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

50 AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ATROCITIES

They were locked up there for five days and given nothing during all that time but water. The first night nothing happened. The second night the corporals and sergeants took the women into a room apart and asked : ©“ Where are your husbands? What are the positions occupied by your troops? Where are the Serbians ?” If the Austrians were not pleased with their answers, they struck them with the butt-ends of their rifles.

Draga had not recovered from the blows she had received (Oct. 23rd, new style). In the night soldiers came into the room where all these women were sleeping and by twos carried out the young girls. One man took the head, the other the feet. If the girls cried out, the soldiers crammed handkerchiefs into their mouths. This happened frequently. From the Hotel Europa they were taken to the Hotel Casino and thence to the church, where there were many people. When the church was bombarded by the Serbs they were compelled to shout: “Long live Hungary!” Within the church, behind the altar, the officers violated the young girls. During the bombardment they were placed well to the fore in the streets, so that the Serbs might fire upon them. From the street they were taken to the Police stables. It was there that they were rescued by the Serbs. The Austrians had intended to carry them off into Austria, but the Serbian guns had destroyed the bridges, thus cutting off their passage. Next day it was too late, “the Serbs were there.” Some of the girls who were taken to the officers at night came back next morning dressed in handsome clothes from