“A most terrifying report spread like wild-fire through the town last Monday morning, and reached to the farthest suburbs.  The waters of the Mangfall had been poisoned by Russian spies, and everyone’s life was in danger.  It is hardly possible to conceive the effect of this terrible rumour.  Messengers of despair rushed from house to house, knocking at strangers’ doors in order to spread the warning.  ’That is a devilish deed!’ stammered the white lips of women.  ’Only barbarians wage war in this manner!’ hissed the men, trembling with rage and hate."[50]

[Footnote 50:  The full report of this Munich scare occupies more than a column in the Muenchen-Augsburger Abendzeitung, August 10th.]

The Breslauer-Morgenzeitung for August 10th contains an announcement from the Breslau municipality warning the inhabitants that the waters of the Oder have possibly been poisoned, and appealing for every precaution to be taken before drinking from the town supply, till a fresh supply can be provided.

“The authorities in Danzig have declared the waters of the Weichsel to be under suspicion of having been infected with cholera bacilli.  It is presumed that cholera is raging on the upper Weichsel in Russia, and that the Russians have not allowed this to become known.  Water from the river must not be used for any purposes connected with human food or drink."[51]

[Footnote 51:  Leipziger Neuesten Nachrichten, August 20th.  A lying report put in circulation hundreds of miles away from Danzig.]

Finally the originator of these rumours piously contradicts them all and announces, “lieb Vaterland magst ruhig sein,” in the following words: 

“Wolff’s Bureau reports:  There is absolutely no reason for anxiety on account of the alleged poisoning and infection of rivers, water supplies and springs which have been reported unauthoritatively from all parts of the country, and published in the Press.  These rumours, which have caused grave anxiety, on closer investigation have all proved to be utterly unfounded."[52]

[Footnote 52:  Leipziger Volkszeitung, August 27th.]

The war had lasted for four weeks, and although no rivers had been poisoned, the same could not be said of the currents of popular opinion.

“While I was walking down a street in Breslau a tram suddenly stopped, loud cries proceeding from within it.  The occupants had discovered a Russian, dragged him out and handed him over to a policeman who led the man away.  But the official was unable to protect him, and blows with fists and sticks literally rained on the defenceless fellow.  The couple, surrounded by a howling crowd, had just moved away, when a nun attracted the attention of the crowd.  On account of a report that a Russian spy disguised as a nun had been arrested the same morning, the people imagined the nun to be a man in disguise.