LETTER ADDRESSED ON AUG. 27, 1914, BY LIEUT. GEN. VON NIEBER TO THE
BURGOMASTER OF WAVRE.
On Aug. 22, 1914, the General commanding the Second Army, Herr von
Bülow, imposed upon the City of Wavre a war levy of three million
francs, to be paid before Sept. 1, as expiation for its unqualifiable
behavior (contrary to the law of nations and the usages of war) in
making a surprise attack on the German troops.
The General in command of the Second Army has just given to the
General commanding this station of the Second Army the order to send
in without delay, this contribution which it should pay on account of
its conduct.
I order and command you to give to the bearer of the present letter
the two first installments, that is to say, two million francs in
gold.
Furthermore, I require that you give the bearer a letter, duly sealed
with the seal of the city, stating that the balance, that is to say,
one million francs, will be paid, without fail, on the 1st of
September.
I draw the attention of the city to the fact that in no case can it
count on further delay, as the civil population of the city has put
itself outside the law of nations by firing on the German soldiers.
_The City of Wavre will be burned and destroyed if the levy is not
paid in due time, without regard for any one; the innocent will suffer
with the guilty._
PROCLAMATION POSTED AT GRIVEGNEE, Sept. 8, 1914.
_Commune of Grivegnee.
Very Important Notice._
The Major Commandant Dieckmann, at the Château des Bruyeres, requests
me to bring the following statement to the knowledge of the
inhabitants:
Dieckmann Battalion,
Château des Bruyeres, Sept. 6, 1914.
Present at the discussion:
(1) The Curé Fryns of Bois de Breux.
(2) The Curé Franssen of Beyne.
(3) The Curé Lepropres of Heusay.
(4) The Curé Paquay of Grivegnee.
(5) The Burgomaster Dejardin of Beyne.
(6) The Burgomaster Hodeige of Grivegnee.
(7) Major Dieckmann.
(8) Lieut. R. Reil.
Major Dieckmann brought to the knowledge of the persons present the
following orders:
"(1) Before the 6th of September, 1914, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
all arms, munitions, explosives, and fireworks which are still in the
hands of the citizens must be surrendered at the Château des Bruyeres.
_Those who do not obey will render themselves liable to the death
penalty. They will be shot on the spot, or given military execution,
unless they can prove their innocence._
"(2) All inhabitants of houses in Beyne-Heusay, Grivegnee, Bois de
Greux, and Fleron must remain at home after sunset, (at present 7
o'clock P.M., German time.) The aforesaid houses must be lighted as
long as any one remains up. The entrance door must be shut. Those who
do not conform to the regulations expose themselves to severe
penalties. Any resistance to these orders will be followed by sentence
of death.
"(3) The Commandant should meet no opposition whatever in these
domiciliary visits. Each inhabitant must open all the rooms of his
house without even a summons. Whoever makes any opposition will be
severely punished.
"(4) Beginning Sept. 7, at 9 o'clock in the morning, I will permit the
houses of Beyne-Heusay, Grivegnee, Bois de Breux, to be occupied by
persons formerly dwelling in them as long as no formal prohibition to
frequent these places shall have been issued against the inhabitants
above referred to.
"(5) In order to be sure that this permission is not abused, the
Burgomasters of Beyne-Heusay and of Grivegnee shall immediately draw
up a list of persons who shall be held as hostages, at the fort of
Fleron, in twenty-four-hour shifts; on Sept. 6, for the first time,
from 6 o'clock in the evening until midday, Sept. 7.
"_The life of these hostages will depend upon the population of the
aforesaid communes remaining pacific under all circumstances._
"During the night it is strictly prohibited to make any luminous
signal whatever. The circulation of bicycles is only allowed from 7
A.M. until 5 P.M., German time.
"(6) I will designate from the lists submitted to me the persons who
will be detained as hostages from noon of one day to noon of the next
day. If the substitute does not arrive in time, the hostage will
remain another twenty-four hours. _After this second period of
twenty-four hours, the hostage incurs the penalty of death if the
substitution is not made._
"(7) Hostages will be chosen, primarily, from among priests,
Burgomasters, and other members of the civic administration.
"(8) I demand that all civilians living in the vicinity, especially in
Beyne-Heusay, Fleron, Bois de Breux, and Grivegnee, shall show
deference toward the German officers by taking off their hats and by
carrying the hand to the head in military salute. In case of doubt,
every German soldier must be saluted. If any one refuses to do so, he
must expect the German soldiers to make themselves respected by any
means they may select.
"(9) The German soldiers have the right to visit any wagon or package
belonging to the inhabitants of the surrounding country. Any
opposition will be severely punished.
"(10) _Any one knowing of the location of a store of more than one
hundred litres of petroleum, benzine, benzol, or other similar liquids
in the aforesaid communes, and who does not report same to the
military commander on the spot, incurs the penalty of death, provided
there is no doubt about the quantity and the location of the store.
Quantities of 100 litres are alone referred to._
"(11) Any one who does not instantly obey the command of 'hands up'
becomes guilty (sic) of the death penalty.
"(12) _The entrance to the Château des Bruyeres_ and to the park _is
prohibited under the penalty of death_ from dark till dawn, (6 P.M. to
6 A.M., German time,) to all who are not soldiers of the German Army.
"(13) During daytime entrance to the Château des Bruyeres is allowed
only by the northeast entrance, where there is a guard, and only to
the people to whom cards of admission have been given. Any gathering
near the guard is prohibited in the interest of the population.
"(14) Any one who by spreading false news prejudicial to the morale of
the German troops or who by any means tries to take measures against
the German Army renders himself a suspect and incurs the risk of
being shot immediately.
"(15) Whereas by the above regulations the inhabitants in the vicinity
of the fortress are threatened with severe penalties if they violate
these regulations in any way, on the other hand these same
inhabitants, if they remain peaceful, may rely upon the most
benevolent protection and help on all occasions when wrong is done
them.
"(16) The requisition of cattle in specified quantities will take
place daily from 10 A.M. until noon and from 2 P.M. to 3 P.M. at the
Château des Bruyeres before the Cattle Commission.
"(17) Any one who under the protection of the insignia of the Swiss
(Red Cross) Convention harms, or even tries to harm, the German Army
and is discovered shall be hung."
(Signed) DIECKMANN,
Major in Command.
Grivegnee, Sept. 8, 1914.
For certified copy: The Burgomaster,
(Signed) VICTOR HODEIGE.