Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the 16th letter in the series of Feldpost's that Herbert writes home to his family whilst away from home. This letter being a small feldpost-breife that is written from Herbert's Hospital bed in Braunschweig (Brunswick) Northern Germany. Hebert writes this letter using as much space as possible, to which Hebert doesn't finish what he is writing on this letter. Unfortunately there is no additional added letters to accompany this but we share this update of Herbert in Hospital, exactly 80 years since it was written!

The letter reads in German as:

Braunschweig 27.3.1943

Ihr Lieben!

Nun muß ich wohl mal wieder etwas von mir hören lassen.

Ich wollte gestern schon schreiben; aber da hatte ich wieder einmal

Schmerzen in der Schulter, das hat zwar nichts zu sagen wie der Arzt sagt; aber es ist doch

unangenehm und hindernd. Es ist das Rippenfell. Gestern bekam ich auch erst zu wissen was

mir fehlte. Ich hatte eine Lungenentzündung und

soll mich jetzt hier in Braunschweig erholen. Ich habe

dem Arzt schon erzählt, daß ich mich zu Hause viel besser erholen würde; aber er will mich

hierbehalten. Ist nichts zu machen. Wir haben es

hier ja auch ganz schön. Auf unserem Zimmer liegen

wir mit 4 Mann. Die Aussicht aus dem Fenster geht allerdings leider auf einen Kohlenhaufen. Die Verpflegung ist gut. Der Arzt sagt nämlich, gut und reichlich essen, wäre die beste Medizin für mich. Ich kann es manchmal gar nicht

bewältigen, besonders Mittags; aber dann finden sich immer Abnehmer, die die Reste noch zusätzlich verdrücken.

Vorgestern war hier eine Variete-Gruppe im Lazarett.

Sie hat ganz nette Sachen gebracht und wir hatten einen Nachmittag ganz gute Unterhaltung. Heute Nachmittag ist Konzert oder Theater in der Stadt.

Vielleicht komme ich da auch mit hin. Der Arzt muß das noch entscheiden, denn....

The letter reads in English as:

Brunswick 27.3.1943

Dear all!

Now I must let you hear something from me again.

I was going to write yesterday, but once again I had

pain in my shoulder, which is not that bad, as the doctor says; but it is nevertheless

unpleasant and hindering. It is the pleura. Yesterday I also got to know what

illness I had. I had pneumonia and am now supposed to recover here in Braunschweig. I have already

told the doctor that I would recover much better at home, but he wants to keep me here.

Nothing can be done. We have it quite nice here. In our room I'm laying

with 4 men. Unfortunately, the view from the window is of a pile of coal. The food is good. The doctor says that eating well and plenty of food is the best medicine for me. Sometimes I can't cope at all, especially at noon, but then there are always people who eat the leftovers.

The day before yesterday there was a vaudeville group at the hospital.

They did some very nice things and we had an afternoon of very good entertainment. This afternoon there is a concert or theatre in town.

Maybe I will go with them. The doctor still has to decide, because.....

This letter, although a brief update gives us some important information about Herbert. The previous letter ( Written on the 17.3.43) saw Herbert in a hospital behind the front line in Riga, Latvia to in between these two letter has seen Hebert be transferred to a Hospital in Germany to recover from his illness. Hebert initially details how he is currently feeling as he writes the letter as he states that there is a "Pain in my shoulder" which is not as bad as the doctor says it is but it is still a "Unpleasant and hindering" to Hebert.

This us where Hebert details his exact illness as diagnosed by the medical staff at the German Hospital as previously it was vague details of injury or infection to his lungs with suggestions of disease that could have been contracted based on Herbert's exposure to conditions and sanitation whilst in service on the Eastern Front. Herbert details of pain in his shoulder which the doctor suggests it is pain linked to his pleura which is medically detailed as pleurisy, This in addition to what was medically diagnosed to Herbert by the doctor as pneumonia, shows that the infection in Hebert's Pleura (Which is tissue that secretes fluid to help with breathing) has resulted in his pneumonia diagnosis.

This medical diagnosis would give some relief to the family of Herbert as they can now understand and contextualise what illness he has and the likeliness he will survive. Whilst Herbert is in the Brunswick hospital his family will be at ease that he is closer to home, which Herbert stresses that he has told the doctor he would prefer to recover at home with his family but this was declined as the doctor wants to keep Herbert in the Hospital to recover. Herbert explains how the living conditions in the hospital are as it is "quite nice here. In our room I'm laying with 4 men". So Herbert is not in a cramped or busy hospital but a relaxed and stress free care. Hebert does tell of the view from his window as he writes " Unfortunately, the view from the window is of a pile of coal." something to laugh at that despite the good there is always something to complain about. Hebert details that "The food is good. The doctor says that eating well and plenty of food is the best medicine for me. Sometimes I can't cope at all, especially at noon, but then there are always people who eat the leftovers." This shows to Herbert's family that Herbert is eating well and following the doctors advice, which will hopefully see him recover soon.

Herbert goes on to detail more about life in the Brunswick hospital with "The day before yesterday there was a vaudeville group at the hospital." A vaudeville is a type of comical and comedic performance of unrelated acts that can include performances of magicians, acrobats, comedians, jugglers, singers, dances and even trained animals. The latter of which would be unlikely in a Hospital. Herbert writes the impact of the performance as "did some very nice things and we had an afternoon of very good entertainment." The entertainment at hospital would not only be a past time for patients as many would be bedbound with no way of getting up to do any activities or communicate with others at the hospital, such performances as this allowed the entertainment come to them. This ultimately raising the spirits and morale of patients of the hospital, this also improving their mood to get better. Hebert details plans for later with "This afternoon there is a concert or theatre in town, Maybe I will go with them" This detailing activities that Herbert will do showing he is well enough to attend events outside of the Hospital that shows a progression of his condition.

Unfortunately Herbert writes a little more but a half completed sentence which reads " The doctor still has to decide, because...." This showing that despite Herbert being possibly well enough to go out of the hospital to attend leisure activities its down to the doctor to give the say if he can visit or not based on his condition. It is not known what else is said after this as there is no more known in these collection of feldposts but it would likely have been questions to his family at home about how they are and the family business. with no doubt the letter would conclude "Euer Herbert", Yours Herbert.