Brutality in the German Army.

Manawatu Herald, 23 February 1892, Page 2

Brutality in the German Army.

The cablegrams reported the punishment of certain German non commissioned officers for brutal conduct to the men under their charge. In the United Service Magazine for December there is a very short article oy " Miles Teutonicus," which gives some extracts from a German pamphlet, published by a late captain in the Wurtemburg army, called Edmund Muller. His pamphlet is called " A Cry from Illtreated Soldiers of the German Nation," and if his facts be facts it is high time a cry arose that should echo through the civilised world, say the Review of Eeviewu Captain Muller declares that soldiers in Germany are treated with a brutality that is almost inconceivable. Here are a few of the facts for the authenticity of which Captain Muller declares that he is ready to vouch to the utmost :— A first-lieutenant of the 15th Army Service battalion at Strassburg ordered one of his men to get into a dung-barrow, Private Klippert was forced to take a horse's bit in his mouth and to bark like a | dog. The lieutenant dragged the bit backwards and forwards in his mouth. Klippert was, besides this, go badly treated that he has become

I « confirmed idiot. Captain Mehl- ■■ hern's (of the same battalion) lani guage is too bad to be repeated. H>. V was m the habit of beating, his me. i wit \ his sword, so that often the;coa d not h-lp shedding tears. TK; - mi . ultimately went aau. Color *. Se jcant Wodthe, of the 3rd Gna:-l Ulan Regiment, ordered all of h j rm ito spit in a Uhlan's face, b•- > cai ?e he appeared somewhat lat >. Tb .y all did so except one, wj d i\f ised, and for this was spat in tie face by the. remaining men, # \t Wodthe's orders. An anonymo s letter brought about this man : s punishment. The habit of striking privates over the head with swords and sticks and ramrods, according to Captain Muller, prevailsr 4o an extent not to be be believed outside Germany.