Proclamation

whole: the title is positioned along the top edge, in black. The text occupies the remainder, in black. All set against an orange background. image: text only. text: PROCLAMATION Le Tribunal du Conseil de Guerre Impérial Allemand siègeant à Bruxelles a prononcé les condamnations suivantes: Sont condamnés à mort pour trahison en bande organisée: Edith CAVELL, Institutrice à Bruxelles. Philippe BANCQ, Architecte à Bruxelles. Jeanne de BELLEVILLE, de Montignies. Louise THUILIEZ, Professeur à Lille. Louis SEVERIN, Pharmacien à Bruxelles. Albert LIBIEZ, Avocat à Mons. Pour le même motif, ont été condamnés à quinze ans de travaux forcés: Hermann CAPIAU, Ingénieur à Wasmes. - Ada BODART, à Bruxelles. - Georges DERVEAU, Pharmacien à Pâturages. - Mary de CROY, à Bellignies. Dans sa même séance, le Conseil de Guerre a prononcé contre dix-sept autres accusés de trahison envers les Armées Impériales, des condamnations de travaux forcés et de prison variant entre deux ans et huit ans. En ce qui concerne BANCQ et Edith CAVELL, le jugement a déjà reçu pleine exécution. Le Général Gouverneur de Bruxelles porte ces faits à la connaissance du public pour qu'ils servent d'avertissement. Bruxelles le 12 Octobre 1915 Le Gouverneur de la Ville, Général VON BISSING [Proclamation. The Tribunal of the Imperial German War Council sitting in Brussels has pronounced the following sentences: The following are sentenced to death for treason in an organized band: Edith Cavell, a primary school teacher in Brussels. Philippe Bancq, an architect in Brussels. Jeanne de Belleville, from Montignies. Louise Thuiliez, a secondary school teacher in Lille. Louis Severin, a pharmacist in Brussels. Albert Libiez, an advocate in Mons. On the same grounds the following were sentenced to fifteen years of hard labour: Hermann Capiau, an engineer in Wasmes; Ada Bodart, in Brussels; Georges Derveau, a pharmacist in Pâturages; Mary de Croy, in Bellignies. At the same sitting, the War Council pronounced sentences of hard labour and prison varying in length between two and eight years against seventeen others accused of treason towards the Imperial Armies. Where Bancq and Edith Cavell are concerned, the sentence has already been fully implemented. The General who is Governor of Brussels brings these facts to the knowledge of the public so that they may serve as a warning. Brussels, 12 October 1915. The Governor of the City, General von Bissing.]

This proclamation was issued by the German military authorities occupying Brussels, Belgium. A different colour version was also produced (see PST 6318).

Edith Cavell (1865-1915) was a Red Cross nurse in Belgium, executed by the Germans during the First World War. The British-born Cavell arrived in Belgium in 1907 to take up the post as matron of a training school for nurses. When the Germans invaded in 1914 she remained in Belgium joining the Red Cross and treating the wounded of both sides. However, in August 1915 she was charged, along with an accomplice, with aiding the escape of over two-hundred Allied soldiers to neutral Holland. She confessed her guilt and faced the firing squad in October. Her execution provoked an outcry in Britain and was often cited in Allied propaganda as an example of German brutality.

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12/10/15

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