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

180 AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ATROCITIES

Section, and accompanied the police in order to “have an eye” on the Serbs. They wore yellow and black badges on their arms, and witness heard that these civilians brought lying reports about the Serbs to the officer in command, who thereupon ordered the houses to be set on fire.

No. 142, Hospital attendant of the 22nd Regt., relates that General Gabriel forbade the burning of houses, and told the men that they must treat the property of others as if it were their own.

No. 113, of the 28th Regiment. In Krupanj the detachment was led past a line of Serb soldiers in torn uniforms. The officers showed them to the men, saying: “Look at these vagabonds, who would dare to make war on us. Throw them some crusts of bread.” Witness heard that these soldiers were subsequently shot.

As may be seen from the above quoted evidence, the men were not only frightened by their superiors, but they were in many cases given direct orders to pillage.

That the butchery of the population was systematic and according to order, is yet more clearly proved by the following excerpts quoted from a pamphlet issued by the Austro-Hungarian high command, and found in the possession of the men. These excerpts demonstrate most perfectly how the men were systematically trained and prepared for massacre :

“K. uw. K. 9th Korpskommando.

“Instructions regarding behaviour to be adopted towards the population in Serbia,