The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-03
XVIII
Won Forstner's Assault ON the
Lame Shoemaker Of
Zabern.

The report Of the Zabern occur
panoes caused immense exritament
kh1oughout Germany. A great out
cry went up against miiitarisn, even
In quarters where no socialisttc ten
Ran0laS existed. This feeling was not
Aalped BY the fact that the general
commanding the Fifteenth army, TO
which the Zabern regiment belonged.
sW1M an exponent OF extreme mill
A1risfic ideas, man who several years
= before the reichstag and debating
TROOPS, representing the war ministry
before the Reichstag and debating
khere the question of the number OF
troops to he kept in German South
west Africa. had most clearly shown
bis contempt for the reichstag.
Colonel Won Reuter- and Lieutenant
Echad. when court -martiaied for their
nets In ordering the troops to move
against the civilian population. claim
I'd the benefit of Prussian law of
,yAS3o. which provided that in any
nifty. town or village the highest mill
tk9ry ofiioer In command must assume
kne authority usually vested in the
utvfl government whenever for any
reason the civil administration neg
lscts to keep order. The colonel and
lieutenant were subsequently, acquit-
Ned on the ground that they had acted
under me provisions OF THIS law
The excitement throughout Ger
many was further increased by other
circumstances. The emperor remain
cd during these critical days at Do
naueschingen. the princely estate of
his friend and favorite, Prince Fur
stenberg, enjoying himself with fox
hunting. torehiight professions and
cabaret performances. OF course, all
this had been arranged long before
any one dreamed Of any trouble In
Zabern, and the emperor could scarce
Fly be expected to realize the gravity
OF the situation which suddenly arose.
But this very fact created bad I'm
preston 1t was ,eveu rumored that
Y the emf press, alarmed by the sit
uation. had ordered a train 10 be
made ready in order to go to him
and try TO convince him OF the neces-
sity OF returning to Berlin.
The newly appointed minister OF
war. Falkenhayn. went to Donaua-
schingen. where he WAS Joined by
Won neimling This action aggra-
waited the situation, because the pub
lie concluded that the emperor would
hear the advice and report of military
officers only:
The sudden death by heart failure
of the emperor's closet friend, Won
Hulsen. chief Of the emperors mill
tary cabinet, during "A banquet al
nonauesc hingen. gave the rapidly de-
vesoping events 81 tragic ard: rnystsYi-
Gus coloring. and these conferences In
Donaueschingen resulted In the ten
dering of their designations by the
vteroy. Won Wedel, and secretary OF
ytate. Zorn Gulack, viceroy and sec
rotary of state OF Alsace- Lorraine
who felt that the military party had
gained an upper hand in the conflict
with the civi1 authorities. The chan
oellor then hurried to Donaueschtn-
ron. arriving a few hours before
chs departure OF the emperor. and 8
subsequent order OF the emperor to
General Won DeinllinR to zee 10 II that
the military officers did not overstep
their authority and directing him 10
investigate the occurrences and take
measures to punish all guilty parties
pomewhat quieted the nation and
rausod the highest two civil officials
Cf Alsace-Lorraine to withdraw their
designations.
ZAbern, where brigadier general
had been sent by Won Defining to
.festore civil government, had begun
80 quiet down. But the chancellor
had hardly returned to Berltn when
lAno<her incident stirred Germany,
white practicinR field service In the
Meighborhood of~zahern and march
png through village. Lieutenant Won
Worstner had an alteration with a
Flame shoemaker and cut him down
This brutal act OF militarism caused
4 new outburst throughout Germany
Forstncr was later tried by court
| martial for hitting and wounding an
unArmed civilian and sentenced by
tho lower court to one years fmpris-
onment. but acquitted by the higher
court al having acted in supposed
| 1aif. defense"
No less than three parties. the Cen
trum. the Pr~Hressives and the So.
c1al Democrats. addressed interpella-
tions to the chancellor about this
/ occurrence at Zabern
/ was present at the debate In the