At the request of the war minister appeared on citation the witnesses mentioned below, who were examined individually and in the absence of witnesses to be heard subsequently.
1. Student Oldenburg.
As to Person: My name is Hans Ludwig Oldenburg, aged 24; Protestant; student of law; at present non-commissioned officer, 3rd Reserve Company, Reserve Battalion No. 162.
As to Case: On August 25th, between 9 and 10 o'clock p.m., our regiment entered Louvain in marching order. The standard of the battalion was at the head of our company. It was already dark and, in marked contrast to the places through which we had passed the previous night, a surprising number of gas-lamps were alight. In the doors of the houses stood Belgians in civilian dress who behaved in a quiet and not unfriendly fashion. I saw no windows illuminated. Having marched into Louvain for about ten minutes, there was suddenly a halt. Two to three minutes later, but perhaps sooner, we were suddenly fired at from the houses of the right and left. I also saw the flashes of several shots from the houses near me. From one house I also saw bombs fall; one fell about 10 metres away from me in the street and exploded there with great detonation. I do not know whether anyone was hit by it. I can point out accurately the house from which the bomb fell. It stood on the left side, near the second lamp, which stands behind the next cross-road, or the next yard-entrance, on the left.
When the bomb fell, no shots had as yet been fired by us. We now received orders, "About turn, march." But after we had turned we were ordered from the rear to shoot into the houses. We then fired into both fronts of the houses. I cannot say what reply was made to our fire because the noise and confusion was too great. It also became at once quite dark, because we demolished the lamps with our fire so as to offer no aim to the opponent. This firing may have lasted a full hour. During the firing I saw a soldier near me fall. I was then run over and lost consciousness. When I recovered from my swoon, the firing was still continuing. I dragged myself to the nearest wall, and was then driven by an automobile to the field hospital.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Oldenburg.
The witness was sworn.
2. Corporal Hoehne.
As to Person: My name is Max Robert Theodor Hoehne, aged 28; Protestant; art dealer; at present corporal, 4th Reserve Company, Reserve Battalion No. 162.