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 Espionnite |  SPY MANIA |  Madness |
| Belgium, At the threshold of the first world conflict, accuses a considerable delay in matters of military counterattack. If some affairs of foreign spies active on Belgian soil are agitating the press of the Belle Epoque, Few instruments allow you to counter their activity. It is indeed only the 4 august 1914, German invasion day, that Parliament finally votes a law repressing spying. | On the eve of World War I, Belgium is lagging significantly behind in respect of military counter-intelligence. Even though some cases of foreign spies active on Belgian soil hit the headlines of the newspapers of the Belle Époque, few measures existed to tackle the problem. Only on 4 August 1914, when Germany invaded Belgium, did the parliament pass a law against espionage. | On the eve of the First World War, Belgium is considerably lagging behind in the field of military counterpionage. Despite the fact that a number of cases of foreign espionage activities on Belgian territory get the newspaper during the Belle Epoque, there are few instruments available to stop these activities. Look after 4 augustus 1914, The Day of the German invasion of the Belgian territory, Parliament approves a law to combat espionage. |
Le Soir, Classified ads section, 17 april 1907 : Among the resounding pre-war espionage cases, Let us quote the Theisen case in 1907, the name of this Belgian journalist, responsible, in Belgium, German espionage directed against France. Pierre Theisen supports information to soldiers recruited by classified ads. | ||
| The country's invasion will suddenly show the effects of this imparation. The ultimatum du 2 August provokes a strong anti -allemand feeling accompanied by a spy phenomenon : Each German takes the features of a spy and the denunciations flock to the police. In the first days of August, The prosecution opens hundreds of information from the spying chief and detention of wireless telegraphy. You have to work day and night, Remember a Brussels magistrate, To unwind on all cases reported. Very few complaints, however, led to military courts, Most of them being baseless. The real spies, as for them, benefit from the inexperience of the Belgians and, Their mission accomplished, leave the country at the start of the war. | The invasion of the country quickly highlighted the effects of this unpreparedness. The ultimatum of 2nd August 1914 aroused a strong anti-German sentiment mixed with a climate of spy mania: each German was seen as a spy, and the police were swamped with denunciations. In the first days of August, the Public Prosecutor Office launched hundreds of investigations on charges of espionage and ownership of wireless telegraphy systems. You had to work night and day to investigate all the reported cases, a Brussels judge declared. However, very few complaints made it to military courts, for most of them were unsubstantiated. As for true spies, once their missions accomplished, they took advantage of the Belgian lack of experience to leave the country at the beginning of the war. | The inexperience on military counterpionage is immediately clear at the invasion. The ultimatum of 2 augustus 1914 causes a climate of strong anti-German feelings that are accompanied by a espionage madness: Every German is regarded as a potential spy and reports come in from the police. During the first August days, the public prosecutor's office will open hundreds of investigations into espionage and the possession of wireless channels. "We had to work day and night to investigate all cases", a Brussels magistrate remembers. Yet few complaints find their way to the military courts because most of the end do not appear to be well -founded. The real spies gratefully make use of the inexperience of the Belgians and leave the country in time. |
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Poster : Alarmist recommendations for the presence of spies are regularly displayed in the cantonments ; Some soldiers developed a real psychosis. Poster: Alarmist recommendations concerning the presence of spies were regularly displayed in the cantonments, which drove some soldiers into psychosis. Poster: Alarming guidelines concerning the presence of spies are hung in the barracks, that give many a soldier psychoses. (MRA-KLM) | Let Charles Troupin pass, signed by the Minister of War (AGR). This low-scale crooking manages, Shortly before the invasion, to be enlisted as a Belgian intelligence agent. During the chaotic days of the entry into war, He flooded the 2nd section of fanciful information, Before being finally confused, Then shot for betrayal by the Belgian authorities. Let Passe of Charles Troupin, signed by the minister of War (National Archives of Belgium). Shortly before the invasion, this petty crooked adventurer managed to be recruited as agent in the Belgian secret services. In the chaotic times following the beginning of the war, he swamped the 2d Section with fanciful information, before being arrested then shot on charges of treason. Lender from Charles Troupin, signed by the Minister of War (WE BUY): This insignificant scammer adventurer manages to be recruited as an agent at the Belgian intelligence service. In the chaotic period before the war, he floods the 2nd section with invented information. He is eventually arrested and then shot for betrayal by the Belgian authorities. |
| Fantasies, inexperience of the police in the matter, Difficulty establishing the facts even when the presumptions are serious ... The testimonies of the judicial authorities converge to relate a chaotic experience of the entry into war. | Fantasies, inexperienced police, difficulty to establish the facts even when the presumptions were strong… the judicial authorities agreed to say that the start of the war was a chaotic experience. | Madgares, inexperienced police services, difficulties in determining the facts even with strong suspicions,…. Ensure that the judicial authorities agree that the beginning of the war is a chaotic experience. |
| After decades of inertia, The creation of a specialized service with the means necessary to monitor the suspects, collect denunciations and continue research is suddenly felt. | After decades of inertia, the creation of a specialised agency with the necessary means to monitor suspects, collect denunciations, and continue the investigations had suddenly become a paramount need. | After decades of Inertie, there is suddenly a strong need to set up specialized services, They have the necessary means to "surveillance" suspects, to collect information and to conduct research. |
Arrest of a spy by the Brussels civic guard | ||
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