Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series
This is the 15th letter in the series of Feldpost's that Herbert writes home to his family whilst away from home in service.
This letter is A4 size and Herbert makes used of both sides, admittedly there is some space left on the reverse but this letter in comparison to the previous letters written contains substantially more information. As the last letter being a small Feldpost-Breife containing brief information on an unwell Hebert. This letter will give some crucial updates to the family of their beloved Herbert, despite being written just 4 days after the previous small Feldpost-breife it is unknown when the family received the previous and subsequently would receive this letter. This like other posts in the series is shared exactly 80 years on this day since it was wrote.
The letter in German reads as:
Riga, 17.3.43
Ihr Lieben!
Sicher wartet Ihr schon wieder lange auf Post von mir. Aber
es ist so schlecht bestellt mit dem Schreiben, während des Transportes
und außerdem war ich immer so schwach. Bei dem kleinen Brief
vom 13. habe ich regelrecht geschwitzt. Aber Ihr wollt sicher etwas über
meine Krankheit erfahren. Was eigentlich los ist, weiß ich auch noch
nicht. Heute morgen bin ich durchröntg worden. Das Frl. Dr. hier ist näm-
lich ein weiblicher Arzt, meint, daß die Lunge nicht ganz gesund ist.
Na wollen wir das beste hoffen. Momentan fühle ich mich ganz wohl, das
Fieber ist auch gesunken. Nun will ich Euch auch kurz beschreiben, wie
ich überhaupt dazu komme.
Wie Ihr wohl auch aus dem Wehrmachtsbericht gehört habt, ist
in der Gegend von "Staraja Russa", ja allerhand los. Da in der Nähe lagen
wir auch. Als es nun anfing zu Tauen, kamen wir aus den nassen
Klamotten nicht mehr heraus und mit einmal hatte ich 39,7 Grad Fieber.
Am anderen morgen 40,3 Grad. Da wurde ich zum Arzt geschickt und
gestern bin ich dann hier in Riga im Lazarett eingetroffen. Hier
ist es ganz nett, sauber und ordentlich. Wir haben hier größtenteils
lettische Schwestern, die sind auch freundlich und helfen wo sie
können. Die Verpflegung ist auch gut. Ich esse gar nicht alles. Bloß
das Rauchen ist verboten. Ich will mal sehen ob ich es mir ganz
abgewöhne. Im Moment habe ich auch gar keinen Apetit auf Zigaretten.
Wie geht es Euch denn? Doch sicher alles wohlauf, nicht wahr?!
Und das Geschäft? Die Arbeit? Hat Pappa schon eine Hilfe? Ist
Oma noch immer da und wohlauf? Alles Fragen die man beant-
wortet haben möchte; aber ich muß nun wieder länger warten, auf die
Post. Jetzt will ich schließen, denn das Schreiben im Bett ist äußerst un-
bequem und Ihr wißt ja nun was mit mir los ist.
Herzliche Grüße an Euch Alle
Euer Herbert
The letter in English reads as:
Riga, 17.3.43
Dear all,
Surely you are waiting a long time for mail from me. But
it is so bad with the writing, during the transport
and besides, I was always so weak. During writing the small letter
from the 13th I was really sweating. But I'm sure you want to know something about
about my illness. What is actually going on, I do not know yet.
This morning I was x-rayed. The doctor here is a female doctor.
She thinks that my lungs are not completely healthy.
Let's hope for the best. At the moment I feel quite well, the fever has
also gone down. Now I want to describe to you briefly how
the situation is at the moment.
As you have probably heard from the Wehrmacht report,
there is a lot going on in the area of "Staraja Russa". And we were also
close to it. When the thaw began, we couldn't get out of our wet clothes,
and all of a sudden I had a fever of 39.7 degrees.
The other morning 40.3 degrees. Then I was sent to the doctor and
yesterday I arrived here in Riga in the military hospital. Here it
is quite nice, clean and tidy. We have mostly Latvian nurses,
they are also friendly and help where they can.
The food is also good. I don't eat everything. Only
smoking is forbidden. I want to see if I can quit it completely.
At the moment I have no appetite for cigarettes.
How are you? Everything's fine, isn't it?
And business? Work? Has dad got help yet? Is
Grandma still there and well? All questions that one would like to have
answered, but now I have to wait longer for the mail again.
Now I want to close, because writing in bed is extremely un-
comfortable and you now know what is going on with me.
Best regards to all of you
Yours Herbert
This letter as seen on a different paper type to the previous letter, a thicker paper with crinkled edges. The letter as seen above written on the 17.3.43, is written in Riga which is the capital city of Latvia. Herbert addresses briefly what he has been doing whilst he left the previous letter stating he was unwell. Herbert addresses the letter to his family stating that the writing of letters has been difficult whilst he has been unwell and in medical care, transporting from the Feldlazarrets to the hospital in Latvia. Herbert even mentions the "small letter" that was written on the 13th (The previous letter to this) from which Herbert further details how he was unwell and sweating writing it. This is followed by Hebert opening the part of the letter dedicated to giving a vital update for the family of Herbert's current health conditions.
Herbert details that he still doesn't know what is really going on except that in the morning Hebert was x-rayed by a female doctor who concluded that Hebert's lungs are not completely healthy. Hebert does give some good news that he is in better health currently as the fever has mostly gone as Herbert writes the letter, whilst staying positive Hebert moves to give an update as to current circumstances.
Hebert writes "Wehrmachtsbericht gehört habt, ist in der Gegend von "Staraja Russa"" which translates as "heard the Wehrmacht report in the area of Staraya Russa". This being mentioned as a likely report either across the Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft (Reich Broadcasting Corporation) through a Volksempfänger (Radio) or as printed in newspapers sold back home in Germany such as "Völkischer Beobachter" which was the official newspaper of the NSDAP and other newspapers such as "Das Reich" which contained such political and military news which was all subject to censorship and propaganda with the influence of Joseph Gobbles. Hebert mentions "Staraja Russa" as with this Herbert details how he was within this region. This region of "Staraja Russa" being at the centre of the Battle Of Demyansk. Demyansk also known as Демя́нский in Russian.
The Battle of Demyansk was a part of the Soviet offensive known as Operation Polar Star against the Axis forces in the Demyansk region of North Western Russia near Lenningrad. The Soviet forces of the Northwestern Front under command of Mikhail Khozin enagaged the 16th Army of Army Group North of the Heer. These two opposing forces were fighting for control of the Demyansk region. This is the area in which Hebert details he found himself in. It is from here that Herbert also details further of his time just before being taken ill in a Feldlazarett (Field Hospital) whilst giving an insight into how Herbert may have become ill.
Hebert details that when "The thaw began, we couldn't get out of our wet clothes, and all of a sudden I had a fever of 39.7 degrees. The other morning 40.3 degrees". This shows the climate and conditions in which Herbert was in whilst stationed in the surrounds of the Russian Barracks as mentioned in 02.03.43 letter. This region was a flat landscape with terrain of swampland and forests. This as Herbert writes the "Thaw" the wet conditions resulted in Hebert and his unit to be stuck in wet clothes that they couldn't take off. It is from here that Hebert likely contracted his illness due to the wet and rough climate he found himself in. Herbert also details the degrees in which he was recorded to have his fever measured at. Hebert details these as 39.7 degrees and one the next morning at 40.3 degrees. The illness could possibly be (as previously suggested) Malaria or Amoebic Dysentery, these are supported by the conditions in which Hebert would have been exposed too.
It is after this that Hebert writes that he was sent to the doctor (Likely at the Feldlazarett) and was then sent to the hospital in which he writes the letter from in Riga, Latvia. This being some safe distance from the frontlines and the Battle Of Demyansk region in which he was situated before in Axis occupied Latvia. Hebert writes that the Military Hospital in which he is staying at in Riga is well kept and clean with many nurses mostly being Latvian. Of which Hebert adds that they are very friendly and help where they can. This putting his family at ease that he is in a safe place and in good care. Herbert writes also how the food is is good and that smoking is forbidden in the Hospital, to which Hebert goes on to detail how he is looking now to stop smoking completely. Herbert writing that he has "!no apatite for smoking" , this being in part due to the condition in which his lungs are in and Hebert has realised the severity of damage that smoking will have on his lungs but also with this his chances of getting better and ultimately not dying as a result. It is not known if Hebert will stick to this decision long term as we know he is very fond of smoking as he requests cigarettes and tobacco in many letters to be sent from home. However at lease in the short term Herbert will not be smoking.
After this update of Herbert and his current condition, the letter draws to a close with Hebert asking about his family at home. "How are you? Everything's fine, isn't it? And business? Work? Has dad got help yet? Is
Grandma still there and well? All questions that one would like to have answered" . This being a lot as Herbert even writes himself as he hopes that he will hear from his family soon, this at his low moment whilst ill in a Military Hospital in Riga, Latvia. So far from home, these questions give many points that the family can write to Hebert about that will boost his morale that will keep him content in this difficult time alone.
With this Herbert concludes as he explains that he will not likely receive the letters that they send for some time. Hebert draws this letter to an end by detailing how it is uncomfortable to write in his bed for much longer and that his family now knows more on his current health situation. Closing with "Herzliche Grüße an Euch Alle, Euer Herbert" Best regards to you all, Yours Herbert.