Bersée, 13 May 1915
[Thursday]
Dear
family,
it seems
like they have the plan to take us on a tour of Northern France. Yesterday we
moved again. Other troops were coming into Oignies, the Regiment nr 25 [Infanterie-Regiment von Lützow (1. Rheinisches) Nr. 25].
It looks to me like they’re upto something here in the neighbourhood. The whole
8th Armycorps is coming here from Verdun to reinforce the 7th.
Maybe to
show Italy something untill the 20th [*1] , maybe it’s because 3
French Armycorps are on their way here from Arras. One says this, the other
that. What is true?
In any case
something is going on. They also talk about the mailservice being suspended. I sure hope
that is not the case!
Since I
last wrote you I haven’t received anything from you. It’s a shame they’re so
clumsy with the mailhandling back in Douvrin. It shouldn’t really be too much trouble
to put the mail on the large trucks that always drive to Oignies, and now to
Bersee.
If Herr Kompanie Feldwebel in Douvrin only
worked a little harder. It’s no wonder some things arrive rotten when you leave
them lying around for so long.
The march
here was beautiful. The perfect blossom-tour. I have to admit it was a little
too warm for me. But the blossoming appletrees are beautiful. I’ve never such
beautiful blossoms on an appletree.
All the
plants here look beautiful actually. The grain stands almost a meter high already.
Everything
that is grown here is for us. They have calculated that the agricultural land
in the occupied part of France yields enough to feed the entire population of
Germany for 40 days.
And because
the harvest here is a little earlier than back home it can be used to fill a
really dangerous gap. Hopefully the war ends before the grain ripens.
Bersée is a
very beautiful little town, a little bigger than Oignies. There aren’t many
good shops here yet, because there haven’t been many soldiers here who have
money to buy things. The civilian population here is also not as friendly as
they are elsewhere.
We’re
billeted now in a schoolbuilding. I’m sure the children liked getting holidays
all of a sudden. When we arrived here yesterday they were still teaching.
Classes were dismissed straight away, the furniture was taken out, straw was
slepped in, and our little hut was ready.
The only
shortcoming of Bersée seems to be the lack of water. That is because the town
is situated on a little plateau. It could also be of course because of the
continuing dry weather.
It’s
raining at the moment. Won’t last long hopefully.
I’ve run
out of things to write about now. This morning we had churchservice outside in
the park of the Chateau [*2]. Nothing special. The Catholic Divisions-pastor
preached. Catholics are always a little quicker than Evangelicals.
Why didn’t you
write that Wilh. Philipps received the Iron Cross? Or didn’t you read about it?
Aunt Bonert sent me a newspaper clipping mentioning it.
I’m looking
forward very much to H.E.H.’s letters [Hanne, Else and Helene, his sisters],
Especially to E’s. I’m sure she has some time for me now. But I understand
fully well if she hasn’t.
I don’t
have any special wishes really. I can use some writing paper in a while, and a
pair of braces.
With many
warm greetings to you all your Fritz.
[*1]London Pact (Italian: Patto di Londra), or
more correctly, the Treaty of London, 1915, was a secret pact between the Triple Entente and Italy, signed in
London on 26 April 1915 by the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the Kingdom of
Italy.
Its intent was to gain the
alliance of Italy against its former allies, including Germany.
As per the pact, Italy was to leave the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and to join the Triple Entente; and Italy was to declare war
against Germany and Austria-Hungary within a month (this happened against
Austria-Hungary within a month, but not until 1916 against Germany)
Italy left the Triple Alliance on 3rd May 1915.
[*2] The Château at Bersée
The original letter:
You are almost half way through his letters. Keep up the good work.
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