]
The houses were set on fire with special apparatus, while people were
dragged from their houses, already burning, and some were shot in the
streets.
Many civilians were marched to a field on the road to Louvain and kept
there all night. Meanwhile many of the inhabitants were collected in the
square. By this time very many of the troops were drunk.
On the following day a number of the civilians were shot under the
orders of an officer, together with the Burgomaster, his brother, and
his son. Of this incident, which is spoken to by many witnesses, a clear
account is given:
"German soldiers came and took hold of me and every other man
they could see, and eventually there were about sixty of us,
including some of 80, (i.e., years of age,) and they made us
accompany them ... all the prisoners had to walk with their
hands above their heads. We were then stopped and made to
stand in a line, and an officer, a big fat man who had a
bluish uniform ... came along the line and picked out the
Burgomaster, his brother, and his son, and some men who had
been employed under the Red Cross.
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