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

BOMBARDMENT AND DESTRUCTION 19

I have investigated whether such private houses as have been damaged or destroyed by the bombardment were situated in close proximity to Public Buildings, which circumstances might, to a certain extent, explain why they had been struck. As a matter of fact this was not so in the case of the greater number of these houses. From this observation I am driven to conclude that the Austrians deliberately sought to destroy private houses.

I wish to draw attention to the fact that the University and the National Museum, ete., have been bombarded. Yet the Hague Convention of October 18th, 1907, which was signed by AustriaHungary, contains the following stipulation :—

« Article 27. In sieges and bombardments, «gall necessary precautions must be taken to «“ spare, as far as possible, all buildings devoted “to the service of religion, the arts, science “and philanthropy ; all historic monuments, “hospitals and places where sick and wounded “are congregated, so long as such places are “not at the same time serving some military “ purpose.”

In this case these buildings served no military purpose and were not in close proximity to any building whose destruction was rendered necessary by strategic considerations.

I have also, more or less everywhere, observed traces of shrapnel-bombardment ; the University and University lecture halls in particular are riddled with shrapnel-bullets. I have secured a certain number of these as incriminating evidence, likewise