I just thought I’d share this because it’s hilarious:
Telegramme of the 3rd of August 1914
From the state Minister of Luxemburg to the forreign affairs state secretary of Germany:
“J’apprends qu’un agent allemand a annoncé ici que le samedi premier août, environ 650 cyclistes français auraient traversé le territoire du luxembourg. D’après un rapport de la gendarmerie, il n’y a pas dans cette nouvelle un mot de vrai.”
“I hear a german agent announced here that on saturday the first of August, 650 french cyclists would have crossed the Luxembourgish territory. According to a report from the gendarmerie, there isn’t a single true word in this announcement”
Just imagine 650 ‘allo’allo type frenchmen pedalling across Luxemburg to go and wage war against Gemany?