Douvrin, 25 August
1915
[Wednesday]
Dear family,
I received
mother’s letter of the 18th, and father’s letter of the same day with the
photographs; furthermore parcels nr 278, 79, 80, 81, 82, and a parcel from
Helene [his sister] from Dingeskirchen im
Sauerland [*1]
Many thanks
for everything, expecially the photographs.[2]
Today I’ll
send you filmroll nr 3, with these exposures:
Nr 1/11
groups and persons at the Prellbock,
nr 6 with the French machinegun at the
Prellbock.
Nr 12 just
unknown Grandées, taken in front of our quarters in Douvrin.
They’re all
timed exposures, hopefully wíth heads this time. I hope a new roll of film is
on its way to me already. I don’t think you can send me enough film, when you
see the number of men who’ve already come to me and réally like to be
photographed.
Don’t you
have any questions about the photographs? I really miss that, if you ask questions
I finally have something to write about. It’s getting a little boring for you,
I think, when the only thing I write is : “Tommy is quiet.” And for the rest
nothing much happens here.
To the
three questions from mother’s letter: Karl Steigleder díd get the Puffertkuchen. I remember vividly how we
shared them. They tasted great. It will have been 2 or 3 days before [before Karl
was killed], I don’t quite know exactly anymore.
The poor
and sad looking man on photograph nr 19 is in reality neither poor nor sad. He
is our esteemed Company’s barber from Solingen, who, a fact unknown to most, receives
the most parcels of anyone at the Prellbock.
The other two guys on that photograph are members of the M.G.K.
(Mordgesellenklub) [*3], but véry friendly guys nonetheless.
The little
bag we’re all carrying contains a mask to protect us against English
gas-attacks. They contain, if that interests you, cotton wool soaked in Sodium-Diosulphate.
So, I wait
for more questions about the photographs. For example: you don’t really know
what that tin with a handle actually is, do you? I have one hanging from my Gamaschen on one of the pictures.
They’re
presents for the English, not
containing marmelade but something of
a different composition, which I’m sure they will also like very much.
Today we
had our Kompanies Inspektion. It was just brilliant. Our commander General von François, who got so well-known
because of his role in the battles in the Carpathian Mountains, the Divisional
Commanders and all other high animals were there.[*4]
We staged a
mock battle, and the troops, which had been trained in peace-time, could not
have done better. Only the somewhat too boisterous attack was repelled. It was
really tough, I mean we sweated like I don’t know what. But all was perfect.
Our Leutnant [*5] received the Iron Cross 1st
Class, the first and youngest Lieutenant in the whole Regiment to receive that
honour. I was so happy for him. He truly deserved it. He cried tears of joy.
I’m very
happy to have such a Company Commander, one you can rely on in all
circumstances.
Don’t know
what else to write. I heard people in Germany sing “Im Osten kämpft das deutsche Heer, im Westen kämpft die Feurwehr”
[*6]. I implore you to be véry strictly against that, it really is injust
towards us.
Please try
to get Wilhelm Philipps’s address. Several of my letters were returned to me.
Many warm
greetings your Fritz
[*1] Dingeskirchen is not a real place, it
means “what-was-the-name-again” or “Thingy-church”. Something like that.
[*2] The
photographs his father sent must have been the second batch of copies for his
mates.
[*3] M.G.K.: Machinen Gewehr Kompanie , Machine gun company
“Mordgesellenklub”: Hitsquad (of the
mafia e.g.)
[*4]
General Hermann von François :
Commander
of the 13th Division : Generalleutnant
Kurt von dem Borne
Commander
of the 14th Division : Generalmajor
Constantin von Altrock https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_von_Altrock
[*5]
Walther Stennes :
[*6]
“Im Osten kämpft das
deutsche Heer, im Westen kämpft die Feuerwehr” :
“In the
East the army engages in real battles, in the West the army just puts out
little fires”
