Court of the Government-General at Brussels.
Present:
Dr. IVERS, Judge of Military Law.
Secretary, RAMBEAU.
LOUVAIN, _September 17th, 1914_.
Station Buildings.
During the judicial proceedings of the Court of the Government-General
at Brussels for the purpose of ascertaining whether any German military
persons, and, if so, which, were guilty and deserving of punishment for
the burning down of Louvain, there appeared as witness:
Lieutenant-Colonel (Active List) Schweder, commanding 2nd Mobile
Landsturm Infantry Battalion Neuss, who made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Max Karl Schweder, born in Posen on April
24th, 1856; Protestant.
As to Case: On Monday, August 24th, 1914, the Landsturm Battalion
Neuss, coming from Neuss, arrived in Tirlemont, and was immediately
detrained. I went with my Staff by motor to Louvain, where I arrived
about 6.30 p.m. It was my intention to prepare everything for the
drawing up and quartering of the Company v. Sandt. The company also
arrived at Louvain at 8.10 p.m.; it was quartered near the station,
with closed ranks in an alarm quarter. I, 1st Lieutenant v. Sandt,
1st Surgeon Dr. Berghausen, and Adjutant-Lieutenant Lamberts took up
our quarters at an hotel opposite. The night of August 24th to August
25th was quiet. On August 25th, at 6 a.m., began the marching of the
troops of the IX. Reserve Army Corps through Louvain towards Malines,
coming from Liège. On the 25th there were only about 100 men in Louvain
of the v. Sandt Company, because about 100 men were told off for
guard and sentries. As far as I know, no other troops were present
in Louvain on Tuesday, August 25th, except this company. During the
day, until 5 o'clock p.m., the town was perfectly quiet. At 5 o'clock
Staff-Major-General, 17th Reserve Division, v. Rosenberg appeared and
ordered the company to be ready at the north-west exit of Louvain. I
and 1st Lieutenant v. Sandt immediately led the company there and drew
it up, covered by the crest of a small hill. The company lay there from
5.45 till 7 o'clock at this point without taking part in the fight,
which, as far as I remember, had already begun at 11 a.m. on both sides
of the main road Mechlin-Louvain, and the main points of attack were
Herent and Bueken.
Shortly after 7 o'clock I ordered 1st Lieutenant v. Sandt to march
back with his company and to draw it up ready at the station at
Louvain, because I felt that the company was more necessary there
than outside the town. I myself went on foot through the town, which
was almost devoid of troops, to the station. I saw some isolated
persons and several of the inhabitants in small groups standing in
front of the houses and walking about in the streets. The houses were
everywhere dark. Of the German forces I saw in the evening only a few
baggage-carts accompanied by small detachments.
About 500 paces from the station, in the Rue Leopold, I saw suddenly
the flash of a rocket across the station road. At the same moment
firing took place from all surrounding houses, from windows, attics,
cellar gratings, upon me and upon the German soldiers near--about
fifteen men, who were in the street either singly or were following
their baggage, which was ahead of them. I emphasise particularly the
point that before the rocket went up the streets were perfectly quiet,
and that the soldiers went quite quietly and harmlessly on their way.
I assert distinctly that neither a German officer nor a German soldier
had once fired upon the inhabitants of Louvain before this attack
began. I collected about ten soldiers, with whom I went to the station,
part of them going on one side of the road and part of them on the
other. On the way, a distance of about 500 metres, I with my men, about
ten of them, were fired at from the houses of this street, so that we
were continually under a hail of bullets. During this march I ordered
my soldiers to reply to the fire directed upon them.
When I arrived at the station, 1st Lieutenant v. Sandt's company was
already fighting the inhabitants of the surrounding houses, who fired
from the roofs, windows, and cellar windows. I immediately placed
myself in the firing-line and took part in the fight with a rifle; 1st
Lieutenant v. Sandt did the same. About ten minutes later there was a
pause in the firing, which I made use of for sending strong patrols
into the nearest houses, from which firing had taken place, to bring
out the inhabitants. I took the company straight back to the station.
One non-commissioned officer and five men of the company were wounded,
several by small-shot.
In the course of the evening His Excellency v. Boehn appeared with a
few officers, and I and 1st Lieutenant v. Sandt had to give a general
report.
I finally add that, with short intervals, the inhabitants fired during
the whole night from their houses, and also from the group of houses to
the east of the station.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: MAX SCHWEDER.
The witness was then sworn.
Signed: Dr. IVERS. Signed: RAMBEAU.