Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the 13th letter in the series of Feldpost's that Herbert writes home to his family whilst away from home in service. Hebert here writes his second letter home, seen as the second letter written on a small scrap of card. This as suggested in the previous post being only what writing materials Herbert had to hand as again it is detailed in this letter that Herbert is "Auf Marsch" denoting that he is on the move. As in the previous letter written home on the 27.02.1943 where we found out that Herbert and his unit was on the move through Memelland (Lithuania) to the front lines. This letter gives us a brief update as to Hebert's where about as he gets ever closer to combat and a front line Soldaten lifestyle. Shared as always on the day it was written, 80 years ago today.

The letter in German reads as:

Auf Marsch, 2.3.43

Ihr Lieben!

Endlich will ich mal etwas von mir hören lassen. Wie sind unmittelbar hinter der Front. 2km von uns verläuft die H. K. L. In einer russischen Kaserne untergebracht. Ein richtiger Läusekäfig. Mit 60 Mann in einem Raum. Vorhin sind ein Paar Granaten ins Dorf gegangen. Haben schon 2 Verwundete. Es scheint hier sonst aber sehr ruhig zu sein. Also macht Euch keine Sorgen. Ihr werdet vielleicht länger keine Post bekommen. Wir sind nämlich noch nicht da wo wir hinsollen.

Herzliche Grüße an Alle

Euer Herbert

The letter in English reads as:

On march, 2.3.43

Dear Ones!

I want to let you hear something from me again. We are right behind the front. 2km from us runs the H. K. L. We are housed in a Russian barrack. A real lice cage. With 60 men in one room. A few shells went into the village earlier. We've already got two wounded. But otherwise it seems very quiet here. So don't worry. You might not get any mail for a while. We are not yet where we are supposed to be.

Best regards to all

Your Herbert

This letter giving an immediate update as to Hebert's travels to the front line. After moving from Memelland (Lithuania) as mentioned in the pervious letter and a mention again of using "Cattle Cars" to transport himself and his unit to the frontlines we now get this brief update on that. We learn that Herbert is right behind the front lines now, these front lines being the Ost Front or Eastern Front. Herbert details that he and his unit is now 2km from the "H.K.L", This being an acronym for "Hauptkampflinie" which is known in English as "The Main Battle Line", The official German term for "The front lines". This showing how close Herbert is to combat. Herbert writes this letter in a crowded accommodation a "Russischen Kaserne" , known in English as a Russian Barrack. This is where Herbert details the worrying living conditions as he describes it as " richtiger Läusekäfig", "A Real Lice Cage" to which Herbert details that there is 60 men in one room as they hide from the weather but also protection of attacks. This being further detailed by the writings of "A few shells went into the village earlier" which shows the severity and harshness of fighting on the Eastern front, followed by a quick sentence of how two men from his unit are already injured from the bombardment from the front line combat despite being behind enemy lines. Yet despite this Herbert has said all is quiet here and that his family shouldn't worry. Herbert explaining not to worry to his family back home to ease their nerves as he writes of these harsh conditions.

Conditions such as these were common for Soldaten on the Ost front, the harsh conditions that Hebert details of being in cramped living conditions not only reduced morale of Soldaten in the field but meant that sanitation was low. The low sanitation and cleanliness of such conditions as detailed of "Lice cage" meant that illness and diseases spread a lot easier and frequent among Soldaten in service. Taking shelter among villages and towns across the Eastern and Western fronts were common however sanitation and facilities were much poorer and reduced among Eastern European settlements. These conditions can be reflected in many photographs from the period showing poverty among those in Eastern Europe.

Hebert closes the letter stating that they may not receive any more mail sent from him any time soon as they are only in this area temporarily as they are "not yet where we are suppose to be". This would be a blessing to both Hebert and his family as the conditions in which he is currently in would pass as he moves to where he is meant to be. This would be a worrying time for Hebert's family, hoping to get an update from him as soon as possible. Hebert closes the letter as always with his best wishes "Euer Herbert" Your Herbert.