The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-06
LIFE UNDER HUM
WAS LIVING HE'LL
EngIishman 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 Futile-Fined
Indiscriminately.

London.-Life under the German
heel is wildly portrayed in the diary
of Mi. Humphrey Page, an English
man who lived four years in Brugcs
during the German occupation Events
are recorded showing determined at
tempts by the German officers 10 break
the spirit of the Belgian residents
proved futile. The qualifications of
kutur-rule also are shown. Here are
some of the events, sketchily told:
In September, 1916, the Bruges city
council was directed TO find Il speci-
fled number of workmen for the Ger
mans under penalty of $4,000 fine for
each days delay. All who refused to
work were imprisoned.
NJ Schrauvune, leading attorney,
discussing this affair with Belrians
in Il cafe, said he would not work for
the Germans, and considered Bel
gians who did as towards. The next
day the attorney was summoned her
fore the German commander, fined
$3.50, sent to Sedan for six months
hard 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
passport containing his photo. 1t
was punishable offense to EXHIBIT
portraits Of the Belgian king and
queen. German officers stood at
church doors to coniiscate 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-
dent had TO remain indoors after 8
p. m, an especial hardship for the
poor in summertime.
One of the sources of income to the
German oyerlords was fines inflicted
on persons whose watches or clocks
kept Belgian time, instead OF Ger.
man, as ordered by the kaiser.
An oifseer sent to inspect the con-
vent Of st. Andre, girls school, re-
ported that the sister who showed
him around hid wrist watch show
ing Belgian time. The sister was
fined $3.50. A Grand Place shopkeep-
er was imprisoned three months for
telling an officer Belgian instead Of
German time.
With the beginning Of 1917 prices
of all commodities scared. A pound
of starch cost $3.50, an ordinary
candle GO cents, ordinary shoes SO to
$50 pair, re-soling same SO, while
dress goods and flannels became so
expensive only the wealthy could buy.
Food supplies We're unsatisfactory
and the Germans did nothing TO ale
viate them.
In November, 1917, metals of all
sorts, especially brass and copper,
we're confiscated, German soldiers
going from house to house and build
ing to building to strip away the
metal.
Uses Funeral for Propaganda.
on February ., 1917, some German
planes dropped bombs by mistake on
Sruges. Won Buttlar, commandment
decided the funeral Of the victims
could he utilized for propaganda pur
! poses He got Il wreath and pho
tographer. and while the mourner'
were about the grave, made them line
up, put himself in the center and hat
the scene recorded. On September 3
1917, allied armcn dropped bombs at
the Basin and were fired at from ST
CroX. Shells fell in Brugcs, KILN.
Il dozen people. The German oilicer'
refused to allow funeral mass notices
to be posted unless the tine "klllct
by English shells" was added. Thu
Bclgians refused and the notices were
torn down.
Two Germans constructed bomb
proof cellars accommodating 200 I,
1000 persons each. While cxcavatnI
they came upon 5000 hidden bottles
of wine belonging to VI. Ganshof. Tn
wine was taken without payment
The bomb-proofs were for German
aud people in small houses wlthou
cellars had TO take their chances Il
night, although they could use tn
"publlc refugees" in daytime.