Where arms are still found in the houses after this date, the householder will be hanged.
To the Inhabitants of Andenne.
Dear Fellow-Citizens,
We are happy to announce to you that the military authority will show the greatest goodwill towards us if, as we doubt not, the worthy population of Andenne continues to remain perfectly quiet, to labour with courage, and to obey authority with docility, as it has done up to the present, for which we thank it.
At a military fête, at which the military authority expressly invited us to be present, all the troops, including the officers—in our presence, and before many of the notables of Andenne, and Dean Cartiaux in particular—repeatedly shouted "Hurrah for Andenne!"
In the name of all of you, much affected, we expressed our thanks.
Dear friends, have confidence in us; we are working with all our souls for the safety of Andenne.
We have assured the military authority that the soldiers might be perfectly at ease in our midst, that none of us would wish to commit the least aggression—that, on the contrary, we shall all treat the Germany Army with complete loyalty. We have been responsible for you. In return, we ask you only one thing: it is, to continue to do what you have done until to-day, and, if, by some impossible chance, there should be among us an ill-conditioned person who might be capable of compromising honest people, point him out to us; for our worthy fellow-citizens must not be responsible for the crimes of a scoundrel.
Let the German Army be sure that the communal administration will with the utmost promptness hand over to it any one guilty of an act of ill-will, whoever he may be.
Dear fellow-citizens, patience and courage to support privation. Be easy in your minds; we are with you.
The Burgomaster delegated by
the Military Authority,
Dr. Ledoyen,
E. de Jaer,
Councillor Lahaye.
The Secretary,
Monrique,Andenne, 30th August, 1914.
Proclamation.
I am under the impression that the greater portion of the inhabitants desire tranquillity, therefore I invite them not to leave the town.
Before employing violent means, I shall make a strict inquiry to discover the guilty persons in case a revolt should break out.
I therefore expect of the population of Andenne that it will do everything to ensure that no German soldier shall be molested otherwise I shall be forced to act in accordance with the measures of my first proclamation.
Becker,
Captain, L.I.R. 29, and Commandant-in-Chief.
One word as to these placards.
Placard of the 21st August.—The men are all regarded as hostages; the women have to feed them; they also have to clean up the town.
Placard of the 22nd August.—The military authorities declare, on the 22nd of August, that Andenne, where the "attacks of francs-tireurs" were repressed during the night of the 20th and the morning of the 21st, is already regarded by the whole civilized world as "a nest of murderers and bandits." It offers a reward of 500 to 1000 frs. to any one who will denounce the author of the plot. It also promises, to excite the zeal of the informers, that the severe measures in force will be mitigated as soon as the leaders are discovered. (No one was denounced.)
1st Placard of the 23rd August.—This announces the great victory between Sarrebourg and Metz: 21,000 French prisoners were taken. (An attempt to demoralize the population.) Note that the Wolff Agency reported only 10,000 prisoners; where did Major Scheunemann find the other 11,000?
2nd Placard of the 23rd August.—The Germans are attending to the revictualling of Andenne. (In reality the people of Andenne were starving.)
Placard of the 25th August.—The German administration is strict, but just. (The people of Andenne had noticed the severity.)