Part 18
In the inquiry concerning the violations of International Law committed against German troops, there appeared as witness Medical Non-commissioned Officer Ostmann of the 5th Company, Grenadier Regiment No. 101, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Otto Eduard Ostmann, 26 years old; Protestant; shop assistant by trade.
As to Case: On the evening of August 23rd, 1914, when it was getting dark, my company entered Les Rivages. It halted in the street at the beginning of the place. As there was no medical non-commissioned officer farther on, I went as far as the crossing-place over the Meuse and stood close by in the middle of the street. There was no one in the street in my immediate neighbourhood.
While I was facing the houses where some civilians were standing, a shot fell from a house to the right of me; I immediately felt a stinging pain under my right eye and felt blood running down my cheek.
My Battalion-Surgeon, Dr. Haupt, after examining the wound, said that a small shot had grazed me. The shot could only have been meant for me, since I was the only person standing in an open space of 2 metres in circumference.
I had duly put on the Geneva Cross band, which was visible.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: OTTO EDUARD OSTMANN.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: NAUMANN. Signed: SCHWARZBACH.
C. App. 73.
Present: Military Magistrate, NAUMANN. Secretary of the Military Court, SCHWARZBACH.
LA MALMAISON, _December 5th, 1914_.
In the inquiry concerning the violations of International Law committed against German troops, there appeared as witness Transport Soldier of Reserve Müller, 2nd Field Pioneer Company, Pioneer Battalion No. 12, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
My name is Emil Erwin Müller, 26 years old; Protestant; fruit grower.
On the afternoon of August 25th, 1914, in company with Non-commissioned Officer Fehrmann, I saw a number of bodies of civilians and that of a woman lying in front of a house in a cross-street in Dinant. We entered the house. In the room on the right there lay an officer--a lieutenant of Infantry Regiment No. 182--a sofa-cushion under his head; his head and a part of his chest were covered with a white cloth. All three civilians wore the uniform of Infantry Regiment No. 182. In the adjoining room there lay stretched out dead a non-commissioned officer and five privates of the same regiment.
I lifted up the cloth covering the lieutenant and saw that he had received a shot in the head. I did not see any further injuries to the officer.
One of the privates who lay beside the lieutenant had his trousers unbuttoned in front so that one could see his body. This soldier had a shot in the lower part of the body. Extending from the larynx to at least 10 cm. to the left was a cut which was bloody and the edges were probably 1 cm. apart. The blood had flowed down towards the side. I am convinced that it could only have been a wound from a cut.
In the other room the trousers of one of the soldiers were unbuttoned so that one could see the body. This man had a cut or stab wound in the lower body about 3 cm. wide. The clothing of the remaining soldiers showed no disarrangement, they all bore shot-wounds.
The scene conveyed the impression that the officer, the non-commissioned officer and the men had been attacked in their sleep by the inhabitants in that quarter. I infer this from the fact that the officer had a sofa-cushion and the others either a cloth or a knapsack under their heads. The rifles stood in a corner.
In the house with Fehrmann and myself was also Pioneer of Reserve Kretzschmann.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: EMIL ERWIN MÜLLER.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: NAUMANN. Signed: SCHWARZBACH.
C. App. 74.
By order of the Rifle (Fusilier) Regiment "Prinz Georg" No. 108 there appeared Staff-Surgeon of Reserve Dr. Holey, who, having been warned to speak the whole truth, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Franz Alfred Holey. I was born on September 21st, 1878; Protestant; practising physician in civil life, during the war, Staff-surgeon and battalion-surgeon with the 3rd Battalion, Rifle (Fusilier) Regiment No. 108.
As to Case: On August 23rd, as we were proceeding to Dinant, my attention was drawn by Major von der Pforte, a short distance from Dinant, to the body of a German soldier, who had been fastened with wire by the hands and feet to pegs which had been driven into the ground. The body was almost completely carbonised, and to all appearances some highly inflammable liquid had been poured over it. According to the state of the existing lines of demarcation, the man must have been burnt alive. By the remains of the uniform, particularly the buttons, he was plainly to be recognised as a German soldier.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Dr. HOLEY, Staff-Surgeon of Reserve.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Further remark: The body lay in the neighbourhood of an estate near the marble quarries.
Signed: LOSSOW, Lieutenant and Officer of the Court. Signed: SCHUBERT, Acting-Sergeant-Major and Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 75.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve DACHSEL, as Officer of the Court. Non-commissioned Officer of Reserve STEIGER, as Clerk of the Court.
LA VILLE-AUX-BOIS, NEAR PONTARVET, _March 6th, 1915_.
By request of the Imperial German Court of Justice of the General Government in Belgium there appeared by order as witness Corporal of Reserve Wahl, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, and he had been warned to speak the whole truth, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Hermann Kurt Wahl, 22 years old; Protestant; Corporal of Reserve, 5th Company, Rifle (Fusilier) Regiment No. 108; shop assistant at Deuben, near Dresden.
As to Case: On the march to Dinant on August 23rd, I saw lying in a ditch by the road to the east of the Sorinnes-Dinant road a dead Jäger. His hands and feet were bound together with wire. The body was otherwise completely charred. I was only able to recognise that he was a Jäger by the articles of equipment lying near.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: HERMANN KURT WAHL.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: DACHSEL. Signed: STEIGER.
C. App. 76.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve DACHSEL, as Officer of the Court. Non-commissioned Officer of Reserve STEIGER, as Clerk of the Court.
LA VILLE-AUX-BOIS, _March 7th, 1914_.
By order there appeared as witness Rifleman Willkommen, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, and he had been warned to speak the truth, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Paul Robert Willkommen, rifleman, 7th Company, Rifle (Fusilier) Regiment No. 108; 22 years old; Protestant.
As to Case: On the afternoon of August 23rd, I found a completely charred body quite close to an estate near Dinant, where we had set up a dressing-station. On closer inspection it proved to be a Saxon Jäger whose hands and feet had been tied up. He lay in the ditch close to the road. We covered him with straw. That he was a Saxon Jäger I recognised with certainty from his buttons and other articles of equipment.
On this day, before we marched through Dinant and crossed the Meuse, my company made a halt at an estate near Dinant. The inhabitants of the estate--several men, women, and children--fetched us water. I and several of my comrades gave in return some cigars to the men and sweetstuff to the children.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: PAUL ROBERT WILLKOMMEN.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: DACHSEL. Signed: STEIGER.
C. App. 77.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve DACHSEL, as Officer of the Court. Non-commissioned Officer of Reserve STEIGER, as Clerk of the Court.
LA VILLE-AUX-BOIS, _March 7th, 1915_.
There appeared by order as witness Corporal Oehmigen, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, and he had been warned to speak the truth, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Otto Albert Oehmigen; corporal, 6th Company, Rifle (Fusilier) Regiment No. 108; 23 years old; Protestant.
As to Case: Before we marched through Dinant on August 23rd I saw in a cabbage field near Dinant the body of a Saxon Jäger with a charred face lying on his back. He lay in the middle of the field, not by the road. I did not notice whether his feet and arms were tied.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: OTTO ALBERT OEHMIGEN.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: DACHSEL. Signed: STEIGER.
C. App. 78.
PROUVAIS, _February 24th, 1915_.
By order of Field Artillery Regiment No. 12 there appeared as witness this day Captain von Lippe of the Light Munitions Columns, 2nd Division, 1st Field Artillery Regiment No. 12, in order to be examined on oath regarding the occurrences in Dinant. Captain von Lippe stated:
As to Person: My name is Fritz von Lippe. I am 40 years old; Protestant; estate-tenant by calling, attached to the Light Munitions Column of the 2nd Division, Field Artillery Regiment No. 12.
As to Case: On August 23rd, 1914, behind the firing position of the 2nd Division, 1st Field Artillery Regiment No. 12, I saw the bodies of a rifleman and a Jäger. One had his eyes gouged out, and the other lay half burnt under a heap of straw with hands and feet tied together.
Captain von Lippe testified his statements on oath, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: FRITZ VON LIPPE. Signed: HAASE, 1st Lieutenant and Officer of the Court.
C. App. 79.
ST. ERME, _December 17th, 1914_.
## Acting-Sergeant-Major Göpfert, after the importance of the oath had
been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Oswald Emil Göpfert. I am 27 years old; Protestant; battalion drummer, 3rd Battalion, Infantry Regiment No. 178.
As to Case: When my battalion was entering Leffe, numerous shots came from almost all the houses. We supposed at first that the shots came from soldiers; however, it could only have been civilians, since no soldiers were found in the houses. I saw with my own eyes that a civilian fired at and wounded Captain Franz. Only the men who were implicated in the firing from the houses were shot, while the old men, women, and children were taken to the convent. I was myself present when an old man, who had been fetched out of a house, was separated from the guilty civilians and taken to the convent.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: GÖPFERT.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: STARKE, Officer of the Court.
C. App. 80.
GUIGNICOURT, _January 8th, 1915_.
_Deposition._
There appeared, as witness, Lieutenant of Reserve Löser of the 5th Company, (Guards) Grenadier Regiment No. 100, who, having been warned to speak the truth, made the following statement:
My name is Walter Löser. I am 28 years old; Protestant; Forest-referendary on the State Forest Preserves, Elster II. at Adorf in Saxony.
As to Case: On entering Dinant the 5th Company, (Guards) Grenadier Regiment No. 100, was ordered to fire only at civilians who were themselves shooting at our troops. The order was everywhere complied with. No atrocities were committed by our troops. I even know of cases where our troops treated with the greatest consideration the innocent inhabitants of Dinant, who evidently were suffering under the critical condition of the time. I remember to have seen how the men of our regiment carried infirm old people and children through the rows of burning houses with the intention of rescuing them.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: LÖSER, Lieutenant of the Reserve.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: VON LOEBEN, Lieutenant and Officer of the Court. Signed: BAIER, Non-commissioned Officer and Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 81.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve KLEBERGER, as Officer of the Court. Sergeant RICHTER, as Military Clerk of the Court.
ORAINVILLE, _March 17th, 1915_.
Summoned as witness there appeared Non-commissioned Officer of Reserve Teubner, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Georg Teubner. I am 26 years old; Catholic; by trade a locksmith at Schirgiswalde, now non-commissioned officer of Reserve, Machine-Gun Company, Infantry Regiment No. 103.
As to Case: In the night, after we had crossed the Meuse, two platoons of the Machine-Gun Company lay by the railway; an infantry guard lay opposite. In the house where the guard lay were already some civilians. In the early morning a Belgian woman came to us and gave us to understand by motions of the hands--we could not understand French--that somewhere a house was on fire, and that we were to help. We saw that something must be particularly amiss there, and some of the men followed the woman with tools (hatchets, etc.). I was not able to go at once myself. When, later, I was on my way to the burning house I met the men with the rescued civilians who had stayed in the cellars and had been buried by the débris. They were men, women, and children--among them a priest. The people were taken to the guard, and there examined; later they were again released.
In the last house of a village behind Dinant we found a large quantity of ammunition (shot and spear-like missiles), which were evidently placed there for use. In the gable-roof were openings similar to loopholes.
On the march farther I saw a civilian who had been shot lying by the corner of a house; he had a gun still in his hand--it was a double-barrelled sporting-gun.
Read over, approved.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: KLEBERGER, Lieutenant of Reserve and Officer of the Court. Signed: Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 82.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve KLEBERGER, as Officer of the Court. Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Court.
ORAINVILLE, _March 17th, 1915_.
Summoned as witness there appeared Corporal Richter, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Max Gustav Richter. I am 23 years old; Protestant; by trade a chairmaker at Bärenstein, now corporal, 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 103.
As to Case: The 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 103, after the fighting at Dinant; was detained to guard the bridge. Lieutenant Lemke was Local Commandant of the district allotted to us. We lay there four to five days. During these days Lieutenant Lemke had those civilians who were innocent taken to a house and looked after. The people received bread, meat, potatoes, and milk.
Read over, approved.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: KLEBERGER, Lieutenant of Reserve and Officer of the Court. Signed: Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 83.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve KLEBERGER, as Officer of the Court. Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
ORAINVILLE, _March 17th, 1915_.
Summoned as witness there appeared Lieutenant Lemke, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Martin Lemke, 27 years old; Protestant; merchant at Zürich, now Lieutenant of Reserve, 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 103.
As to Case: One night between the 23rd and the 26th August 1914, a large column of 3700 captured Belgian soldiers came through Dinant. I had been left behind with a platoon of the 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 103, as bridge-guard, and was, during the days named, Local Commandant of Dinant-Bouvignes. This long column of prisoners I lodged in double columns of route on the railway track in the neighbourhood of the station at Dinant. At intervals 100 paces I had lighted large wood-fires. Towards 3 o'clock a heavy fusillade broke out. Two Belgians jumped down from the railway embankment into the road and were shot by my sentries. A wounded Belgian was at once taken to the "Red Cross" near by, where a small-shot wound in the posterior was able to be ascertained with certainty. The firing with small shot came down from the wooded height on this side of the railway track amongst the resting column, and the result was, that a panic broke out among the prisoners, of which the two Belgians were the victims. The Belgian officers present, as well as the Mayor of Bouvignes, to whom I explained the affair, expressed their indignation about the francs-tireurs.
The inhabitants were well treated by the soldiers under my command. On August 24th a number of women, children, and men were fetched out of the cellar of a burning house on the road to Bouvignes by our soldiers at the risk of their lives. During those days I provided with victuals a total of over fifty inhabitants, mostly women, also children and various men belonging on the average to the better classes. Among them were also patients from the wrecked hospitals. An old lady who could not walk was carried by our soldiers to the "Red Cross." We provided the people with woollen coverings for the night, and gave up some mattresses from our district, which had been quite forsaken. For the invalids and a little child we provided milk. For the "Red Cross" in Bouvignes, where some twenty wounded French soldiers were lying, among them one Major and one 1st Lieutenant, we also provided victuals, especially flour for baking bread. The people could not adequately express their gratitude. The Lord of the Manor at Bouvignes, the Mayor of Bouvignes, a Mons. van Willmart of the same place, have taken a note of my home address in order, after the war, to inquire after my welfare. The people had all acquired a high opinion of Germany. Mons. van Willmart even wants to visit me after the war. A health-resort patient at Dinant, a legal official from Brussels, who was staying there with his two sisters, has written a card to my mother to testify his gratitude.
Read over, approved.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: KLEBERGER, Lieutenant of Reserve and Officer of the Court. Signed: Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 84.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve KLEBERGER, as Officer of the Court. Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
ORAINVILLE, _March 17th, 1915_.
Summoned as witness there appeared Captain Schröder, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Severin Schröder. I am 34 years old; Protestant; Captain and Company Chief, 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 103.
As to Case: My company was bridge-guard on the left Meuse bank from the 23rd to the 24th August. In some houses were from 150 to 200 civilian prisoners, among them also many women and some children. I had the provisions brought together from the partially destroyed houses in order to provide for my company. On the petition of some women for victuals I gave them bread, rice, and sausage, and some for the remainder of the civilians.
I had explained to the inhabitants that nothing would happen to them as long as they remained in the houses under the protection of the company. A number were let go at their request, as they did not appear to be under suspicion. Men who seemed open to suspicion were detained; some women remained voluntarily. When I was relieved, Lieutenant Lemke, who remained behind with his platoon, took over the prisoners.
Read over, approved.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: KLEBERGER, Lieutenant of Reserve and Officer of the Court. Signed: Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 85.
Present: Lieutenant of Reserve KLEBERGER, as Officer of the Court. Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
ORAINVILLE, _March 17th, 1915_.
Summoned as witness there appeared Captain von Lüder, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Georg von Lüder. I am 41 years old; Protestant; Captain and Battalion Commander, 2nd Battalion, Infantry Regiment No. 103.
As to Case: On August 23rd, 1914, as Company Chief, I led the Machine-Gun Company. This was transported late in the evening on pontoons across the Meuse. The company remained until midday of August 24th, on the other bank of the Meuse, to await the arrival of the vehicles which were to reach the left bank of the Meuse by the bridge erected by the Pioneers. When the vehicles arrived in the afternoon of August 24th the company marched off.
During the time the company remained on the left bank of the Meuse, inhabitants who had been arrested by the soldiers were continually being brought to a house which was situated next to the halting-place of the company. I saw the bringing of these inhabitants to the house, and can confirm that they were decently treated in every respect by the soldiers escorting them.
In the forenoon of August 24th my Regimental Commander, Major Hoch, came to the company and spoke to the inhabitants interned in the house. At their request he let many of them go free.
My impression was that the arrested inhabitants were very kindly treated. They were allotted a room for the night, and on the morning of August 24th were well and plentifully provided for.
Read over, approved.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: KLEBERGER, Lieutenant of Reserve and Officer of the Court. Signed: Sergeant RICHTER, as Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 86.
Present: Lieutenant OESER, as Officer of the Court.
## Acting-Sergeant-Major LIPPMANN, as Clerk of the Military Court.
PROUVAIS, _March 26th, 1915_.
There appeared for examination Lieutenant and Regimental Adjutant Florey, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Georg Friedrich Florey; 22-1/2 years old; Protestant; Lieutenant and Regimental Adjutant, Grenadier Regiment No. 101.
As to Case: With Lieutenant von Zenker of the 1st Company, I bandaged a man (inhabitant) in Les Rivages who had a gaping wound in the head. Later on I gave the men of my platoon the order to carry a woman of about eighty years from an already burning house and bring her into safety. My Grenadiers at once complied with this order and handed over this old lady for further care to other inhabitants. In Neffe I endeavoured to fetch a doctor for the wounded inhabitants.
At that time I was platoon leader in the 4th Company.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: FLOREY, Lieutenant and Regimental Adjutant.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: OESER, Lieutenant and Officer of the Court. Signed: LIPPMANN, Acting-Sergeant-Major and Clerk of the Military Court.
C. App. 87.
THE TRENCHES, _January 12th, 1915_.
By Regimental Order, Chief Surgeon of the Reserve, Dr. Marx, Assistant Surgeon of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Grenadier Regiment (Guards) No. 100, appears, and, being warned to speak the whole truth, makes the following deposition:
As to Person: My name is Karl Theodor Hans Marx. I was born on April 3rd, 1878, in Döbeln (Saxony); Evangelical-Lutheran; Senior Surgeon of the Reserve, 1st (Guards) Grenadier Regiment No. 100.