On Tuesday, August 25th, 1914, about 9 p.m., we were lying in the barracks in which I was placed, in our rooms, on the straw. Each one had by his side his rifle, also loaded cartridges. Suddenly we heard shots directed upon our barracks from the hospital opposite. Shots also came from the houses near the hospital. I can say with certainty that shots were also fired from the hospital. We could hear distinctly that shots were being discharged not only from guns, but also from machine-guns.
When we heard the shooting we took our rifles and ran from the second or third storey, where we were stationed, downstairs. As the main entrance of the barracks was covered by machine-gun fire, we could not get out of the barracks. Some of us, who tried all the same, were wounded; one fell dead. When the shots ceased for a moment we ran, thirty to forty together, out of the barracks. We were shot at from all surrounding houses, from cellars and windows.
We now stormed all the houses from which shots had fallen; I with four others rushed into the first house to the left of the hospital. We brought out five inhabitants; from the other houses, close by, about twenty men were brought out. Those who were found with arms were immediately shot or bayoneted. Some twenty men, who were unarmed, we brought to the barracks. From all side-streets near the hospital came shots. We had to rush house after house. Wherever an armed inhabitant was discovered he was killed. The house in which he was found was set on fire. I myself, together with a comrade, bayoneted one inhabitant who went for me with a knife.
Shots were fired not only from the windows and cellar-openings, but from the upper storeys of houses tin boxes filled with hot tar were thrown on us. I saw myself how a box filled with tar was thrown upon the helmet of one of my comrades, so that the tar ran down his neck and shoulder. Another comrade had been hit by such a tar box on the arm, so that the tar ran down his sleeve. Happily for them, the tar was no longer so very hot as to cause worse burns.
During the storming of the houses we again made a number of prisoners, among them women and children; these were taken for safety's sake. We brought these prisoners also to the barracks, and had to guard them there.
Shots were heard until 2 a.m., and between 6 and 7 a.m. the firing commenced afresh.
At about 9 a.m. I saw a church burning near the town hall, also many houses in the neighbourhood. The shooting continued intermittently until Thursday, August 27th, when I received instructions to accompany the convoy of captured francs-tireurs, to which were added about four hundred English prisoners, from Louvain via Aachen to Cologne, where we were dismissed to the Ersatz Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 27.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Stanislaus Dadaczynski.
After the importance of the oath had been urged upon the witness, he was duly sworn.