Lieutenant Prietzel of the Reserve appeared as witness and, being warned to speak the truth, in lieu of oath declared as follows:
As to Person: My name is Ernst Rudolf Prietzel. I am 29 years of age; Evangelical-Lutheran; Dr. Jur. of Bautzen.
As to Case: When the 5th Company of the 1st (Guards) Grenadier Regiment marched into Dinant it was fired on from the houses situated in the narrow lane leading from Herbuchenne. I was myself able to observe shots from about three windows. Grenadier Oberlander was killed; probably two or three Grenadiers were wounded. The shots undoubtedly did not come from the opposite bank of the Meuse, which, at that time, was only weakly occupied by the enemy troops. On the contrary, the shots were discharged by the civilian population. In the narrow lane, and previously towards Herbuchenne, there lay numerous dead and wounded of the 8th Company, which had, in the same way, been fired at by the civilian population from the houses.
One could plainly see in the burning houses of Dinant, mostly wrecked by our artillery, that cartridges were exploding in the flames. These houses were unsuitable for military purposes, especially for defence. The cartridges must therefore have originated from the civilian population.
On the other side of the Meuse was a building provided with a Red Cross flag. The walls enclosing this building had loopholes. The building was therefore, despite the Red Cross flag, adapted for defence. The 5th Company, in passing through the narrow lane mentioned above, replied to the fire of the civilian population.
It is not true that soldiers of the Guards Regiment or of any other regiment have taken any action which was not absolutely required by the military situation or in consequence of the behaviour of the civilian population.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Lieutenant of Reserve Prietzel.
Witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: von Loeben, Lieutenant and Officer of the Court.
Signed: Baier, Non-commissioned Officer
and Clerk of the Military Court.