The Martyrdom of Belgium
Official Report of Massacres of Peaceable Citizens, Women and Children by The German Army
"The Martyrdom of Belgium" by Gerard Cooreman is a historical account written during the early 20th century. This book documents the atrocities committed by the German Army against Belgian civilians during World War I, aiming to provide official testimonies and evidence regarding the violation of international law and human rights in Belgium. Cooreman's work serves as an indictment of the brutality of the German military's actions and the suffering of innocents caught in the conflict. The narrative of "The Martyrdom of Belgium" compiles reports from the Official Belgian Commission of Inquiry, recounting incidents of violence, massacres, and terror inflicted upon unarmed Belgian citizens, including women and children, in towns such as Namur, Tamines, Andenne, and Dinant. The testimonies reveal systematic acts of brutality, including indiscriminate executions and the destruction of homes, alongside the culture of pillage enacted by occupying forces. Cooreman emphasizes that these events were not isolated incidents but a deliberate strategy of oppression sanctioned by the German military authority, stressing the deep moral implications of such warfare against a neutral and peaceable nation.