A DAY OF ANGUISH
Friday, October 9, 1914, was a day of anxiety and fear for the city
of Antwerp and the villages situated inside the fortified position.
The Germans were within our midst, and from 9 o’clock in the morning
the soldiers of the Kaiser began to extend their positions around the
fortress, along the routes from the east and south-east. What was to
become of Capellen? was a question asked by all of us.
All along the paths of the park of Starrenhof (residence of Mrs.
Beland-Cogels), on the Antwerp-Holland highway in front of the Town
Hall, groups of people who were left gathered to discuss the situation.
Each asked the other: “When will the Germans reach here?” And fear was
deeply lined on all faces, for the reports had reached us from the
villages in the centre and in the east of Belgium which were far from
reassuring as to the probable conduct of the German soldiery.
Refugees from the village of Aerschot, who were lodging at the farm
of the chateau, drew a startling word picture of the tragic events
which occurred at that place. Murder and arson had held sway for
several days. In brief, the whole population of Capellen, including the
refugees, were in a state of great nervousness.
Night fell on the city and the surrounding country without the Germans
having put in an appearance. At about 9 o’clock, while our family
with their friends were talking together, a fearful explosion was
heard. What had happened? Each of us had different ideas, but the most
plausible explanation was that a Zeppelin, flying over the village, had
dropped a bomb into the yard of the chateau. Then the true explanation
burst upon us suddenly. The fort nearest to the chateau was that of
Erbrand, distant about one kilometre from us. The commanding officer of
the garrison had ordered the fort blown up previous to its evacuation.
The shock was so tremendous that an oil lamp burning in the hall where
we sat was extinguished, and several windows were shattered. The
bombardment of the city had broken electric light wires and the gas
conduits were wrecked, so that oil lamps and candles were our only
means of obtaining light.
Naturally, the explosion did not tend to soothe our nerves, and the
entire family remained together in a large hall for the rest of the
night. Beds were improvised and each of us obtained what rest was
possible in the exciting condition of the time, which was very little.
About 1 o’clock in the morning a servant girl knocked at the door
and told me that a man wished to see me. It was a Belgian, who urged
me to at once leave with the family for Holland. He informed me that
the Germans had left Antwerp a few hours previously, and were fast
approaching Capellen; that they had already reached the village of
Eccheren. They were pillaging and burning everything on the way. The
man added that he himself was on his way to Holland with his aged
mother.
“Where do you come from?” I asked him.
“From Contich,” he replied.
“Where is your mother?”
“I left her in a farmer’s house nearby,” he said. “I will go back to
get her presently and take her to safety.”
“It is well,” I told him, “and I thank you for the warning you have
given me.”
When leaving the house he urged again: “You have not a moment to lose.
The lives of your wife and children are in danger,” he persisted.
After his departure I ordered a servant to awake everybody in the
building–our immediate family and relatives from several places who had
been lodging with us since the bombardment started. We held a family
council–a real war council, if ever there was one. All were inclined to
follow the man’s advice and start off for Holland. The dear old parish
priest of Schouten, a distant relative of the family, wished us to
leave at once.
I suggested that my wife and the children should go, taking with them
all the baggage they could carry, while I would remain with Nys, an
old and faithful servant who had been with the family for over thirty
years. The old servant was quite willing to stay, but, as one might
suppose, my wife objected to this arrangement. “We shall all remain
together, or we shall all leave together,” she said.
Thereupon I proposed that we should take counsel of an old resident
of Capellen, Mr. Spaet, a man of wisdom and experience, of German
origin, but who had lived long in the country and could claim Belgian
citizenship for upwards of forty years. He had two sons in the Belgian
army. This proposal was accepted unanimously.
I accordingly left to see Mr. Spaet, wending my way through the line of
fugitives who were still crowding the highway at this early hour of the
morning.
Mr. Spaet was at home. In reply to my questions, he said he had
no advice to give me, but insofar as he himself was concerned he
intended to go back to bed as soon as I left him. I returned to the
chateau somewhat reassured, and, addressing the members of the family
and our friends, who had in the meantime made preparations to leave
for Holland, I said: “Every one goes back to bed.” I related my
conversation with Mr. Spaet, and then we all returned to bed, but, I am
sure, none of us to sleep.
Subsequently another fearful explosion shook the house. It was the
second fort–that of Capellen–which had been blown up. The large
building in which we lived shook to its foundations.
A few minutes afterwards the same servant who previously knocked at the
door of the hall came up again. She stated that our previous visitor
had returned and demanded to see me. I went to him a second time. He
repeated his monition, told me not to postpone the carrying out of his
previous advice, but to act upon it immediately.
My suspicions were aroused by his manner and persistence, so I said to
him: “What about the other residents of Capellen?”
“They have all gone,” he replied.
“And Mr. Spaet?” I asked him.
“Mr. Spaet is now in Holland with the others,” he said, without a
tremor.
I knew that the man was lying, and if he was capable of lying he
would be capable of stealing. He was one of those human jackals whose
sinister plan it was to precede and follow the armies and plunder the
houses as soon as the occupants had left them. I turned to the man and
said: “Now, you, sir, take counsel of your own advice to me, and leave
at once.” He went. But what a night was that one …!
At daybreak a radiant sun gilded the autumn foliage. As I opened a
window I saw that the women and children who had sought refuge in
the park of the chateau were still sleeping. The Germans had not yet
arrived. They were not very far away, however.