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.