Douvrin, 9 August
1915
[Monday]
Dear
family,
I received
mother’s letters of the 1sdt and 4th, and parcels nrs 250, 51, 52,
53, 54. Many thanks for eveything. You have to write the correct address on the
parcels though, not Infanterie Regt no 6
!!
Disappointed
that you didn’t send me the stuff to develop the films. I’ll send you today the
first 12 photographs to be developed. I photographed the following:
Nos. 1/2 of comrades from my group, taken in a gunner’s
station at the Prellbock
No. 3 Otto
Mertens in the same spot
No. 4 Your
truly
No. 5 a
group outside the Uhrgraben [Reserve-trenches]
No. 6 Same
group with me included
No. 7 Group
in front of our dugout in the Uhrgraben
No. 8 Group
in front of our dugout in the Uhrgraben
Nos. 9 and
10 Both unsuccesfull (But try and have them developed anyway)
No. 11
Group in the camp at Auchy
No. 12
Destroyed ships in Auchy harbour (Canal of La Bassée)
All time
exposures. Exposure wrong for the most part probably.
Now for the
order:
So, of
every photograph 1 print for me, 1 of each and 3 of nr 3, if possible in a
somewhat “better quality” , to be sent to Mrs Margret Mertens, Solingen,
Goldstrasse 25 ;
Send 3
prints each of nrs 1 and 2 here, and of the group-pictures a print each for
everyone in it, also to be sent here.
Photographs
were taken : No 1-4 on 26 July, No 5-12 on 31 July.
There’s a
lot of work coming your way as you can see. If Paul doesn’t have time then you
can bring the film to Jansens, or
Hanne or Helen do that when they have the time.[*1]
I request
you to have the photographs printed as best as is possible, and quickly. As I
am gespannt wie ein Regenschirm [Tense/taut
as an umbrella] about how they turned
out. That’s why I had liked to develop the films here.
Mother’s
fear that something could happen to me while I am developing the film is really
unfounded.
I would
have gone into the tunnel we dug to undermine the English positions, which in
the end proved not possible, and there I am 10 meters underground and as safe
as in the Bosom of Abraham [*2]
Now to the
subject of holidays. Aunt Vollmer wrote me that August Weyerbusch had been
home, and now you write that Willy Proll had been home too. [*3] We too will
be getting holidays. In a few months time I’ll have been at home, if the war isn’t
finished by then.
I have photographed Karl Steigleder’s grave, but I have to
finish the film first. 6 Photographs to go. Hopefully the weather clears up a
bit. You can tell from the letter it’s raining right now.
I don’t
know what else to write you. The English are still relatively quiet. They tried
to destroy the prellbock again, but they didn’t succeed. I didn’t notice it at
all, I slept quietly in the dugout. When I woke up I was surprised to see a
whole row of sandbags blown into the trench.
Yesterday
we had a celebration on the occasion of the outbreak of war 1 year ago,
consisting of : church service in the morning, followed by parademarch before
our Regimental Commander Oberstleutnant von l’Estoc [*4], and in the afternoon tug-of-war
competition, running, hurdles, handgrenade-throwing etc., between 1st,
6th, 11th and 1st Berg-companies. Afterwards
get-together with beer. It was great fun, and our Kompanie did very well: of
the 90 prizes to be won we got 72.
Our Leutnant was “broken”.
Then
another one: You will annoy me tremendously if you send me the lucury items, of
which I wrote you in my last letter, a cheap cigarcase, and when we come into
rest next time, some money.
With many
warm greetings to all acquaintances and everyone who inquires after me.
Your Fritz
[*1] From the Addressbuch fur Barmen 1925/26
[*3] Probably the Wilhelm Proll from Barmen, mentioned on the Verlusstenliste of 27/7
as being lightly wounded (Which would have occurred some 4 weeks earlier, end
of June. Wilhelm Proll was in 7th
Company)
[*4] Oberstleutnant von l’Estoc in the Regimental
History of IR16 :
The original letter:
