Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the 21st letter in the series of Feldpost's that Herbert writes home to his family whilst away from home. This letter like the previous 5 letters written from the Feldpost collection of Herbert we have, this letter also being written from his bed in a reserve hospital in Braunschweig (Brunswick), North Central Germany in 1943. Hebert has previously mentioned how there was poor service receiving mail from what his family and friends are sending within Germany via the Reichspost however Herbert in the previous letters replies to letters received about family matters. With serious health concerns affected Herbert's father that worried the family with Herbert being ill and his father being unwell in hospital at the time with his family then struggling with the family business but attempting to get by. We learn of Herbert's life in hospital in previous letters and his development in getting to better health whilst sneaking away from his bed to attend leisure activities were possible. Shared exactly 80 years since it was written.

The letter in German reads as:

Braunschweig, 10.4.43

Ihr Lieben!

Allmählich wird es ja Zeit, daß ich mal wieder etwas von mir hören lasse. Heute morgen habe ich Pappa's Brief erhalten. Ich bin wirklich erleichtert, daß es besser geht und er wahrscheinlich gestern schon entlassen worden is. Das Depot Insulin ist doch auch sicher besser als das Novo.

Mir geht es auch noch immer gut. Die Schulter ist durchröngt worden, aber es ist nichts festzustellen gewesen. Ihr braucht euch keine Sorgen zu machen, ich sag dem Arzt schon was mir fehlt. Die Schulter wird jetzt noch immer mit Salbe eingerieben und nachdem eine viertel Stunde mit dem Lichtbogen behandelt, es geht jetzt auch zurück.

Der Tommie hat Euch auch wieder besucht?! Es muss ja allerhand los gewesen sein nachdem was Pappa schreibt. Aber Gott sei dank scheint er unsere Gegend ja weniger auf der Rechnung zu haben. Gestern war hier wieder eine Veranstaltung. Eine italienische Kapelle mit Tenor, Spitzen- und Stepptänzerin hat 3 Stunden für unsere Unterhaltung gesorgt. Sie brachten hauptsächlich Unterhaltungsmusik; aber auch Operetten und Opernmusik. Es war ganz groß. Auch die Aufmachung. Heute und morgen habe ich wieder Ausgang. Heute will ich ins Kino und morgen ins Variete. Nun will ich schließen, gleich ist Visite.

Herzliche Grüße an Euch drei

Euer

Herbert

The letter in English reads as:

Brunswick, 10.4.43

Dear ones!

It's about time that you hear something from me again. This morning I received Dad's letter. I am really relieved that he is doing better and that he was probably discharged yesterday. The depot insulin is certainly better than the Novo.

I am still doing well too. The shoulder was x-rayed, but nothing was found. You don't have to worry, I'll tell the doctor what's wrong with me. The shoulder is still being rubbed with ointment and after that a quarter of an hour treated with the electric arc, it is now also receding.

Tommie came to visit you again? There must have been a lot going on after what Dad wrote. But thank goodness he doesn't seem to have our region so much on his mind. Yesterday there was another event here. An Italian band with a tenor, a top dancer and a tap dancer entertained us for 3 hours. They mainly played light music, but also operetta and opera music. It was really great. Also the presentation. Today and tomorrow I allowed to go out again. Today I want to go to the cinema and tomorrow to a variety show. Now I want to close, it's time for my ward rounds.

Best wishes to the three of you

Yours Herbert

The letter here gives us a direct response to pervious health concerns expressed of both Herbert and his father. The later of which is mentioned initially with a letter that Herbert received from his father directly as Herbert writes "This morning I received Dad's letter." This letter being in direct response to the previous letter Hebert wrote to his Father on 31.3.43 that Hebert expressed concern for his health. This letter that Herbert receives from his unwell father contains good news as it contained details of Herbert's father that he is doing much better and likely discharged from hospital yesterday.

Hebert then goes on to address how the depot at the hospital in Brunswick has better "than the Novo", this suggesting that Herbert is possibly diabetic, to which nothing was previously mentioned of this condition. Hebert refers to "Novo" which is known as "Norwegian Synthetic insulin", this being in reference to a type of insulin that was in development by the Novo Nordisk company of pharmacists who were developing a variant of the drug to which the insulin which is available at the Brunswick hospital is regarded as much better quality.

Hebert further writes that he is doing much better and that he actually had a x-ray done on his shoulder to which no issues were found, this possibly being a routine examination to check for possible nerve or tissue damage in relation to potential cancerous growths. With this Herbert details how his family need not worry about him, he will see to it that the doctor knows what his suspected condition is (As previously detailed in past letters of a mixture of an infection in his pleura and pneumonia). Hebert also details how his treatment is going in the hospital, "The shoulder is still being rubbed with ointment and after that a quarter of an hour treated with the electric arc, it is now also receding". This showing the types of medical practices and procedures that Herbert is undergoing to help with his condition, the electric arc is a form of treatment used to treat certain skin conditions with means of low voltage electrical currents. Herbert detailing how this treatment is helping him.

Hebert then writes about his family detailing he hears that "Tommie came to visit you again?" This following previous mention in other letters that due to Herbert's family residing in Kiel they have been experiencing some bombings from the British, likely due to the naval ports in the region. Hebert detailing he cant imagine what its like and his father has detailed that a lot has gone on there. To which his at least the strain of illness regarding his father the main concern and not the issue of the family business that seems to be more stable whilst dodging the bombardments.

Hebert writes of the entertainment that he experienced whilst in the hospital, as previously detailed there was some other acts and performances he saw in pervious letters however here Herbert writes " Yesterday there was another event here. An Italian band with a tenor, a top dancer and a tap dancer entertained us for 3 hours. They mainly played light music, but also operetta and opera music. It was really great." This showing a variety of arts and media on show for the patients to enjoy and keep up morale during not only their recovery but the spirit of the German people due to news of declines on frontline fighting's and areal bombardments. These events seeming very varied offering something most can enjoy.

From this Herbert concludes how he is enjoying the events held at the hospital and that he will be allowed to venture out again to visit the cinema, and tomorrow he is seeing a variety show before he concludes due to his "Ward Rounds", a likely indication that Herbert is to relax and reside due to a doctor or nurse calling a rest from other activities. With as always a final mention of best wishes to his family at home, Euer Herbert, Yours Herbert.