THE REIGN OF TERROR

Prohibitory Decrees followed in quick succession, in an endeavour to terrorize the people, who were forbidden to possess arms, approach the prisoners, import Belgian tobacco, or sell their wares in the streets, breaches being punished often with vindictive severity. Two of the first victims were the Prefect (M. Trépont) and his secretary (M. Borromée), the former accused of treason, the latter of stirring up revolt against the German Authorities. Their "crime" was that, on August 24th, in conformity with their duty, they had mobilized the French citizens, within sight of the enemy. They were roughly handled at the time by the German soldiers, and would probably have been shot, but for the intervention of one of the University professors (M. Piquet), who, acting as interpreter, managed to smooth matters over. After being closely watched and spied on, they were arrested on February 17th, 1915. M. Borromée was tried by Court-Martial on March 13th, and sent to prison at Alrath. Nine months later (December 27th, 1915), his release was obtained through diplomatic representations. The Prefect was sent as hostage first to Rastatt, then to Cellaschloss in Hanover, and his liberation was only obtained on January 17th, 1916.

In April, 1915, a system of Roll Calls was inaugurated, to prepare the way for the wholesale deportations which followed. At a given time and place, the people were required to present themselves, with a small quantity of baggage. Absentees were first fined, then imprisoned, the penalty increasing in severity with each succeeding "offence."

Domiciliary searches were carried out at all hours of the day and night, for hidden soldiers, arms, carrier-pigeons, smuggled French newspapers, and the like.

Then, as if fines, imprisonment and starving were not punishment enough, the Germans started shooting.

NOTICE

The undermentioned persons were tried by Court-Martial and shot to-day at the Citadel:

Wholesale Wine merchant:Eugène JACQUET.
Second-Lieutenant:Ernest DECONINCK.
Shop-keeper:Georges MAERTENS.
Workman:Sylvère VERHULST.

(1) For hiding the British aviator who landed at Wattignies on March 11 last, supplying him with food and lodging, and helping him to reach France and get back to the enemy lines.

(2) For assisting members of the enemy forces, helping them to remain in Lille and neighbourhood in civil dress and procuring their evasion to France.

In conformity with the Proclamation of the Governor, dated April 7, 1915, these two cases are considered as espionage, and are brought to the notice of the public as a warning.

Lille, September 22, 1915.

The Governor.

The Case of the Four

When, on October 12th, 1914, the small garrison which was holding Lille, surrendered, several hundred French soldiers escaped capture and hid themselves in the town. Until evasion should be possible, it was necessary to feed and shelter them, and this M. Jacquet, a wholesale wine merchant, undertook to do. A good organizer, his coolness and courage fitted him well for the task. He was assisted by his daughter Geneviève (who, later, narrowly escaped being shot), his friends Deconinck and Georges Maertens and a Belgian, Sylvère Verhulst.

The Citadel, Lille, September 22, 1915.

My Beloved Wife and Children,

At the moment of starting for the place of execution, I tenderly embrace your dear image for the last time. My last kiss, from the bottom of my heart, here for you. Farewell! Long live France!

E. Jacquet.

On March 11th, 1915, a British aviator was forced to land in the town, after having bombed a German telephone station. Hidden by Jacquet, he eventually escaped to Belgium, guided by Melle. Geneviève. A few days later, he again flew over the town and dropped notes reading as follows: "Lieutenant Mapplebeck sends his compliments to the Kommandant of the German Forces in Lille, and regrets that he was unable to make his acquaintance during his recent pleasant stay in the neighbourhood."

The joy of the inhabitants and the rage of the Kommandantur may be better imagined than described in print. Orders were immediately given, and the "Polizei" set to watch. Previously, on March 16th, notices had been posted up all over the town, threatening with death any person who should hide "any member of the enemy forces."

Hostages, including the foremost persons in the town, were imprisoned in the Citadelle, while the liberties of all were severely curtailed. Passes to and from the surrounding villages were stopped, and "lights out" was sounded at 5 p.m.

Being unable to imprison the entire population, the Kommandant deprived them of liberty and air in mid-summer.

Meanwhile Jacquet, who knew that he was suspected, made light of the danger.

Arrested several times under various pretences, all efforts to incriminate him failed. However, a spy was at last found, who undertook to do the business. Passing himself off as a French prisoner, he asked Jacquet and his friends to help him, and then betrayed them to the "Polizei." A new search enabled the Germans to lay hands on 2,000 frs. in gold, but they could not find any incriminating documents (the list of the soldiers in hiding, 200 in number, was in the upholstering of an armchair at Deconinck's house).

THE MOAT OF THE CITADELLE
where M. Jacquet, his friends, and Trulin were shot.

In consequence of the spy's information, Deconinck's house was watched. Informed of the recent search of Jacquet's premises, Deconinck was looking round for a safer hiding-place, when his next-door neighbour, who was in the secret, suggested that the armchair would be safer in her keeping. The offer was well-meant but unfortunate, as the Police, who were on the watch, seized the chair, smashed it and found the list. Returning at once to Jacquet's house, they arrested him and his daughter, and locked them up in the Citadelle.

At the same time, Deconinck, Maertens and Verhulst were arrested.

Jacquet's daughter, Melle. Geneviève, owed her life to lack of evidence.

The four men were tried on September 16th and sentenced to death. They were shot on the morning of September 22nd, and died bravely, "standing, their hands free, and their eyes unbandaged." Their last words, shouted together, were: "Vive la France, Vive la République." Their names are inscribed on the Roll of Honour of the Army, and the Journal Officiel of December 8th, 1918, announced that the Legion d'Honneur had been conferred on M. Jacquet.

Execution of Léon Trulin

When the war broke out, Léon Trulin, a Belgian subject, aged 17, was living at Lille. Intensely patriotic by nature, he burned to serve his country against the hated invader. With the help of a few comrades, among whom were Raymond Derain and Marcel Gotti, he got together various documents and succeeded in bringing them to the Allies across the Dutch frontier. In 1915, he decided to go back to France and enlist in the Belgian Army, in company with his friend Derain. On October 3rd they arrived at the frontier. For three hours, in the dark, they burrowed under the "live" wire entanglements, when suddenly the alarm was given. Lights flared up, shots were fired, and Trulin and his companions were taken. The documents found on Trulin proved to be his death warrant. His friends Derain and Gotti were condemned to penal servitude for life.

On his way to the place of execution on November 8th, Trulin's nerve (he was 18) gave way for a moment, but recovering himself quickly, he walked to the post with a firm step, and so another name was added to the long list of the victims of Kaiserism.

TRULIN'S PASSPORT.

TRULIN'S LAST LETTER TO HIS MOTHER
(pp. [20], [21]).

(TRANSLATION)

November 7, 1915.

My dearest Mother,

I am very sorry for all I have done since I left home on June 30.

I suffered greatly during July, often homeless, then in September life changed, I was a little happier, I had a pleasant time in Holland and England for a month, then came back to Belgium, when suddenly misfortune overtook me. By ill luck I was caught within half a minute of Dutch territory.

I beseech you not to despair, live for René, who would be an unfortunate orphan, also for my brothers and sisters, set them an example of resignation and lift up your head, your son has given his life for the Fatherland (Long live little Belgium).

I embrace you with all my heart, courage, mother, we shall see each other again some day, kiss my brothers and sisters for me and tell them your son knew how to die.

Now I am going to lie down, it is already late, to be ready for the execution to-morrow.

I forgive everybody, friends and enemies, I pardon, because they do not pardon me.

You will find a note-book, in which I have noted my last wishes.

I ask you to forgive Denèque for what he has done, I have forgiven him, it is the request of a doomed man.

Your son, who causes you much suffering and is deeply grieved.

Léon Trulin.

I have put 5 marks in the note-book which is in my bag, for one or two masses and an indulgence, I have given the rest to the Priest for the same purpose.

November 7, 1915, the last day before my death.

Excuse me, if I do not write very well, I am writing on a garden table.

Courage, dear Mother, courage, brothers and sisters, live in peace, without hatred.

I die a good Christian.

Léon Trulin.

The Explosion of the "Dix-huit Ponts"

On January 11th, 1916, at about 2 o'clock in the morning, a terrific explosion shook the town, hurling huge stones and débris in all directions for a distance of several miles. An ammunition depot situated in the south-east portion of the ramparts, between the Gates of Valenciennes and Douai, about 400 yards distant from the railway station of St. Saviour, had blown up. It was an enormous underground vault, commonly known as the "Dix-huit Ponts," because of the 18 massive stone arches which formed the entrance.

"LILLE IN TEARS."

It will probably never be known how many thousand shells and tons of explosives blew up, as the greatest secrecy was observed by the German Authorities. All the soldiers who were there were killed. The damage was tremendous, whole streets and numerous factories, including two large spinning-mills, were entirely destroyed.

At the funeral, which took place on Saturday, January 15th, 1916, there were 108 coffins, but this figure does not include the numerous persons who were literally pulverized by the explosion. The noise of the latter was heard at Breda in Holland, nearly a hundred miles away, and houses as distant as the Rue Jeanne d'Arc, Place Philippe le Bon and Rue des Postes were destroyed by the flying stones. In general, the catastrophe was stoically borne by the inhabitants, one citizen remarking: "There were enough shells to have massacred whole regiments. Better we should mourn our dead, than the precious lives of so many of our soldiers."

One huge stone, weighing more than a ton, fell in the studio of the sculptor Deplechin (Rue de Douai), Director of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, who carved the bas-relief "Lille in Tears" on it (see Itinerary, p. [36], and photo above).

The Deportations

In 1916, the prohibitions increased in number, the people being forbidden to leave their houses after 6 p.m., or before 7 a.m.; to criticise the news published by the authorities, to remain at their windows, or to stand on their doorsteps, under a penalty of 5 to 10 days' imprisonment. They were also forbidden to use the trams without a special permit. These measures paved the way for the deportations of April-May, 1916. During Easter week, under the pretence that the revictualling of the population was difficult, the Governor decided to deport the inhabitants of Lille, Tourcoing and Roubaix into the country, and make them cultivate the soil. Rumours to that effect had been rife for several days previously, but the people would not believe it. However, all doubts were cleared away on April 20th, when posters warned the people to hold themselves in readiness with about 70 lbs. of luggage. The 21st was a day of painful suspense. On the 22nd at 3 a.m., German soldiers hemmed in the Fives Quarter, and placed machine-guns at the corners of the streets. House by house, street by street, amid blows from the butt-ends of their rifles, the Germans forced the people out of their houses. They were counted like cattle, and the number checked with the sheet posted up on each house. Those who were to go, mostly girls, were forcibly taken from their parents and led away between fixed bayonets, then loaded into cattle-trucks and sent to an unknown fate. Girls were taken from mothers and wives from husbands, with coldblooded indifference. It was in vain that the Mayor and the Bishop indignantly protested, the former to the Kommandantur and the latter from the pulpit. Methodically, this abomination was perpetrated.

THE HÔTEL-DE-VILLE BURNING
on the night of April 24th, 1916.

For ten days the people lived in mortal suspense, asking themselves if and when their turn would come.

On Easter-Sunday night, the 64th German Infantry Regiment surrounded the Vauban Quarter, the horror of the scene being intensified by the Hôtel-de-Ville in flames.

Each night, until April 30th, 1,800 to 2,000 persons were wrested from their homes.

Although greatly depressed, the deported people recovered their courage as the trains left the station, and to the amazement of the Germans sang the "Marseillaise" in a mighty chorus.

Twenty-five thousand persons, mostly women and children, were forcibly taken from their homes and made to cultivate the soil, break stones, build bridges, make sand-bags, turn shells, etc., their only food consisting of a little black "bread," nauseating soup and broken scraps of meat.

As soon as the French Government learned the facts, a Note was sent to the Neutral Powers, protesting against these inhuman deportations, which were ordered by General Von Graevenitz, and executed by the 64th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Captain Himmel.

Five months later, thanks to the intervention of the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII., these unfortunate people were allowed to go back to their homes.

For several months in 1917 things went better, but in 1918, the German Authorities recommenced deporting. A first batch of men and women was interned at Holzminden, while on another occasion the women were sent to Holzminden and the men to Jewie, near Vilna (Lithuania). The Official Records, to which the reader is referred, contain full details of these inhuman crimes and of the abominable treatment to which the exiles were subjected: privations of every kind, humiliation, torture and degrading occupations.

M. JACQUET'S GRAVE
in the East Cemetery.

On September 30th, 1918, the Kommandantur ordered the evacuation of all males from 15 to 60 years of age, but the German soldiers carried out their instructions in a half-hearted way, and many escaped. The approaching sound of the guns and the lax discipline of the soldiers announced the Allies' Great Victory and the coming deliverance to the war-weary people.

On October 17th, the British troops entered Lille.

The Ruined Industries of Northern France

Before the war, Northern France was one of the most flourishing industrial centres in the country.

The metallurgical firms of the North produced annually over a million tons of steel, representing nearly a quarter of the country's total production. This steel was transformed locally into finished articles. The exceedingly prosperous textile industry was carried on mainly at Tourcoing, Roubaix, Rheims and Sedan.

The flax industry was also concentrated around Armentières, Lille and Halluin.

The cotton mills of Roubaix, Tourcoing and Lille were extremely prosperous and important.

TRULIN'S GRAVE
in the East Cemetery.

The following general figures give an idea of the industrial importance of this region, which contributed one-sixth of the country's total taxes. Before the war, the annual industrial production was estimated at 4,000,000,000 frs., of which the textile industries accounted for 2,500,000,000 frs.

The industries of Northern France have been ruined, not so much by the war, as by the systematic pillaging and destructions carried out by the Germans.

Official documents left behind in Brussels by the routed enemy brought to light the existence of two German Organizations: the "Abbau Konzern" and the "Wumba Waffen und Munitions-Beschaffungs Anstalt." The mission of the former was to cripple France industrially, by methodically destroying her factories and mills, while the latter's agreeable and profitable task was to sell stolen French machinery and tools to competitive German industrial concerns.

[LILLE]