Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the 11th letter in the series of Feldposts that Herbert writes home to his family from the collection. This is the 6th letter from 1943. This letter is written from where Herbert was billeted before, whilst on guard with his unit. This letter is the only letter in which Herbert has shown a clear mistake, this being in the form of the date where he draws a line through "3" and writes "2" instead. Herbert has been very consistent and neat in his letters, suggesting he is well educated and systematic in the way he writes his letters.

This letter is also written and shared exactly 80 years on the day.

The Feldpost reads as:

Ihr Lieben!

Wir sind jetzt immer auf Reisen. Von einem Kaff zum anderen und überall müssen

wir Wache schieben. Es bringt aber Spaß, nur der Schlaf fehlt uns. Bestenfalls können

wir 7 Stunden in der Nacht schlafen, manchmal auch nur 4 Stunden. Sonst hatte ich

mich gleich nach einen halben Tag wieder eingwöhnt. Es war lange nicht so schwer

als ich dachte. Man ist doch schon viel zu sehr Soldat, als daß man sich durch 14 Tage

Urlaub, wieder heraus könnte. Es war aber gut, daß ich zuerst mitfuhr, denn die

anderen sind schon zurückgerufen. Also, wieder mal Glück gehabt. Der Urlaub war

wirklich schön. Von Oma´s Kuchen habe ich noch ein Stück, auch von der Wurst ist

noch fast alles da. Ich habe in letzter Zeit wenig Appetit. Ich glaube ich bin erst mal

richtig durchgefüttert.

Wie war denn Dein Geburtstag, liebe Mutti? Habt ihr schön gefeiert. Ich habe sehr

viel an dich gedacht am 6.; aber ich hatte nicht die Zeit in Ruhe zu schreiben. Denn

wenn wir keine Wache haben und nicht schlafen, sind wir meistens mit dem

Packen beschäftigt. Und Hanne hat morgen Geburtstag. Da wird er doch sicher

wieder seine Freunde einladen. Schade, daß ich nciht mit dabei sein kann, denn

bald wäre es ja so hingekommen. Wir werdens dann eben später gründlich

nachholen. Ich wünsche Euch beiden nochmal alles Gute in Eurem neuen

Lebensjahr, nachträglich. Nun will ich schließen.

Viele herzliche Grüße an Euch Alle

Euer Herbert

The Feldpost in English reads as:

Dear ones!

We are always travelling now. From one town to another and everywhere we have to be on guard.

But it's fun, we just miss sleep. At best, we can sleep 7 hours a night, sometimes only 4. Otherwise I

got used to it again after half a day. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I am already far too

much of a soldier, to be able to forget about it after 14 days' leave. But it was a good thing that I went

first, because the the others had already been called back. So I was lucky again. The holiday was

really nice. I still have a piece of grandma's cake, and the sausage is still mostly here. I don't have

much appetite lately. I think I've been properly fed for the time being.

How was your birthday, dear mummy? Did you have a nice party? I thought

a lot about you on the 6th, but I didn't have the time to write in peace. Because

when we are not on watch and not sleeping, we are usually busy packing.

And Hanne's birthday is tomorrow. I'm sure he'll invite his friends again. It's a

pity that I can't be there, because it almost worked. We'll make up for it later. I

wish you both all the best in your new year of life, belatedly. Now I want to close.

Many warm greetings to you all

Your Herbert

Hebert starts this letter much like he stated his last letter, written just 4 days earlier on the 10/02/1943, as detailed in the opening lines of this letter, Herbert writes that they are always busy and traveling as he is on guard in every area they move to. Town to town as written by Herbert, it is suggested that Herbert is still based within Germany as there hasn't been any mention of change in location or region in his letters. Hebert details how he is enjoying his service despite writing how little sleep he and his kameraden are getting, "At best, we can sleep 7 hours a night, sometimes only 4". This showing how busy Herbert and his unit is with guard shifts and moving. Despite this Herbert details how he is surprised how much hes settled back into his duties and how it isn't as bad as he thought it would be, joking that he is far to accustomed to Soldaten life by now to forget what it is to be a Soldat after his 14 Day leave.

Herbert details his activities during his time of leave in which was mentioned in his letter that was written on 16.01.1943. This gives us more insight into what Herbert got up to, as Herbert seems lucky to have spent 14 days with his family as Herbert details how many of his kameraden were called back to service already, suggesting they didn't have as long as he did. Herbert does detail how he really enjoyed the holiday, spending time with his family and how Herbert still has cake that his Grandma made and some sausage from the holiday. Herbert detailing how he was still very full from his holiday and that he has this food in reserve for when his apatite returns. As previously written in other letters, food and other supplies were at a shortage before so such items wouldn't go to waste and would be enjoyed by Herbert at some stage.

Such foods and gifts sent from home and brought from home were always an added bonus for Soldaten not only in form of physical supplies but as morale which would be reflected upon as they ate their food from family.

After this brief talk of his holiday, Herbert moves to wish his Mutti (Mother) a bleated Birthday wish for the 6th February 1943. Herbert asks how the party his mother had on her birthday and that despite being in service Herbert's thoughts were of his mother on her birthday. Herbert apologises that he wasn't able to write sooner as there was no peace in that period with the constant moving and on guard, with no time spared and little time to sleep. Hebert then details how it is also to be Hanne's birthday, being tomorrow on the 15th February 1943. Hanne possibly being a relation of Herbert, his brother perhaps? It is yet to be specified. Hanne is suggested to invite his friends, an event that he is saddened he cannot attend, that his leave if only later would have allowed him to attend such an event.

Herbert closes the letter by wishing his mother and Hanne "all the best in your new year of life, belatedly" as he closes the letter with his very best wishes. Euer Herbert.