Present:
President of the Court, SCHWEINITZ.
Secretary, LIPS.
NEUFCHÂTEL, _March 2nd, 1915_.
In the inquiry concerning the events in Dinant there appeared as
witness Major von Zeschau, who stated:
As to Person: My name is Karl Adolf Heinrich von Zeschau. I am 46 years
old; Protestant; Major and Adjutant, General Command, XII. Army Corps.
As to Case: On the 23rd of August 1914 I arrived at the Meuse in Les
Rivages at 6 p.m. All the houses were closed; none of the inhabitants
were to be seen. The Grenadiers stood in column of route on the by-road
which enters Les Rivages, the head of the column at the valley road. I
inquired whether the houses had been searched. Thereupon a patrol was
dispatched to search the houses, and an acting-sergeant-major reported
to me that the houses were empty. I stayed there about a quarter of an
hour and watched the effect of our artillery on the houses on the left
bank of the Meuse. At this time there came along by the valley road
from Dinant a number of inhabitants--men, women, and children--who were
held up by the Grenadiers.
As the bridge was half finished and some pontoons with Grenadiers
were at the opposite bank, my task was finished and I returned to the
Commanding General. When I again returned to the bridge-head at Les
Rivages there lay there a heap of corpses. I learned that shortly after
my departure there had been firing from the seemingly empty houses. In
the night several hundred inhabitants who had come from Dinant arrived
at the crossing-place. These were well treated; many women and children
were also provided with provisions by the soldiers.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: VON ZESCHAU.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: SCHWEINITZ. Signed: LIPS.