A soldiers fate in three versions

1.Arizona Republican, September 4th 1914

FEARS EMPEROR’S WRATH PRINCE ENDS HIS LIFE.

True Story of How Prince Frederick of Lippe Died (Associated Press Dispatch) LONDON, Sept. 3.

Prince Frederick William of Lippe took his own life, following the mistake of his regiment, according to Lady Randolph Churchill, former Lady Miss Jennie Jerome of New York, who has just arrived here from Germany, coining by way of Holland. „The true story of the death of Prince Frederick William of Lippe,“ she said, „is that he committed suicide. He was commanding a German cavalry regiment before Liege on August 4 when his men in the darkness of evening, nearly annihilated a German Infantry regiment which they had mistaken for Belgians. The Prince shot himself fearing the anger of the Emperor Wilhelm. His widow, which whom I am acquainted, informed me of his death on August 14th.

2.Version of the British Ambassador Francis Bertie

The Diary of Lord  Bertie of Thame, 1914-1918, Vol.1, Seite 43ff

A Belgian Millionaire, owner of a newspaper, got wind of an interview of the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs with his German counterpart. The Belgian rejected the passage of the German troops through Belgian but was told if the demands were not accorded, it would be enforced by 1.2000.000 soldiers. He throw up his hands saying: „What can we do in the face of such situation“. The German Minister derived the conviction from this statement that no real resistance would be made. But the millionaire, owner of a newspaper, got wind of this interview and published an article in which it was said:“ A bas les Allemands!“ For this he was arrested by the Belgian government, but the feeling thereby created and the consequence public demonstrations forced the government to release him and convinced the king and government that they must resist the Germans. The millionaire, whose fortune has shrunk from about £ 800,000 to about £ 240,000 through German destructions, was one of the hostages for the payment of the fine of 8 million pounds imposed on, but not paid by the city of Brussels. He escaped. He says that one of the causes of the German Emperor’s fury is fully and of the severities is which he ordered was the shooting of the Prince of Lippe by a woman cook with a fowling-piece from a window.“

(fowling-piece Schrotflinte)

3.Best Stories OF THE 1914 European War COMPILED   FROM   ALL   SOURCES

SIGNAL DREW FATAL VOLLEY

The Hanover Courier prints this account by an eyewitness of the death of Prince Wilhelm of Lippe, who fell in the assault on Liége on Aug. 6:

“After fierce fighting at close quarters we proceeded successfully toward Liége. On the morning of the 6th we succeeded in getting on the northern walls of Liége, where, however, we were completely surrounded by Belgian troops, who drew ever closer around us and pressed us hard amid a hail of bullets. By order of his Highness our detachment formed a circle and we defended ourselves stoutly for some time, till at length we saw strong reinforcements coming to our aid.

“In order to enable them to locate the exact spot where we were the Prince rose to a kneeling position, pointed with his sword to the approaching column and gave me, who lay a hand’s breadth away from him, on top of our flag, the order to raise the flag so that we might be recognized.

“I raised the flag and waved it in a circle, which at once drew an extra hail of bullets from the enemy. The flag was shot out of my hands, while the same volley wounded the Prince fatally in the breast and throat. His last words were, ‘Remember me!”