REVENGEFUL GERMANS DESTROY TOWN OF LOUVAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15701, 31 August 1914, Page 6

REVENGEFUL GERMANS DESTROY TOWN OF LOUVAIN

SEVERAL NOTABLE CITIZENS DELIBERATELY SHOT, London, August 28.

Tho report of the burning of Louvain by tlio Germans is confirmed. The. Belgian Ambassador states that the Germans, after receiving a check, withdrew from Louvain in disorder. A German guard mistook the retreating troops for Belgians and fired on them. They afterwards pretended that the inhabitants did the firing, although the latter wore disarmed a week ago. They thereupon cleared out the inhabitants, made prisoners of some and shot several notable citizens. They ignited tho town and blew up with bombs several famous buildings,, Louvain is now a heap of ashes. . Refugees from Louvain state that the Germans were chagrined owing to their defeat on Tuesday, TOon it was necessary to cover up their comrades' mistake they commenced pillaging, destroying and expelling the inhabitants at tho point of the bayonet. The list of the murdered include English and American clergymen. Tho destruction includes a magnificent cathedral, the Church of St. Pierre, the Hotel de Ville, a university, and a library. The Berliner Tageblatt announces that Louvain has been bitterly punished for a civilian uprising. „.,„.. , . ...' A Berlin message says that tho Vossische Zeitung declares that Louvain was destroyed because the whole population fired on the Germans, and women, from the roofs, poured boiling Oil upon the The Press Bureau says that the destruction or Louvain is unpardonable, and an act of barbarity and vandalism. It can only be supposed that, in his desire to conceal the facts and cover the blunder of his own men, the German commander seized upon the first idea occuring as an excuse for an act unparalleled in the history of civilisation. Louvain was miles from the real fighting. International law recognised that the only legitimate aim of war is the weakening of the enemy's army. The rules forbid the destruction or seizure of property not imperatively called for by military necessities. By destroying Louvain, tho Germans committed a crime wherefor there can ho no atonement. Humanity has suffered a loss which can never be repaired.

Louvain was one of the most ancient cities in Belgium, and its university, founded in 1423, was the first in tiio kingdom. The university was established in the old Clothworkers* Hall, a building dating from 1317, with long arcades and graceful pillars supporting the upper storeys. Tho library of the university contained 70 000 volumes and some 500 manuscripts. The most remarkable building in Louvoin was the Hotel do Villo, one of the richest and most ornate examples of pointed Gothic in the country. It was the work cf Malhica do Layens, master mason, who worked at it from 14-18 to 1463. The budding was one of three storeys, each with ten pointed windows forming the facade facing the square. Above was a graceful balustrade, behind which was a lofty roof and at the angles were towers perforated for the passage of the light. The other three sides were lavishly decorated with statuary. Opposite the Hotel de Ville was tho fine church of St. Pierre in the form of a cross, with a low tower to which tho spire had never been added. The church was built on the site o an older edifice between 1425 and 1497. Tho population of Loovain was about 43,000.