The Belgian Front, August 1914, Cologne, Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium and northern France include the Belgian forts of the Meuse at Liège, Namur, and Dinant, the fortress of Antwerp, and the capital of Brussels. The fortress of Liège (Lüttich) fell on August 16. German troops paraded in Brussels on August 20 as the Belgian Army fell back to Antwerp.

Westlichen Kriegsschauplatzes

Köln-Lüttich-Brüssel

Maßst[ab]. 1:2000000

Festungen, Forts.; Eisenbahnen

Reverse:

Logo: LB

Postkarten des westlichen Kriegschauplatzes Nr. 2. Import.

Other views: Larger, Larger, Back

Sunday, August 2, 1914

"I have the honour to bring to your Excellency's notice the following facts:-

On Sunday, the 2nd August, very early, the German troops, according to the information which has up to now reached the Grand Ducal Government, penetrated into Luxemburg territory by the bridges of Wasserbillig and Remich, and proceeded particularly towards the south and in the direction of Luxemburg, the capital of the Grand Duchy. A certain number of armoured trains with troops and ammunition have been sent along the railway line from Wasserbillig to Luxemburg, where their arrival is expected. These occurrences constitute acts which are manifestly contrary to the neutrality of the Grand Duchy as guaranteed by the Treaty of London of 1867. The Luxemburg Government have not failed to address an energetic protest against this aggression to the representatives of His Majesty the German Emperor at Luxemburg. An identical protest will be sent by telegraph to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at Berlin."

Quotation Context

Telegraph from the Minister of State of Luxemburg to Edward Grey, British Foreign Secretary, August 2, 1914. Britain, France, and Germany were signatories to the 1867 Treaty of London which guaranteed the neutrality of Belgium and Luxemburg. Germany's Schlieffen Plan opened with invasions of the two countries prior to an invasion of France across its northern border.

Earlier in the day, the Minister of State had reported to Grey a telegram he had received from Germany's Chancellor, Bethmann Hollweg, assuring the Minister that 'the military measures taken in Luxemburg do not constitute a hostile act against Luxemburg, but are only intended to insure against a possible attack of a French army.'

Source

Collected Diplomatic Documents Relating to the Outbreak of the European War, 105, 105 (and 96), publisher: His Majesty's Stationery Office by Harrison and Sons, publication date: 1915

Tags

Luxemburg, 1914, August, 1914-08-02