PRIEST
DURING THE BATTLE OF THE MARINE
German Wounded Fill Church, Hundreds Buried in Trenches

Baron Won Worlharts. who seemed
fattered at my request. The Boches
were happy To see ne. Even those
who called themselves Evangelist"
welcomed me with Joy. | had pre-
pared a few German phrases. wish
ing them a prompt cure, and assur-
Ing them that they were not badly
hurt When | left they smiled at
me. shook my hand, and wished me
"au revoir."
Soon all the army of the Kron-
prinz passed through on their way
south. rapidly. In good order. They
marched at the eye and inger, We
victims of the moment were obliged
10 recognize in these rascals the
force, the solidity. and the disci-
pline They watched us as though
they were astonished They had en-
tered into a new and rich country.
When they came &c us they found
all in abundance. When they left
they left nothing behind have
heard OF their men who ate beet
roots. do not believe II, though
have seen one eat a raw heart OF
cabbage. Put thai was his taste,
not his necessity.
There were not enough surgeons
TO deal with 1000 wounded men. The
wounds remained six and seven
days without being dressed. The
gangrene and worse happened 10
them, so that the odor became in
I sufferable Two wounded. suffering
from tetanus, were locked in the
sacristy, and II was at great trouble
that we succeeded in passing them
water through the broken window
panes The doctors worked with
zeal have seen them work. There
was among them a professor OF the
University of Tubingen, dlstin-
guished man who spoke coed
French. Another, already old, with
a long, white beard often asked me
10 come and talk with him. We
spoke OF everything except the war.
He was brave man. He did not
blum DR.. Friedal was always ready
to do me n service. The chief sur
seon. Herr Weber. was always
courteous and kindly. The orderlies
did their tasks well. They took care
OF themselves frst. but they did not
neglect the soldiers
There were at Triaucourt two
Catholic chaplains, who did not
leave me a good impression. For
them, as for the vulgar soldier. the
kaiser Is all, above all They held
against France all the odious preju-
dices of their comrades.
One OF them had the spirit OF ra-
pine He showed me things he hai
taken from ravlshed dwellings. and
demanded my spectacle case in
which 20 carry his vials Of holy oils.
He did not got IL. When he left he
said.
After the war we shall cor
respond"
| I have no desire TO hear OF him
or 20 see him again in this world
or the next The other chaplain per-
formed his duty worthily However.
one felt they we're above all Prus-
slams and soldiers. A Protestant
chaplain was there also Had il not
been for the cross he wore one
would have taken him for some sort
OF an officer.
As the men died in the hospitals
they were laid in the court ward or
stable. Whom seveh or eight bodies
had been collected they werc placed
on little wagon and hauled TO the
cemetery. At first the 1cutons
/ hauled this wagon by hand. very
doclely presided over these fu-
| nerals turn BY turn With VI. Able
Feuuette, evacue OF Gercourt The
| Germans were rather numerous at
The first burials During the pray
ers OF the priest they held them
selves uncovered and respectful. and
afterward each threw a pinch OF
earth on the bodies OF their com
rades This respect did not last.
They had no respect for the living,
why should they have for tho dead
Twenty-Seven French soldiers and
IN Germans are inferred in our
cemetery. Four Boches are buried
| elsewhere.
Later the burial corvees were
made by the French prisoners After
their departure, by the men of the
village. who displayed great deyo-
ton, working all day without wine
and almost without food The bodies