The German Army in Belgium, the White Book of May 1915

by Germany. Auswärtiges Amt

Among the inhabitants of the town who observed the march through of the Landsturm company were astonishingly large numbers of young men, apparently belonging to the wealthier classes, who stood about in the streets and retired slowly into the houses (Apps. 7, 10, 34, 46); women and children were not to be seen.

The return march through the town of the Landsturm company and other small bodies of troops most likely strengthened the inhabitants of Louvain in the belief that the Germans were beaten and retreating, and encouraged them to execute an apparently long-thought-out and prepared plan to annihilate the Germans during their retreat through the town. A little later, after the above company had arrived at the station square and settled themselves to rest, about 8 p.m. German time, rockets shot up in the town. Quite a number of soldiers saw first a green and then a red rocket appear against the dark evening sky (Apps. 7, 8, 12-17, 22, 38, 45, 46).

At the same time, in consequence of this signal, the inhabitants of Louvain began to open a furious fire from different parts of the town upon the German troops who were in the town-hall square, the station square, and the intermediate town quarters.

They shot with rifles, revolvers, and pistols out of cellars and out of the windows of the buildings, and especially out of windows in the roofs (Apps. 1-8, 7-13, 18-22, 24, 25, 29, 30, 32, 33, 36, 45-49); the firing sounded in several places as if machine-guns were in use (Apps. 2, 29, 38, 40, 42, 46, 49). The German soldiers were completely surprised at this attack. Many of them were wounded and some were killed before they could offer any resistance. Among the columns and the baggage sections, which had drawn up in the streets, confusion reigned, because the horses, who had shied from fright and were hit by the bullets and small-shot, broke loose and were galloping through the streets (Apps. 8, 18, 19, 37, 47).

An especially violent fire was poured upon the market-place and the first échelon of the General Command stationed there. Several officers and men were wounded or killed. The Staff of the General Command alone lost 5 officers, 2 officials, 23 men, and 95 horses (App. 1).

The fire was most violent in the Rue de la Gare and at the station. The Landsturm company, standing there between the baggage carts, was obliged to retire into the station in order to find better cover. A vigorous fire was also directed upon the troops drawn up at the Place du Peuple (Apps. 6, 20, 46).

The horror of this treacherous attack was increased by the darkness which had already fallen on the town, the street-lighting having been destroyed. The surprised troops tried to assemble, sought to defend themselves, and returned the fire. When this ceased for a moment they entered the houses out of which shots had been fired, by the order of their superior officers, and searched for the culprits. Several of these had been killed in the fight (Apps. 1, 3, 29, 37); others were found in possession of arms and were shot according to the usages of war, after having previously been found guilty of unjustifiable participation in the fight (Apps. 19, 20, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43, 44, 48). Many were able to escape through the back exits of the houses to participate once more in the continual recommencing street-fights.

While these fights were raging, the General in command of the XI. Reserve Army Corps, von Boehn, returned from the battlefield to the town.

This was about 11.30 p.m. On his way to the town hall he was several times shot at. So as to put an end to the street-fighting, he ordered a brigade of the Landwehr to enter the town, and had the Mayor and other distinguished citizens arrested as hostages. At his order they were led through the town and told to order the insurgents in a loud voice to cease their hostilities. Although accompanied by threats of severe punishment, these orders had no effect. The population continued to attack the troops. In their fury they even shot at the doctors, the hospital orderlies, and at the sick and wounded who were under the protection of the Red Cross (Apps. 9, 21, 25-28, 47). They paid so little attention to the Geneva Convention that they also fired out of houses from which flew the Red Cross flag (Apps. 29, 38); they even directed their fire against a military hospital (Apps. 25, 27, 28). On more than one occasion the use of explosives and bombs is vouched for (Apps. 36, 37, 46); it is proved also that hot tar was poured upon the German troops (Apps. 25, 29).

In some cases the population was even carried away to commit barbarous atrocities on German soldiers who had become defenceless. Private Hoos found in the cellar of a house the corpse of a German soldier whose abdomen had been cut open with a sharp knife so that the intestines were protruding (App. 35); one of the German soldiers had a revolting mutilation inflicted upon him by one of the inhuman inhabitants, in consequence of which he died (App. 37).