It
is noteworthy that this spying was not simply done by poor devils who
had not been able to make money in a cleaner way--but by very successful
German business men, sometimes men of great wealth and whose wealth had
been almost entirely built up in Belgium. These men were extremely
courteous and serviceable, they spent much money upon social functions
and in the promotion of charities, German schools, churches and the
like; they had numerous friends, in some cases they had married Belgian
girls and their boys were members of the special corps of our 'National
Guard.' ... Yet at the same time, they were prying into everything,
spying everywhere.
"When the Germans entered into Belgium, they were guided wherever they
went by some one of their officers or men who knew all about each place.
Directors of factories were startled to recognize some of their work
people transformed into Uhlans. A man who had been a professor at the
University of Brussels had the impudence to call upon his former
'friends' in the uniform of a German officer.
"When the war is over, when Belgium is free again, it will not be many
years before the Germans come back, at least their peaceful and
'friendly' vanguard. How will they be received this time? It is certain
that it will be extremely difficult for them to make friends again. As
to myself, when I meet them again in my country--I shall ask myself: 'Is
he a friend, or is he a spy?' And the business men will think: 'Are they
coming as faithful partners, or simply to steal and rob?' That will be
their well deserved reward.
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