Present:
President of the Court, SCHWEINITZ.
Secretary, LIPS.
NEUFCHÂTEL, _March 2nd, 1915_.
In the inquiry concerning the events in Dinant there appeared as
witness, 1st Lieutenant of Reserve Freiherr von Rochow, who stated:
As to Person: My name is Heinrich Bernhard Wichart Freiherr von Rochow.
I am 30 years old; Protestant; 1st Lieutenant of Reserve Uhlan Regiment
No. 17, now Commander of the Cavalry Staff Escort of the General
Command, XII. Army Corps.
As to Case: On August 23rd, 1914, I reached Les Rivages at nightfall,
and saw at the crossing-place a great heap of corpses. In the course of
the evening, when the crossing was in progress and things had become
quieter, we saw that some wounded were among them. These were brought
away. I myself saw a girl of about eight years with an injured face,
and an older woman with a shot in the upper part of the thigh taken to
the women prisoners and handed over to the doctor. I remained until
the bridge was finished the next day. Up till then shots were being
fired again and again, obviously by the inhabitants. The houses were
searched by field-police. The people who were in them were examined,
and in the course of this I also acted as interpreter. Two men, from
whose house there had been firing, and in whose pockets ammunition was
found, were shot. A woman was not shot, although a loaded revolver was
found on her, because her guilt was not fully established.
The guilt of every single person was dispassionately considered by the
officers present.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Freiherr VON ROCHOW.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: SCHWEINITZ. Signed: LIPS.