The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-12-20
Englishman Tells of Four Years
in Bruges During 0ccupa-
ton. -
CRUELTY or KULTUR rule
Determined Efforts by German Officers
to Break Spirit of Belgian Resi-
dents Prove FutiIe-Fined
y. Unfortunately.


of Mr.. Humphrey Page, an English
man who lived four years in Bruges
during the German occupation. Events
are recorded showing determined at
tempts by the German officers to break
the spirit Of the Belgian residents
proved futile. The ramifcations Of
kultur-rule also are shown. Here are
some Of the events, sketchily told:
In September, 1916, the Bruges city
council was directed to find speci-
fed number of workmen for the Ger
mans under penalty Of $4,000 fine for
each days delay. All who refused to
work were imprisoned. +
M. Schrauyune, leading attorney,
discussing this affair with Belgians
in a cafe, said he would not work for
the Germans, and considered Bel
CLANS who did as towards. The next
day the attorney was summoned be-
fore the German commander, fined
$3.50, sent to Sedan for six months
bard labor, but never was returned.
There were all sorts Of petty
tyranny. French and English adver-
tisements on buildings had to be re-
moved. Even printed funeral notices
In French were forbidden.
Ban on Kings Picture.
No resident over ten years old was
allowed to be in the streets without
n passport containing his photo. 1t
was q punishable offense to exhibit
portraits of the Belgian king and
queen. German officers stood at
church doors to confiscate coins, worn
as brooches or lockets, bearing the
likeness Of the Belgian king.
No one was allowed to be on the
streets after s p. m. Occasionally,
when the whole town was punished
for some alleged offense, every resi-
p. M, an especial hardship for the
poor in summertime.
One of the sources of income to the
German overlords was fines inflicted
on persons whose watches or clocks
kept Belgian time, instead Of Ger
man, as ordered by the kaiser.
An officer sent to inspect the con.
vent Of st. Andre, a girls school, re-
ported that the sister who showed
him around had wrist watch show
ing Belgian time. The sister was
fined $3.50. A Grand Place shopkeep-
or was imprisoned three months for
telling an officer Belgian instead Of
German time. ~ ...t ~
With the beginning of 1917 prices
Of all commodities scared. A pound
Of starch cost $3.50, an ordinary
candle go cents, ordinary shoes SIS to
$50 a pair, re~soling same So, while
dress goods and fiannels became so
expensive only the wealthy could buy.
Food supplies were unsatisfactory
and the Germans did nothing to allie
vlate them.
/. In November. 1917, metals of all
sorts, especially brass and copper,
were confiscated, German soldiers
going from house to house and build
Ing to building to strip away the
metal. r~~t"x gs@ss~ ,s,tx.
Uses Funeral for Propaganda.
On February 2, 1917. some German
planes dropped bombs by mistake on
Bruges. Won Buttlar, commandant,
decided the funeral Of the victims
could be utilized for PROPAGANDA pnr-
poses. He got wreath and a pho
tographer, and while the mourners
were about the grave, made them line
up, put himself in the center and had
the scene recorded. On September 3,
1917, allied airmen dropped bombs at
the Bassin and were fred at from St.
Croix. Shells fell In Bruges, killing
q dozen people. The German officers
refused to allow funeral mass notices
to be posted unless the line "killed
by English shells' was added. The
Belgians refused and the notices were
torn down. .....
Two Germans constructed bomb
proof cellars accommodating 200 to
1000 persons each. While excavatlng
they came upon 5000 hidden bottles
Of wine belonging to NJ. Ganshof. The
wine was taken without payment.
The bomb-proofs were for Germans
and people in small houses without
cellars had to take their chances at
night, although they could use the
'public refugees" In daytime.