CONTENTS

PAGE
Preface[1]
Introduction[9]
Intellectual Life in Belgium[12]
Prohibition of Newspapers and Verbal Communication—The
German Censorship—Authorized German Newspapers—Authorized
Dutch Newspapers—Newspapers
introduced Surreptitiously—Secret Propagation of News—Secret
Newspapers—German Placards—Regulations as to
Correspondence—Railway Journeys.
CHAPTER I
The Violation of Neutrality[27]
A. The Preliminaries[27]
The Belgians' Distrust of Germany lulled—German
Duplicity on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of August, 1914—The
Ultimatum—The Speech of the Chancellor in the Reichstag.
B. Justification of the Entry into Belgium[31]
C. German Accusations against Belgium[36]
Necessity of influencing Neutrals—Absurdity of the First
Accusations—A Change of Tactics—The Revelations of the
N.A.Z.—1. The Report of M. le Baron Griendl, some time
Belgian Minister in Berlin—2. The Reports of Generals
Ducarne and Jungbluth—The Attitude of the Belgians
toward the German Falsifications—Neutral Opinion—The
Falsification of M. de l'Escaille's Letter.
D. The Declaration of War and the first Hostilities[50]
The three successive Proposals of Wilhelm II to Belgium—Hostilities
preceding the Declaration of War—The
Pacific Character of Belgium—German Espionage in
Belgium—The Mentality of the German Soldiers at the
beginning of the Campaign—Letters from German
Prisoners of War—German Lies respecting the Occupation
of Liége—The sudden attack upon France is checked—The
Disinterested Behaviour of Belgium.
CHAPTER II
Violations of the Hague Convention[63]
A. The "Reprisals against Francs-tireurs"[63]
Murders Committed by the Germans from the Outset—Were
there any "Francs-tireurs?"—The Obsession of
the "Francs-tireurs" in the German Army—The Obsession
of the "Francs-tireurs" in the Literature of the
War—The Obsession of the "Francs-tireurs" in Literature
and Art—Responsibility of the Leaders—Animosity
toward the Clergy—Animosity toward Churches—Intentional
Insufficiency of Preliminary Inquiries—A
"Show" Inquiry—Mentality of an Officer charged with
the Repression of "Francs-tireurs"—Drunkenness in the
German Army—Cruelties necessary according to German
Theories—Terrorization: "Reprisals" as a "Preventive"
Incendiary Material—The two great Periods of Massacre—Protective
Inscriptions—Accusations against the Belgian
Government—Treatment of Civil Prisoners—The Return
of Civil Prisoners—German Admission of the Innocence
of the Civil Prisoners.
B. The "Belgian Atrocities"[98]
The Pretended Cruelty of Belgian Civilians toward the
German Army—Some Accusations—The Pretended
Massacres of German Civilians—Preventive and Repressive
Measures taken by the Belgian Authorities.
C. Violations of the Hague Convention[111]
Military Employment of Belgians by the Germans—Measures
of Coercion taken by the Germans—Living
Shields—A German Admission—Belgians placed before the
Troops at Charleroi—Belgians placed before the Troops at
Lebbeke, Tirlemont, Mons—Belgian Women placed before
the Troops at Anseremme—Belgians forcibly detained at
Ostend and Middelkerke—Bombardment of the Cathedral
at Malines—The Pretended Observation-post on Notre-Dame
of Antwerp—German Observation-posts admitted
by the Germans—Pillage—Thefts of Stamps—Illegal
Taxation—Fines for Telegraphic Interruptions—Fines
for Attacks by "Francs-tireurs"—Hostages—Contributions
and Requisitions—Contributions demanded from the
Cities—Exactions of a Non-commissioned Officer—Requisitions
of Raw Materials and Machinery—Conclusions—The
Famine in Belgium—The Flight of the Belgians—The
Causes of the Famine—Creation of Temporary
Shelters—The National Relief Committee—Belgium's
Gratitude to America.
CHAPTER III
The German Mind, Self-depicted[179]
A. Pride[179]
Some Manifestations of Pride and the Spirit of Boasting—1.
Militarism—Might comes before Right—2. Disdain
of Others—Some Inept Proclamations, etc.—Lies Concerning
the Situation in Belgium—Lies concerning
"Francs-tireurs"—3. Cynicism—Photographs and Picture-postcards—Alfred
Heymel on the Battle of Charleroi—Surrender
of the Critical Spirit. Refusal to Examine the
Accusations of Cruelty—The Abolition of Free Discussion
in Germany—German Credulity—Voluntary Blindness of
the "Intellectuals"—The Manifesto of the "Ninety-three"—The
Manifesto of the 3,125 Professors—The
Protestant Pastors—The Catholic Priests and Rabbis.
B. Untruthfulness[217]
1. A Few Lies—Written Lies—A French Dirigible
Captured by the Germans—The Transportation of the
German Dead—Some Lying Placards—M. Max's Denial—How
the Officers Lie to their Men—2. Perseverance in
Falsehood—The German treatment of Mgr. Merrier—3.
The Organization of Propaganda—(a) Propagandist
Bureaux Operating in Germany—(b) Propagandist Matter
issued by the Publishing Houses—(c) Propagandist
Bureaux operating Abroad—Sincerity of the Censored
Newspapers—Persecution of Uncensored Newspapers—(d)
Various Propaganda—4. The Violation of Engagements—The
Independence of Belgium—The Promise
to respect the Patriotism of the Belgians—The Forced
Striking of the Flag—The Belgian Colours forbidden
in the Provinces—Prohibition of the Belgian Colours
in Brussels—The "Te Deum" on the Patron Saints' Day
of the King—The Portraits of the Royal Family—Obligation
to Employ the German Language—The Belgian
Army is our Enemy!—The "Brabançonne" Prohibited—The
National Anniversary of July 21st—The Anniversary
of the 4th August—School Inspection by the Germans.
C. Incitements to Disunion[282]
Incitements to Disloyalty—The Walloons incited against
the Flemings—Inciting the People against the Belgian
Government—Inciting the Belgians against the English.
D. A Few Details of the Administration of Belgium[295]
(a) Present Prosperity in Belgium—Assertions of the
German Authorities—The Parasitical Exploitation of
Belgium admitted by Germany—The Tenfold Tax on
Absentees—Railway Traffic in Belgium—Trouble with the
Artisans of Luttre—Traffic suppressed at Malines—(b)
The Germans' Talent for Organization—Conflict between
Authorities—Supression of the Bureau of Free Assessment—The
Belgian Red Cross Committee Suppressed—(c)
The Belgian Attitude toward the Germans—(d) Behaviour
of the German Administration—The Appeal to
Informers—German Espionage—Agents-Provocateurs or
"Traps."
E. Ferocity[333]
1. Aggravations—Treatment inflicted upon Belgian Ladies—Filthy
Amusements—2. Physical Tortures—The Fate
of the Valkenaers Family—3. Moral Tortures—Moral
Torture before Execution.
Index[361]

INTRODUCTION

Bismarck was given to quoting, with approval, a saying which has often been attributed to him, but which was, in reality, first made in his presence by a hero of the American Civil War—General Sheridan. It was, that the people of a country occupied by a conquering army should be left nothing—save eyes to weep with!

And we Belgians, truly, are weeping: weeping for our native country, invaded, in contempt of the most solemn conventions, by one of the signatories of those treaties; weeping for our villages, which are levelled to the ground, and our cities, which are burned; our monuments, which are broken by shell-fire, and our treasures of art and science, which are for ever destroyed. We mourn to think of those hundreds of thousands of our countrymen who have wandered without shelter along the highways of Europe; of Belgium, lately so proud of her prosperity, but now taxed and crushed and exhausted by war requisitions and contributions, and reduced to holding out her hand for public charity.

Who could help but weep when, in Flanders, our soldiers are defending the very last corner of our territory; when, in our villages, men, old folks, women, and children have been, and are yet, shot down without pity in reprisal for imaginary crimes; when thousands of civilians are imprisoned in Germany as hostages; when the burgomaster of the capital, for daring to defend the rights of his constituents, is confined in a Silesian prison;[1] when our rural clergy is decimated, to such a point that divine service has necessarily been suspended in entire cantons; when a scholar like Van Gehuchten dies in exile, after seeing his manuscripts and his drawings, the fruit of ten years' labours, disappear in the flames of Louvain?