Declaration Of Mme. Tielemans

( Originally Published 1915 )

Mme. Tielemans, the widow of the burgomaster of Aerschot, writes to the Minister of State, M. Cooreman, President of the Commission of Inquiry :

" The facts occurred as follows : About 4 o'clock in the after-noon my husband was distributing cigars to the sentinels posted at the gate. Seeing that the General and his aides were watching us from the balcony above, I advised him to return indoors. At that moment, glancing at the Grand' Place, where more than 2,000 Germans were encamped, I indistinctly saw two columns of smoke followed by firing; the Germans were firing on the houses and entering them. My husband, my children, the servants, and I had only just time to rush to the stairs leading to the cellar. The Germans were firing even in the entrance-passages.

" After a few moments of indescribable anxiety one of the aides of the General came downstairs, saying: The General is dead; where is the burgomaster?' My husband said: `This will be serious for me.' As he went forward I said to the aide-de-camp: ` You can testify, sir, that my husband has not fired.' ` It's all the same,' he replied; ` he is responsible.' My husband was taken away. My son, who was beside me, led us into an-other cellar. The same aide came to tear him away from me, making him walk in front of him by kicking him. The poor child could hardly walk. In the morning, on entering the town, the Germans had fired into the windows of the houses ; a bullet had entered the room in which my son was, and, ricocheting, had wounded him in the calf. After the departure of my husband and my son I was taken all over the house by the Germans, who aimed their revolvers at my head. I was forced to see their dead General.

" Then they threw us, my daughter and me, out of the house, without an overcoat, without anything. We were penned up in the Grand' Place. We were surrounded by a cordon of soldiers and were forced to see the burning of our dear city. It was then that, by the dreadful light of the conflagration, I saw for the last time, about 1 o'clock in the morning, the father and son, bound together. Followed by my brother-in-law, they were going to execution.

" These evil men took from me all that I loved, and now they would take away the honour of a name that I am proud to bear. No, sir, I cannot allow this lie to gain credit. Upon my honour I assure you that we no longer possessed a single weapon.

" A price has been set upon my head; I have been forced to fly from village to village. Was it not in order to cause a witness to disappear? "