Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series
This Feldpost letter is written just two days after the previous letter. Herbert finding whatever time and light he can to write letters updating his family on his stay in Russland. As mentioned in previous letters we know the rough location Hebert writes these letters from, this being Northern Russia very close to Leningrad (Modern day St.Petersburg). This letter would server as a good and swift update of Herbert's current situation.
The Feldpost in German reads as:
Osten, 12.9.43
Ihr Lieben!
Heute is Sonntag, da will ich Euch schnell ein
paar Zeilen senden. Gestern sind wir eingeteilt
worden. Ich bin wieder bei den Granatwerfern.
Gleichzeitig bekamen wir neue Quartiere
zugewiesen, die mußten natürlich auch wieder
ganz neu eingerichtet werden. Wir liegen
jetzt mit 6 Mann bei einer finnischen Familie
im Quartier. Heute morgen war Stubendurchgang
mit allen Schikanen. ich glaube wir werden hier
noch einmal zu Rekruten gemacht. Wir haben
allesamt schon die Nase so ziemlich voll,
und dann ist die Ausbildung noch gar nicht
angefangen. Wenn es so weitergeht, will ich lieber
nach vorne, hier hat man sowieso nichts, was
mal wieder ein bischen aufheitern könnte. Nicht
einmal Radio ist in diesem Nest. Wir leben nur
von den Gerüchten, und da wiederspricht eins
dem anderen. Heute morgen hieß es mit einmal
wir sollten schnell ins Nachbardorf gehen, der
Führer spricht; dort befindet sich nämlich
ein Radio, als wir ankamen hörten wir gerade noch
das Deutschlandlied und die Anderen konnten uns
auch nichts berichten, weil es so leise
gewesen war. Schickt mir bitte laufend Zeitungen,
damit man hier wenigstens sieht was vor 8 Tagen in
der Politik losgewesen ist.
Heute Nachmittag habe ich mein Hemd, Unterhose und
Taschentücher gekocht und gewaschen, ich glaube,
ich habe es ganz schön zurechtbekommen.
Natürlich könnte ich mich zu Huase nicht damit
sehen lassen, aber für hier geht es.
Wie geht es Euch? Hoffentlih gut! Wie sind die
Bilder geworden. Schickt bitte je eins an einen
Kameraden von mir, natürlich nur von den Bildern,
die in Rendsburg aufgenommen worden sind. Ich lege
seine Adresse mit ein. In den nächsten Tagen werde
ich ein Päckchen abschicken mit den guten
Taschentüchern und einem Film, die Aufnahmen sind
während des Transportes gemacht worden.
Nun will ich schließen. Es grüßt Euch, Euer Herbert.
Die Adresse: Herrn W. Krohn
Hamburgg. 39
Huthwalkerstr. 29
N.S. Schickt bitte ein paar Filme
The Feldpost translated in English reads as:
In the East, 12.9.43
My dear ones!
Today is Sunday, so I want to send you a few lines.
Yesterday we were grouped. I'm back with the grenade
launchers. At the same time we were assigned to new
quarters, which, of course, had to be completely
refurbished. We are six men in the quarters of a
Finnish family. This morning we went through a
quarters inspection with all the hazards. I
think we are recruits here once again.
We're all pretty much fed up already,
and then the training hasn't even started.
If it goes on like this, I'd rather go to the front
line, because there's nothing here to cheer
you up ab bit. There is not even a radio in this
nest. We live only by the rumours, and one contradicts
the other. This morning we were told
we should quickly go to the neighbour village, the
Führer is talking; there is a radio there, and when
we arrived we could just hear the the Deutschlandlied
and the others couldn't tell us anything either,
because it it had been so quiet. Please keep sending
me newspapers, so that we can at least see what
was going on in politics 8 days ago.
This afternoon I boiled and washed my shirt, underpants
and handkerchiefs. I think I got it quite right.
Of course, I couldn't be seen with it at home,
but it works for here.
How are you? Hopefully well! How did the pictures
turn out? Please send one to one of my comrades, one of
that were taken in Rendsburg. I will enclose
his address. In the next few days
I will send a package with the good handkerchiefs
and a film, the pictures were taken during the transport.
Now I will close. Yours sincerely, Herbert.
The address: Mr. W. Krohn
Hamburgg. 39
Huthwalkerstr. 29
N.S. Please send some films
The Feldpost here details Hebert writing on a Sunday how he was grouped back with the Granatwerfern (Mortar). Continuing from the last letter, Herbert has been re assigned living quarters, these of which had to be refurbished. Hebert also writes how he is sharing these quarters with a Finnish family, 6 of Hebert's Kameraden including himself. Hebert recalling how after refurbishing the quarters they were inspected to which Hebert retorts this as a return to his times in training as a recruit. Hebert and his Kameraden are very fed up at this point, as the training hasn't even started yet. Hebert even going as far to say that he would rather be at the front line as there is nothing to do or be excited about.
Very boring times for Herbert as there isn't any news or radio in his living quarters. Herbert and his Kameraden living off rumours of which he writes often contradict each other. Hebert writes how in the morning they were told to go to neighbouring village as the Führer was talking on the radio there. When Herbert and his Kameraden arrived all that could be heard was "Deutschlandlied" and other Kameraden couldn't hear anything else. With this Herbert mentions how he would like his family to keep sending newspapers so that they are at least able to stay updated from what happened days prior. This suggesting the delay time of postal routes to where Herbert is residing.
Hebert then recalls what he did that afternoon; of keeping up with his personal hygiene by boiling and washing his shirt, underpants and handkerchiefs. Hebert mentioning that he thinks he washed them correctly. The quality of his clothes wouldn't be suitable for that of home life but it is suitable for his situation in service in Russland.
Herbert then moves to asking how his family is and if the pictures he sent home (sadly lost to time) how they came out. Hebert asking if his family can send some to his comrade that he attaches the address of later. One of these photographs he hopes his family will send is one taken in Rendsburg, a region in Germany near Kiel where Herbert's family resides and that of which some of his fellow Kameraden do too.
Herbert closes the Feldpost by detailing how he will send a parcel home containing the good handkerchiefs and some film from his camera, that of which were taken during the transport to his position. Sadly the film, likely negatives just like mentioned photographs are lost to time. Likely kept by the family in a photo album. Hebert detailing the address of friend in which he wants some photographs sent to who seems to live in Hamburg. Herbert concluding as always, Euer Herbert Yours Herbert.