Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series
This is the first Feldpost of February 1944 and also wrote one month after the last letter from January 10th 1944. Herbert writes this letter from a different location to the previous and also is on better quality of paper. Herbert updating his family on how he is in this greatly detailed letter in comparison to smaller letters sent before. The previous letter from the 10th Jan talked of some events from Christmas and family issues back home in Kiel.
The Feldpost Letter reads as:
Estland 10.2.44
Ihr Lieben!
Euren lieben Brief vom 18.1. habe ich
dankend erhalten. Das ist so ziemlich das einzige
Lebenszeichen von Euch seit einem Monat. Aber
im Moment ist hier noch alles durcheinander, ich
nehme an das wird sich auch bald wieder regeln.
Die Kameraden sind jetzt wieder nach vorn
gekommen. Ich hatte gestern 38 Grad Temperatur,
kann deshalb nicht mit. Bin Revierkrank geschrieben.
Es geht mir aber soweit ganz gut. Habe heute Morgen
noch eine dicke Backe zubekommen.
Was es eigentlich ist, weiß ich auch nicht.
Hanne's Theaterbericht ist ja ganz interessant.
Er soll sich bloß nicht entdecken lassen. Ich kann
mir vorstellen, daß es Spaß bringt, auch einmal
hinter die Kulissen des Theaters zu blicken.
Sonst scheint Kiel ja auch nicht mehr viel
Unterhaltung zu bieten, wie ich von den letzten
Urlaubern hörte.
Von Holger Heuermann bekam ich auch einen
Brief. Er hat sich glaube ich, auch nicht
viel geändert. Günter Wersch hat ebenfalls von
sich hören lassen. Ich werde ihm aber wohl
nicht antworten. Meine Korrespondenz ist groß genug.
Die Bevölkerung hier ist sehr freundlich.
Sie haben hier ja schon den Bolschewismus
kennengelernt. Ein Klavier, Akkordeon, Quetsche
ist uns zur Verfügung gestellt worden von dem
Bauern. So ist hier immer ein ganz schöner
Krach in der Bude.
Nur Zigaretten sind verflucht knapp.
Ebenso wie die Verpflegung. Aber ich denke es
werden auch bald die Pakete kommen.
Ich lege noch 2 Paketmarken sowie einige
Luftpostmarken mit ein.
Gestern habe ich das Sturmabzeichen
bekommen. Lege die Urkunde auch mit ein. Zum
E.K. bin ich auch eingereicht.
Schluß für heute.
Es grüße Euch,
Ihr Lieben,
Euer Herbert
The Feldpost Letter translated in English reads as:
Estonia 10.2.44
Dear all!
I received your kind letter of 18.1.
with many thanks. This is pretty much the only
sign of life from you for a month. But
everything is still in a mess here at the moment,
I assume that will soon sort itself out again.
The comrades have now come forward again.
I had a temperature of 38 degrees yesterday,
so I can't join them. I'm on sick leave.
But I'm doing quite well so far. This morning I
got a sore cheek. I don't know what it actually is.
Hanne's theatre report is quite interesting.
I just don't want him to be discovered.
I can imagine that it would be fun to take a look
behind the scenes of the theatre.
Otherwise Kiel doesn't seem to offer much
entertainment, as I heard from the last comrades
who were on leave.
I also received a letter from Holger Heuermann.
I don't think he has changed much. Günter Wersch wrote
as well. But I will probably not reply to him. My correspondence is large enough.
The people here are very friendly.
But they already got to know Bolshevism here.
We got a piano and an accordion from the
farmer. So there's always a lot of noise
in the place.
Only cigarettes are damned scarce.
Just like the food. But I think
the parcels will arrive soon.
I add 2 parcel stamps and some airmail stamps.
Yesterday I got the storm badge. I'll also enclose the certificate to this letter.
I got nominated for the E.K. as well.
That's all for today.
Greetings to you
my dear ones,
Your Herbert
Herbert writes this letter on a A4 piece of paper, using two sides which is more information that previously detailed in letters home. Herbert as in previous letters details where he is writing the letters from. Here Herbert details the words "Estland" (Estonia) next to the date. This showing Herbert has moved as previously Herbert was writing from a bilited house and bunker behind the lines in the Leningrad region. We now see Herbert write he is in Estonia, as is opened in this letter where Herbert writes a reply to his family back home in Kiel that this is the first letter he has revived from the in a month. This showing the delay of letters from home to the front via the reichs feldpost service. Herbert expressing not much has changed since the last letter and that all is still a mess.
Herbert explains how he is in Estonia with the detail that he is on "Sick leave" as he is currently suffering from a very high temperature of "38 degrees" as Herbert writes that Kameraden from the reich have come forward to his position as reinforcements (as expressed in previous letters Herberts unit sustaining heavy casualties) Herbert being unable to serve with them as appears he is recovering from a high temperature (Suspected fever) that he has suffered from as a result of being in the rough conditions loosely detailed in previous letters. Similar events were seen back in 1943 when Herbert was taken in and stayed in a Hospital in Riga, occupied Latvia to which is happening similar here Herbert recovering in occupied Estonia. Herbert at writing this explains he has a sore cheek but is overall doing well, as much as before he is not familiar with what he is suffering with but assuring his family he is ok and appears to be on sick leave in the company of nurses or medical personnel.
Herbert then talks of home with Hanne's theatre news, as previously mentioned in letters detailing the events at this form of entertainment, Herbert explaining how it would be really interesting to see behind the scenes of the theatre. Other than this Kiel in the eyes of Herbert and his fellow kameraden doesn't hold much in forms of entertainment, even recently as those returning to the front discussed their time from enjoying leave.
Herbert then briefly talks of some close kameraden as mentioned in other letters, "Holger Heuermann" wrote to Herbert recently who hasn't changed much. In addition to this "Günter Wersch" also writes to which Herbert explains he wont reply to as his correspondence list is very large. As previously mentioned, Herbert has written many times that his letters to send is very large and with the supplies to send with often running low, Herbert often has to be picky on who he chooses to write to.
Herbert moves on to write about what it is like in Estonia. Herbert detailing that the people from Estonia he is with are very friendly and that they too have already "got to know Bolshevism" Estonia becoming under Soviet control as part of the agreed German/Soviet non-aggression pact know as the "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact" This would later be occupied by Germany in the summer of 1941 as apart of the break of this deal with Operation Barbarossa.
Herbert detailing that where he is staying (Assumed hospital) that Herbert and his kameraden have acquired a piano and accordion from local farmers so there is always some noise where they are.
Herbert concluding the letter with words that are often written of cigarettes being scarce, even when Herbert was recovering in hospital in 1943 with respiratory issues. Herbert being very found of cigarettes and smoking that Herbert also mentions that his habit is as scarce as the food where he currently is. This last part being wrote by Herbert to hint at possible packages to be sent to him, as in addition to this Herbert 2 parcel stamps and airmail stamps .
Herbert mentioning also some information about his military service. Herbert writing he has been awarded the "Sturmabzeichen" which translates as the "Storm badge" or commonly known as the General Assault badge. This medal was awarded for supported an attack but were not part of the main infantry force. Herbert detailing that he will enclose the certificate letter for this (Which like the Envelope is sadly lost to time) Like other letters, photos as mentioned to be enclosed are believed to have been taken out by the Tank family and stored in a family album taking pride of place in their home. Herbert also detailing that he has also been nominated for the "EK". EK more commonly known as Eisernes Kreuz (Iron Cross) coming in two grades. It is suggested Herbert would be awarded the EK2 ( Iron Cross Second class). The EK being awarded for bravery in battle or military merit contributions in service.
Herbert concluding this detailed letter from Estonia, recovering from some form of illness. Herbert greeting his loved ones and concluding Euer Herbert, Yours Herbert.