We do not at this writing know for what purpose.
The fire continued for several days. An eye-witness, who on Aug. 30 left
Louvain, describes the state of the city as follows:
"From Weert St. Georges," he says, "I have seen nothing except
burned towns and crazed villagers lifting to each comer their arms
as a mark of submission. From each house was hanging a white flag,
even from those that had been set on fire, and rags of them were
found hanging from the ruins.
At Weert St. Georges I inquired from the inhabitants the cause of
the German reprisals. They all assured me that absolutely none of
the inhabitants had fired; that all arms had been previously given
up, and that the Germans had taken vengeance on the population
because a Belgian soldier of the Gendarme Corps had killed a Uhlan.
The population which remained in Louvain took refuge in the suburb
of Heverle, where they are all piled up, the population having been
driven from the town by the troops and by the fire.
The fire in Louvain began a little above the American College, and
the city is entirely destroyed, with the exception of the Town Hall
(Hotel de Ville) and the depot.
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