LOUVAIN, _November 14th, 1914_.
Court of the Government-General of Belgium.
Present:
President, STEMPEL.
Secretary, STEMPER.
On citation there appears the witness Albert Lemaire, aged 37,
professor of medicine, chief physician of St. Peter's Hospital at
Louvain, living in the Leopoldstrasse, and he declared:
In the afternoon of August 25th German Landwehr (I do not know the
number of the regiment) was quartered on me. The Germans behaved
quietly and decently. Later on they marched out in consequence of
an alarm. Later on in the evening, whilst taking supper with my
family, I heard violent firing in the street. We fled to the cellar.
Between 11 and 12 o'clock (Belgian time) I went once from there into
the garden. There I was several times fired at, but owing to the
darkness I cannot tell by whom. Previously I heard a German call out,
"Louvain is on fire." I could see from my garden various reflections
of conflagrations. I did not see civilians fire from houses or in
the streets. Nearly all the houses of doctors and professors in the
Leopoldstrasse are burned down.
On the following day I had my family taken to the hospital by two
German soldiers for safety's sake. On Thursday, August 27th, the
bombardment and destruction of the town was announced. I went to the
country with my family. On my return I found my house burned down.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Professor Dr. ALBERT LEMAIRE.
After the importance of the oath had been pointed out, the witness
was sworn according to regulations. The examination took place in the
German language.
Signed: STEMPEL. Signed: STEMPER.