The Kingdom of serbia : report upon the atrocities committed by the Austro-Hungarian Army during the first invasion of Serbia

174 AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ATROCITIES

prisoners, gouged out their eyes, and castrated them into the bargain. Such statements could be read even in serious journals. It goes without saying that the famous Carnegie Commission provided a welcome opportunity for further forcing this note. This report, which was drawn up by enquirers who made no enquiry either in Serbia or in Greece, constitutes a most partial piece of special pleading in favour of Bulgaria.

But the preparation of the public by the newspapers was not sufficient to inspire the troops with sufficient dread of Serbian barbarism. Therefore the officers of both superior and inferior rank made it their business to school their men on the subject of the alleged atrocities which your army would inflict upon its prisoners All the Austro-Hungarian prisoners whom I questioned assured me that the officers had warned them not to let themselves be taken, as the Serbs would massacre them. Even the officers believed in this tale. Thus a FirstLieutenant confessed to me that at the moment when he was taken prisoner he had drawn his revolver with the intention of committing suicide, because he feared he would be tortured by the Serbs. The instinct of self-preservation had prevailed however, and he added : “To-day I am glad I did not do it, because Colonel Ilich is like a father to us.”

I append a series of depositions by several AustroHungarian prisoners which show very clearly how the soldiers were prepared and trained for pillage and massacre by their officers.

No. 87, Hospital Sergeant in the 28th Landwehr