Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the first Feldpost letter that Herbert writes in March 1944. Herbert had previously written on the 29th of February somewhere in the east to his family back home in Kiel. It is unknown here Herbert is writing from but it is suspected to be his newly built bunker (mentioned in the previous letter) on the eastern front.

The Feldpost letter reads as:

  I.O. den 7.3.44

Ihr Lieben!  

Heute will ich mal wieder

etwas von mir hören lassen. Ich habe meine

2 Stunden Wache herum und nun kann

ich noch keinen Platz zum Schlafen finden.

Werde also die nächste Ablösung abwarten

und bis dahin schnell 2 Briefe schreiben.

Anschließend wird sich dann noch entlaust

und dann wird gepennt. Es ist nachts

noch lausig kalt; aber tagsüber taut es

schon ganz anständig. Es ist ein Trost, daß

es allmählich Frühling wird, dann wird

die Front sich hier, glaube ich, auch wieder

beruhigen.

Artur Petersen hat wirklich

Pech mit seinem Urlaub. Im Dezember (Anfang)

sollte er schon fahren und nun sitzt er

noch hier. Hoffentlich wird die Sperre

bald aufgehoben. Sonst wäre ich jetzt bald

an der Reihe gewesen. Na, müßen wir uns

eben noch ein paar Monate gedulden. Du

Ihr könnt Euch glaube ich gar nicht vor-

stellen, wie ich mich freuen würde, wenn

die Zeit erst da ist. Manchmal bekommt

man doch ein wenig Heimweh. Aber ein

mal muß die Zeit ja kommen.

Liebe Mutti, du meinst ich

sollte an Herrmans Eltern schreiben. Ich

kann es wirklich nicht und außerdem ist

es verboten. Zuerst muß die Nachricht von der

Kompanie da sein.

Wie gefällt es Hanne bei der Heimat Flack?

Allmählich wird er die Nase wohl voll haben!

Wie ist es vernachlässigt er auch nicht die Schule

dadurch? Oder kann er sie nebenbei weiter

besuchen? Er könnte eigentlich auch mal

von sich hören lassen; oder hat er

keine Zeit?

Ist Onkel Hans noch in Wesermünde? Tante Ilse

schrieb mir er sollte auch wahrscheinlich

abgelöst werden. Habe ich eigentlich schon

geschrieben, daß ich das Packet vom 19.2. auch

erhalten habe, gleichzeitig mit einem von Tante

Erna und einem 4 Pfund Packet vom Liesa? Ich

glaube den Brief habe ich garnicht abgeschickt.

Er muß noch in meinem Gepäck sein. Tante

Erna hatte Kuchen und ein halbes Pfund Butter

eingepackt und Liesa Sandtorte, Gebäck, Marzipan

und Zigaretten. War also prima versorgt.

Außerdem bekommen wir jetzt einmal in der Woche

Kampfzulage, das sind Süßigkeiten und Zigaretten,

Kekse. Das ist ganz prima.

Aber lieber würden wir darauf verzichten und

eine ruhige Stellung beziehen. Na, wen

es erstmal richtig taut wird es wohl ruhiger

werden und der Urlaub wird dann wohl auch wieder

richtig wollen.

Nun will ich schließen

Es grüßt Euch,

Ihr Lieben

Euer Herbert

Nachschrift: Gestern bekam ich das

E.K. II mit noch einem aus der Kompanie.

Schicke die Urkunde mit, das E.K. lege ich mal in

ein Päckchen; oder gebe es A. Petersen mit.

 I.O. the 7.3.44

My dear ones!    

Today I want to let you know

something from me again. I have finished my

2 hours on watch and now I can't

find a place to sleep.

So I'll wait for the next relief

and write 2 letters quickly until then.

Then I'll get rid of the lice

and then it's time to sleep. It's still

very cold at night, but during the day it's

already quite decent. It is a comfort  

that it's gradually becoming spring, then

the front here will calm down again, I think.

Artur Petersen is really having

bad luck with his holiday. In early December  

he was supposed to leave and now he's

still here. Hopefully the ban will be

lifted soon. Otherwise it would soon be my turn

Well, we'll just have to endure a few more months. You

can't even imagine how happy I would be when

the time has come. Sometimes we get

a little homesick. But one day

the time has to come.

My dear Mum, you wrote that I

should write to Herrman's parents. I really

really can't and besides, it's

forbidden. First they have to get the message from the

Company.

How does Hanne like it at the Flak?

He must be getting fed up by now!

Is he neglecting school

because of it? Or can he continue to attend

beside doing his duty? He could actually also

write me a few lines; or does he have

no time?

Is Uncle Hans still in Wesermünde? Aunt Ilse

wrote to me that he should probably

be replaced. Have I already written

that I also received the parcel dated 19.2.

at the same time as one from Aunt

Erna and a 4 pound parcel from Liesa? I

I don't think I sent the letter at all.

It must still be in my luggage. Aunt

Erna had packed cake and half a pound of butter

and Liesa had packed sand cake, biscuits, marzipan

and cigarettes. So I was well provided.

And we now get once a week a combat allowance,

that's sweets and cigarettes,

biscuits. That's really great.

But we'd rather do without it and

instead take a quiet position. Well, when

it thaws properly, things will probably calm down

and then the holiday will probably coming soon.

Now I will close

Greetings to you,

my dear ones

Yours Herbert

Postscript: Yesterday I received the

E.K. II with another one from the company.

I send the certificate along, I'll put the E.K.

in a parcel; or give it to A. Petersen.

Herbert starts this letter by detailing that he has just finished his two hour guard shift and is now sitting to write the letter. This guard shift being watch at his bunker to which took him many hours to build as recalled in the previous letter. Herbert sadly stating he cannot now sleep after being awake for two hours so now he will write two letters and then get rid of the lice (As previously mentioned, bugs and pests are high due to the swampland conditions Herbert is based in) Herbert commenting that spring is slowly coming back and that things will calm down on the front again soon.

Herbert then moves to talking about their family friend "Artur Petersen" who appears to be having some difficulties going on leave as appears he was meant go in December and is still on the frontline as Herbert writes this letter in March. This appears due to a "Ban" as Herbert writes in the letter as is possible due to lack of numbers on the frontline, this expected in 1944 as the German forces sustained many losses as the Soviet forces on the Eastern front made an advance. This follows as Herbert recalls that he too would be eligible for leave in a couple months, as he details hopefully he will be able to see his family soon. As both Herbert and Artur get homesick, but hopeful a time will come soon.

Herbert then addresses his mum with something that has been written to him. His "Mutti" asks if he can write to "Hermanns parents" This is assumed to be about their mutual family friend, possibly with information regarding his health or possible death, or even his position as maybe they hear nothing as he cannot write ? This is followed up with Herbert detailing that he cannot reveal anything as its forbidden. This is incase the information of their unit where they are based falls into enemy hands or partisan hands that could lead to the deaths of soldaten due to revealing troop and strategic information gathered from the geographical information. This is seen in previous letters as it is quite cryptic to uncover where Herbert and other people have been, in is letters. Herbert details to his mother that the Kompanie (company) must and will contact Hermanns parents.

Herbert then moves to talk about his younger brother Hannes. In previous letters it was unclear what gender Hanne was as it mentioned theatre and no gender confirming words were used. However in previous letters we learnt of Hannes involvement in the Hitler Jugend. This is seen by previous mention of a HJ-Helferinnen in Kiel. This being detailed further here as Herbert asks if Hannes is enjoying the Flak. This showing that Hanne is a Flak Helferinnen in the Hitler-Jugend. This became common for most young boys during the later stages of the war as men were drafted to the frontlines as men were needed due to many units sustaining heavy casualties and some being wiped out completely.

Herbert suggesting that Hanne must be getting fed up by now ? With questions of him neglecting his schooling as he is doing his duty. Herbert hopeful Hanne can do both as despite the war schooling is still important. Herbert asking if he can ask Hanne to write him a few lines in the next letter he receives but is understanding if he has no time.

The talk of family then moves to talking about his Aunt and Uncles back home in Germany who have sent him parcels to where he is serving on the eastern front. The usual treat that Herbert appreciates and brings him a taste of home whilst boosting his morale. Food sent to Herbert as recalled in the many previous letters of going far and boosting the rations of himself and on occasion fellow soldaten.

Herbert concluding this letter that he will get some small supplies in from his combat allowance, in the form of biscuits, sweets and some cigarettes. Herbert hopeful that with the thawing occurs things will calm down and that his leave request will be valid so that he can see his family.

Herbert concluding the letter in his usual way wishing is family well, signing off Euer Herbert,Yours Herbert. However as rarely seen in Herberts letters is a extra message at the bottom - Herbert detailing that he received the EK II (Iron Cross Second Class) with one other person from his company. Sadly as mentioned in many letters Herbert writes the addition contents again is missing. As stated Herbert includes the award certificate and EK itself are included. The EK being included as the medal itself was worn on the day of being awarded and allowed to be worn upto 24 hours after it was awarded to when the Ribbon through the buttonhole or Feldpsange version would be in wear to signify the award. That or Herbert as wrote gave it to "A. Petersen" who will be on leave sooner than him.