Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This Feldpost is another update from Russland detailing Herbert's time near Leningrad, Northern Russia with his Kameraden. The previous letters saw Hebert in a bunker in Russia hiding from the elements and dealing with vermin eating his food supplies. Herbert's Kompanie sustaining heavy losses would have worried Hebert's family but the letters Hebert writes here frequently and photographs sent home (Sadly lost to time) would reassure the family and keep them wanting to hear more about life in Russland. As this letter details, notably this letter features many details about Herbert with the layout of a Feldpost breif on the front that folds to form the letter and be sent. The Feldpost number seen as 57169 which shows Herbert attached to "Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Feldersatz-Bataillon 225." This Kompanie being a replacement unit which supports the information Hebert writes about training and acting as reserve in other letters.

The Feldpost in German reads as:

Russland, 10.9.43

Ihr Lieben!

Wieder ist ein "arbeitsreicher" Tag zu Ende.

Unser Koch braut eine Brotsuppe, und nun will

ich vorm Essen noch ein paar Zeilen an Euch

schreiben. Wir haben es hier für russische

Verhältnisse ganz gut getroffen. Die Leute sind

hier ganz umgänglich. Wir müssen allerdings

mit Händen, Beinen und Armen abeiten, wenn

wir uns verständigen wollen. Was Milch, Brot,

Säge, Beil usw. auf finnisch heißt wissen wir

schon. Das sind ja die Sachen, die wir gebrauchen.

Denn die Verpflegung ist ziemlich mieß. Heute

abend haben wir 2 Bier, bisschen Schmalz und 1/2

Brot, für heute abend und morgen früh bekommen,

die Suppe mittags ist auch ziemlich dünn.

Die Fischdosen habe ich leer. Also, bis auf die

Verpflegung geht es uns ganz gut. Wir kochen

uns jeden abend etwas zu. Am ersten Abend hatten

wir Kartoffelmuß und Dosenfleisch, ein Kamerad

hatte noch eine Dose. Kartoffeln haben wir uns

in der Mittagsstunde, auf dem Bauch liegend

besorgt, denn Kartoffeln und Milch sind knapp

hier. Gestern habe ich mir Karoffelmuß und

Wurzeln gemacht, die Kartoffeln besorgen wir

jetzt, wenns dunkel ist. Petersilie hatte ich

mir auch besorgt und eine Zwiebel war drinnen.

Es hat prima geschmeckt. Heute haben wir Milch

gegen Brot eingetauscht und wir wollen uns

jetzt eine Brotsuppe machen. Solange es so geht,

können wir es aushalten. Morgen will ich sehen,

daß ich Mehl bekomme und dann mach ich mir

Pfannkuchen, Schmalz zum braten habe ich noch

etwas. Wenn es sich lohnt, schickt bitte gleich

ein Paket, mit Schmalz, bisschen Speck und

Zigaretten (?) ab, Ihr seht ja wie lange die

Post läuft. Drei Wochen oder vier bleiben wir

wohl noch hier, denn wir sollen hier noch

einmal Schliff bekommen. Ihr seht, mir geht

es gut.

Nun will ich schließen, wir haben nur eine

Kerze an und die hat der Koch. Licht ist knapp,

hier wird es schon um 7 dunkel.

Momentan richten wir Quartiere ein, eine ganz

angenehme Beschäftigung.

Es grüßt Euch, in der Hoffnung, daß es Euch

gut geht, Euer Herbert

Schickt bitte Illustrierte und Zeitungen?

The Feldpost in English reads as:

Russia, 10.9.43

My dear ones!

Another "busy" day has come to an end.

Our cook is brewing a bread soup, and now

I want to write a few lines to you before dinner.

We've got it pretty good here for Russian standards.

The people are quite affable here. However, we

have to work with our hands, legs and arms if

we want to communicate. We already know what milk, bread,

saw, axe, etc. is in Finnish. These are the

things we need. Because the food is pretty poor.

Today we got 2 beers, some lard and 1/2 a loaf of bread

for tonight and tomorrow morning, and the soup at

noon is also pretty thin. I've emptied the fish tins.

So, apart from the subsistence we are doing quite

well. We cook something for ourselves every evening.

The first night we had potato mash and tinned meat,

one comrade had one can. We had to get the potatoes

ourselves, lying on our belly's at lunchtime, because

potatoes and milk are scarce here. Yesterday I

made potato mash and roots, and we'll get the potatoes

now, when it's dark. I also got some parsley

and an an onion. It tasted great. Today we

exchanged milk for bread and we want to make

bread soup. As long as it goes like this,

we can stand it. Tomorrow I want to see if

I'll get some flour and then I'll make some pancakes,

I still have some lard for frying. If it's worth it,

please send a a package with lard, some bacon and cigarettes (?),

you see how long the post runs. We'll be here for

three or four weeks, because they want us to

here for another three or four weeks, because they

want us to get more polished up here. You see, I'm

fine. Now I want to close, we've only got one

candle, and that's the cook's. Light is scarce,

It gets dark here at 7 already. At the moment we're

arranging quarters, which is pleasant occupation.

Greetings, in the hope that all is well with you,

yours Herbert

Please send magazines and newspapers?

The Feldpost here details the information of Herbert, notably seen by the front an back of the Feldpost we see the address of the Tank family "Hans Tank" in Kiel. Hebert writing on the Absender part "Grenadier Tank" followed by "Feldpostnr 57169. This showing Hebert's rank of "Grenadier" which is attributed to his time spent with Granatwerfer or Mortars. The letter written on the 10.09.43 and posted on the 11.09.43. This is seen by the Feldpost hand cancel on the front.

Hebert starts this letter addressed to his loved ones after a busy day and how he is spending his time with the chef of the Kompanie as he writes the letter awaiting his evening meal to be cooked. A evening meal of bread soup, this dish made using stale bread. Hebert writes how he is becoming accustomed to life in Northern Russia. The locals as Hebert writes being quite affable, however despite their content agreement to the German forces being present they have to communicate with the locals via gestures using their hands and legs. Hebert explains how he and his fellow Kameraden are already familiar with the terms "milk, bread, saw, axe" are in Finnish. This comes as a result of Finnish natives who lived in areas of Northern Russia as Leningrad is nearby to Finland. Hebert and his Kameraden learning these essential words as they desperately need these items and food in particular as it is scarce.

Hebert writes how they had 2 beers, some lard and half a loaf of bread, this was to last them tonight and tomorrow morning whilst they also prepared a soup for noon which is very thin in consistency. This accounted by the lack of food supplies within the area, Hebert eating the fish tins which were suggested to have been sent to him from home. Herbert writes how the food is cooked each day for themselves. The first night they ate potato mash and tinned meat, each comrade getting one tin. Hebert detailing how they would lie on their belly's to deal with the hunger due to lack of food of potato's and milk. Hebert writes how yesterday (09.09.43) he made a meal of Potato mash and roots. The Kameraden obtaining the potatoes by stealing them at night time, this likely from nearby farms. Food was scares for civilians too but Soldaten occupying the area needed food to stay alive and keep up morale so armed they would often loot nearby places of supplies. With this Herbert found Parsley and an Onion to which tasted great added to his meal.

Hebert details how he exchanged some milk for bread with the locals, this was done to make more bread soup. With hopes that tomorrow Hebert can find some flour to make some pancakes as he still has some remains of lard. With this mention Herbert hopefully writes how he would benefit from some supplies being sent to him, these including, Lard, Bacon and of course Cigarettes. The latter of which Hebert made a promise he was to quit after his pneumonia stint in Hospital. Hebert writing how he will be in the same place for some time so he will benefit from these items being sent to him. Hebert writing how he will be at this location for another 3 or 4 weeks as they want them to get "More polished up here" referring to the Kompanie becoming more uniform and smarter with knowledge and accustom to their new surrounds.

Hebert closing as he writes that he is fine and holding up well. Hebert closing as light at the time of writing is scarce, this due to it getting dark at 7pm already and the only source of light is the singular candle they own which belongs to the cook. The recent events Herbert and his Kameraden have been arranging quarters in which they take residence, which Herbert remarks as a pleasant occupation. Hebert closing with best wishes to his family but not before mentioning a P.S of - Please send some magazines and newspapers. This in likely mention due to lack of news or something to read or do in the evening times.