War Ministry.
Military Examination Office for Infringements of Laws of War.
BERLIN, _February 12th, 1915_.
Before the President at the War Ministry in Berlin, Dr. Grasshoff and
the Secretary Pahl, there appears to-day, without citation, Captain
Karl Friedrich von Esmarch (permanently living at his country seat,
Schönheim, Post Rinkenes, district of Apenrade, at present wounded in
Berlin, Club Hospital, Wilhelmstrasse 30, landowner).
The witness requests to be heard as such with regard to his
observation of the events at Louvain on August 25th, 1914.
The importance of the oath was pointed out to him, and he makes the
following statement:
As to Person: My name is Karl Friedrich von Esmarch, aged 40;
Protestant.
As to Case: On August 25th, 1914, I arrived at Louvain as Commandant
of the Headquarters of the Corps, IX. Reserve Army Corps. We arrived
in Louvain by train about 6 o'clock p.m. We detrained the horses and
the 1st Division. We were to march to a Belgian hussar barrack, take
in provisions, and move into quarters. On the way from the station to
the barracks the adjutant brought me the order to turn back because the
alarm was being raised as our troops were fighting about 10 km. outside
the town. The horses and 1st Division were therefore to go to the
Place du Peuple in Louvain, taking in provisions there, and the riding
horses were to follow on a new order. We rode to the place designated,
and drew up there. In the square stood a train column. The square was
therefore rather fully occupied on all four sides with vehicles and
horses. Gradually it became dark. Infantry regiments marched past us;
on the south-west side of the square they went in the direction of the
town hall. As I had only a few Staff guards to escort the hand-carts, I
asked a passing infantry regiment for a company as reinforcement. I had
become uneasy as to our safety for the following reason: At first the
streets were full, very full of inhabitants; towards the evening all
movement of the inhabitants suddenly stopped; the streets gave me the
impression of being deserted; I also noticed that generally the roller
shutters in the houses were down. I obtained the company and drew it
up on the north-west side of the square; I then rode to the opposite
(south-east) side of the square, where the forage master stood, in
order to urge him to hasten matters.
I had hardly arrived there when I heard a clock strike. I did not
count the strokes, there may have been eight or nine. It was already
perfectly dark. At the same moment I saw a green rocket go up above
the houses south-west of the place. Shortly afterwards the sound of
gun-fire came from the direction south-west of the place. This first
gun-fire was followed by general firing from all the houses round the
square itself; the firing was directed upon the German troops in the
square. The shots came from the closed shutters; one could clearly see
their flashes; holes must therefore have been bored previously in the
shutters. I now wanted to gallop to the company to make arrangements,
and as I could not ride through the whole park of vehicles I had to
ride round them, _i.e._ round the north-eastern part of the square.
In doing so I was shot from my horse on the north-eastern side of
the square. I heard distinctly the rattling of machine-guns, and the
bullets flew in great quantities all round me. I was severely hit by
five bullets; I also received a large number of grazing shots; my whole
coat was in rags. When I had fallen from the horse I was run over by a
baggage-cart, the horses of which bolted on account of the firing; I
was dragged to the corner of the square which separates the north-east
side from the north-west side. Here I remained lying under the cart
for about half an hour. During this time I never lost consciousness
and I accurately observed my surroundings. The bullets continually
rebounded on the pavement all round me; I noticed clearly the cracking
off of numerous splinters. I also heard repeatedly the explosion of
apparently heavy projectiles all round me; I thought artillery was
firing; but as there was none present there is only one explanation,
that the inhabitants were throwing hand-grenades on us from the houses
in the square. The firing was not answered to by our troops until some
time had elapsed. The firing on both sides continued for about half
an hour, during which time I lay under the cart; the chain of the
brake-shoe had caught my belt so that I could not get free by myself.
When the shooting ceased somewhat, my servant came and released me from
my position. He brought me to the place where my company was drawn up
on the north-west side of the square and laid me on the edge of the
square, leaning my back against the wheel of a cart. From this position
I could observe all the houses on the north-west side of the square and
also the first houses on both sides contiguous to the square. I noticed
the following:
The company continued firing into the houses. The firing of the
inhabitants gradually ceased. The German soldiers then beat open the
doors of the houses and set them on fire by throwing burning paraffin
lamps into the houses or by knocking off the gas cocks, igniting the
escaping gas and throwing tablecloths and curtains into the flames;
now and again benzine was used as an incendiary means. Colonel von
Stubenrauch gave the order to set the houses on fire, and I heard
his voice. As soon as the smoke in the houses became stronger, the
francs-tireurs came out of their houses down the stairs. In many cases
they still held their arms in their hands; I saw clearly muskets,
revolvers, military rifles, and other firearms. I was particularly
struck by the great number of revolvers. The francs-tireurs were to a
man evil-looking figures such as I have never in my life seen before;
they were shot by the German sentries standing below. Our men took
great care to spare women and children, who were allowed to leave the
burning houses without interference. I have not seen a single case in
which a woman or child were hurt. Some of the women and children even
assembled in the square round us and were very well treated by the
German soldiers. Near me stood a woman with a perambulator containing
a small child. The soldiers standing round were consoling the weeping
woman.
I watched the scenes of burning the houses and taking the
francs-tireurs perhaps for half an hour. My servant then brought up
a motor-car. Together with other wounded I was driven to a hospital,
which we only reached after driving to and fro for some time. It
was a Belgian military hospital; I took it to be a monastery at the
time, because there were many monks there. I was handed over about 12
o'clock, midnight, August 25th, 1914. On the very next day, August
26th, 1914, I was again fetched in an automobile and taken to Louvain
station to be transported to Liège.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: KARL FRIEDRICH VON ESMARCH.
The witness was sworn.
Proceedings took place as above.
Signed: GRASSHOFF. Signed: PAHL.