2 - Kevelaer, 8 January 1915

Kevelaer, 8 january  1915
[Friday]

Dear family, 
              I received mother’s letter this morning. Many thanks. I hadn’t counted on receiving a letter so soon. So you would like to know how I’m doing here in Kevelaer? Then forget about the things mother wrote about for a moment.  You really don’t have to worry over there, honestly!  I wouldn’t have thought so before, but it is true. I’m not billeted with the Catholic priest, but his verger suspects I’m nevertheless having a great time. People here all have soldiers billeted in their houses.
I and my Korporalschaft, and some 50 others, are billeted in Hotel zum Roten Hahn. I share a room with another guy. The grub here is very nice, so for the foreseeable future I don’t have plans to go and live on my own somewhere.
And if I don’t like the food I can always get something to eat somewhere else.  In my Korporalschaft it’s all Barmer-guys [guys from Barmen] , except one. And I haven’t yet experienced any of the bad treatments in army-service, because all our NCO’s, corporals and reserve-guys are all good souls.
We have been issued our kit: 2 shirts each, 1 undershorts, very reasonable soap,  so I’m supplied with everything we need. The coat and trousers we got are on the other hand not very good. I surely wouldn’t go out wearing thóse in Barmen.  But I have to wear them. So no need to purchase a new uniform for me.
In my little booklet there is a Musketier Bangert. Can you ask around please whether that possibly is Paul Bangert?
Today we had putzstunde. ["polishing hour"] We always sing then, in tune. It was very nice.
At night, after exercises, we sit together having a glass of beer, or two sometimes. Then there is also piano- or violin-playing, so that we won’t get out of practice.
You see that I’m doing as fine as possible. Mother really doesn’t have to ask all the time whether I’m doing okay. 

Many greetings, your Fritz

Fritz’s letters from Kevelaer were censored, so that’s why he sounds so chipper…..