During the night isolated attacks upon German troops took place, also during the day.
During the examinations many of the Belgians related that their behaviour towards the Germans had been represented to them by the authorities, also by the preachers, as a matter of faith. When we fetched the wounded in automobiles during the night we were fired at, and also from a convent.
Signed: STEENGRAFE, President. Signed: KOCH.
Military Examination Bureau for Infringements of Martial Law.
Present: President, Dr. GRASSHOFF. Secretary, PAHL.
There appears on citation merchant Richard Gruner of Hamburg-Grossborstel, Holunderweg 12.
The importance of the oath was pointed out to the witness, and he declared:
As to Person: My name is Richard Gruner, aged 23; Protestant.
As to Case: I repeat, first of all, all the statements made during my judicial examination at Altona on March 1st, 1915. This statement, which has just been read to me, is perfectly true in all respects. I add further what follows:
The examination of the volunteers brought forward by the German troops on the station square at Louvain on the night of August 25th to 26th, 1914, was conducted by Captain Albrecht, who was then reporting officer on the staff of the IX. Reserve Army Corps, and who fell later, at the end of October 1914, at Noyon. Captain Albrecht was attached to the Grand General Staff in peace time. I was requested by him to act as interpreter during part of the examinations. The examination proceeded in such a way that the soldiers brought forward the civilians taken by them, whilst the firing in the town continued. I was given about 100 to 200 persons to search and to examine. Captain Albrecht passed from one group of persons assembled in the station square for examination to another group, and inquired the result in order to give instructions for the further treatment of the accused. Altogether about 600 persons may have been brought forward, at least 500 of whom were spared death by shooting because no sure proof of their guilt was brought forward during the examination. These persons were led aside; the men amongst them were later on sent to Germany, whilst it was left to the women and children to go to Anvers.