Washington Journal., 1921-02-11
THE Black Shame

In order to enable our readers to pre-
sent to their American friends not ia
miliar with the German language the
horrible facts of the Black Shame" in
the occupied territory of Germany, and
thus to enlist their support in protesting
against that abominable crime against
humanity, we reprint the following ex-
cerpt from "The Horror on the Rhine"
by Z. D. Morel. Printed by the Brit
ish) Union of Democratic Control, Lon
don, England, 1920:
"Brothels have been set up in many
German villages, who never knew one
before" declares Morel. This, OF
course, is a factor which always accom-
panies the permanent establishment OF
an army of occupation. Under the
French occupation the brothel ranks as
a military institution.
TOWN MUST PAY UPKEEP.
"Such accommodations have been pro-
vided for African troops at kreuznach,
Diez, Mainz, Kostheim, Bingen, Hochst-
on-Main and Langenschwalbach. The
latter town is saved expense, as a con-
tractor has taken on the job of manag-
ing this branch Of the military.
I'm most cases the town must pay for
upkeep of the brothel-it is part of the
first charge upon German In
some instances houses are selected out
of which the residents are bundled neck
and crop. This happened at Ludwigs-
hafen, L,anrau and ~Saarbucken among
various towns. At Landau the munich
patty also must pay for weekly exam
nations of the prostitutes.
"Firewood collected last summer by
| the authorities of Saarbrucken to help
in the coal shortage was requisitioned
to heat the brothel.
REGULATIONS ARE PUBLISHED.
Regulations for the brothel at Mum
,hen-G ladbach, issued in a French army
order, have recently been published in
LIE Populaire in Paris. 1t begins by ex-
planning that owing to the shortage OF
municipal funds no more than two
women are available to do this work
| md that they complain of being over
worked. So the brigadier-general, who
| signs the order, moved by a desire to
| avoid the disorderly scenes which he al
leges have been taking place, Celebrates
a timetable.
MEN coUNTRYSIDEs.
"We are asked to believe that tens of
| thousands of African troops, men IN
the prime of life, separated from their
womenkind, can be permanently sta
| toned among a European population
without deplorable social results.
Towns and villages and the roads
leading to them are alike unsafe. In
! ones and twos, sometimes in parties, big
| stalwart men from warmer climes,
armed with knife or pistol. living unnat-
ural lives of restraint, their fiery pas
| sions hot within them, roam the country
side.
"Woe to the girl returning to her vii
| lage home, or on the way to town with
produce, or at work alone hoeing in the
fields. Dark forms leap out from the
shadows of the trees, rise from the
corn where they have lain concealed.
Then-panic-stricken fight which often
| availeth not. y
HERE IS N OF 80.
Here is one of the 80 cases (this one
reported from Frankfort with a physi-
clans deposit attached:
In April, 1920, a black French soldier
forced his way into a woman's house,
assaulted her with extreme violence, al
most ~strangling her, dragged his victim
to the floor, sticking a knife in the wood
within reach Of his hand while he raped
her.
when she was released the woman
stumbled from her home and seeing a
party of white French soldiers, cried out
what had happened. She was told that
her assailant had not been home for two
years, and that these things must hap
pen. One of the soldiers, pointing to
her fair hair, remarked that the black
soldiers were especially partial to
blondes.
AGED WOMEN NOT SAL
"This is an average case; there are
others among the 80 which include beat
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