ATROCITIES***


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THE TRUTH ABOUT GERMAN ATROCITIES

Founded on the Report of the Committee on Alleged German Outrages







1915
Parliamentary Recruiting Committee,
12, Downing Street, London, S.W.




CONTENTS.

                                                                  PAGE

  INTRODUCTION                                                       1
      Appointment of Committee                                       2
      Terms of Reference                                             2
      Composition of Committee                                       2
  1. CIVILIANS murdered and ill-treated                              5
  2. WOMEN murdered and outraged                                    15
  3. Murder and ill-treatment of CHILDREN                           16
  4. Brutal treatment of the AGED, the CRIPPLED and the INFIRM      17
  5. The use of CIVILIANS as SCREENS                                18
  6. KILLING WOUNDED SOLDIERS and PRISONERS                         19
  7. LOOTING, BURNING and DESTRUCTION of PROPERTY                   19
  FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE                                         23


(1365) W. 5601/507 250M 7/15 H. C. & L., Ltd.




THE TRUTH ABOUT GERMAN ATROCITIES.




INTRODUCTION.


_Prussia joined in a Guarantee of Belgian Neutrality._

The neutrality of Belgium was guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1839 to
which France, Prussia and Great Britain were parties.


_Recent German Assurances._

In 1913 the German Secretary of State, at a meeting of a Budget
Committee of the Reichstag, declared that "Belgian neutrality is
provided for by international conventions, and Germany is determined to
respect those conventions."

On July 31st, 1914, when the danger of war between Germany and France
seemed imminent, Herr von Below, the German Minister in Brussels, being
interrogated by the Belgian Foreign Department, replied that he knew of
the assurances given by the German Chancellor in 1911 (that Germany had
no intention of violating Belgian neutrality) and that he "was certain
that the sentiments expressed at that time had not changed."


_Passage through Belgium Demanded by Germany._

Nevertheless, on August 2nd, the same Minister presented a note to the
Belgian Government demanding a passage through Belgium for the German
Army on pain of an instant declaration of war.


_Passage Refused by Belgian King and Government._

Startled as they were by the suddenness with which this terrific war
cloud had risen on the eastern horizon, the leaders of the nation
rallied round the King of Belgium in his resolution to refuse the
demand and to prepare for resistance.


_Invasion._

On the evening of August 3rd, the German troops crossed the frontier.


_Early Outbreak of Atrocities._

No sooner had the Germans violated Belgian territory, than statements
of atrocities committed by German soldiers against civilians--men,
women and children--found their way into the newspapers of this
country. The public could hardly believe the record of cruelty that
rapidly accumulated, but the persistence with which reports from one
district tallied in general outline with reports from other localities
left little doubt in the public mind as to the truth of the alleged
atrocities. But it became necessary to make absolutely certain of the
facts.


_Home Office Collected Evidence._

The Home Office, in the autumn of 1914, wisely decided to collect
evidence of the truth, and, during the concluding months of 1914, a
great number of statements taken in writing were