As to Person: My name is Walther Schaefer, aged 40; Protestant.
As to Case: I was leader of the light ammunition column, 2nd Reserve
Field Artillery Regiment No. 18, and arrived with my column at the
station in Louvain on August 25th, 1914, at about 8 p.m. The train
was so long that only half of it could be brought up to the station
platform. When the first half of the train had been unloaded, and I
was remaining with about 100 horses in the goods station, a murderous
gun-fire suddenly commenced. The firing evidently came from the roofs
and windows of the rows of houses to the east and west of the station.
It lasted from twenty minutes to half an hour. In the meantime, a train
with infantry arrived. I heard subsequently that the infantry replied
to this fire from the carriages.
When the firing had ceased I drew my horses under cover in a goods
shed. We had barely arrived there when we were violently fired at
from the direction of the church tower. I had the impression that the
shots came from above; it was related generally that a machine-gun
had been placed in position on the church tower. The firing lasted at
first only for a short time, but was repeated at brief intervals, and
continued intermittently for a few hours. I cannot state the period
more accurately.
I was also in the sheds of the stations. A General Staff Officer of the
IX. Reserve Corps was busy there and helped me to get the second half
of my train unloaded; this was about 1 o'clock at night. At 2 o'clock I
marched off in the direction of Herent-Bueken.
The General commanding the IX. Reserve Corps and Captain Vieregge were
during the night in the square in front of the station.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: SCHAEFER.
The witness was sworn.
2. Lieutenant of the Reserve Duckwitz, Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
No. 18.
As to Person: My name is Richard Duckwitz, aged 28; Protestant.
As to Case: I belonged to the light ammunition column, which arrived
on August 25th, 1914, about 8 o'clock p.m., at the goods station
of Louvain. Soon after my arrival I was commanded by the leader of
the column to ride to Bueken and to report to the Commandant of the
18th Reserve Division the arrival of the column. I rode along a broad
boulevard that leads along on the outer edge of Louvain. The street was
perfectly quiet. When I subsequently came to smaller streets, I met
infantry marching along rifle in hand. They called to me to dismount
because firing from the houses was taking place. I met infantry who
told me that I could not proceed because our infantry was firing with
machine-guns into the town from the other side. One could hear the
firing. When it became more quiet after a few minutes I rode on and
reached Bueken, part of which was burning. After having made my report,
I was told to ride back and to tell the column to come up at once.
On the return journey I missed the boulevard and got into the town.
I rode along a broad street and overtook a troop of twenty to thirty
gendarmes on foot, revolver in hand. With them were several officers, a
priest in white cassock, and a few civilians surrounded by a division
of soldiers. The priest called out a few words in French now and again;
I heard subsequently that he called out to the people to put lights
in the houses. I also saw that light was burning in some houses; the
street itself was dark. As I could not proceed I returned to Herent,
where I remained during the night.
On the following morning, at about 4 o'clock, I rode back to Louvain.
I found the boulevard, and arrived at the station at about 6 o'clock.
The houses surrounding the station were partly burned down, partly
still burning. In front of the station was the General in Command with
several officers. After making my report to the leader of my column
we soon marched off and left Louvain unmolested _via_ the boulevard
mentioned above.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: DUCKWITZ.
The witness was sworn.
Proceedings took place as above.
Signed: V. KAUFFBERG. Signed: RAPPE.
TRANSCRIBERS NOTE
I have found two inconsistencies in the spelling of names;
Lieutenant Balterman/Battermann
and
Rifleman Vorwieger/Vorwieder
I have been unable to ascertain the correct spellings, so have left the
names unchanged.