Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the third and final feldpost of February 1944 where Herbert writes home to his family. The previous letter we learned more about Herbert's family back home in Kiel and fellow soldaten who are friends of the family. Herbert writing of "Hannes" who we now know is his younger brother as they join as a Marinehelfer in the HJ (Hitler Youth). Herbert also previous writing from his sick bed in Estland (Estonia) as he recovered from a fever and toothache. This in comparison to this letter where we see a change in place and possibly some new updates of Herbert.

The Feldpost Letter reads as:

Im Osten, 29.02.44

Ihr Lieben

Endlich komme ich dazu Euch

zu antworten. Wir haben uns einen neuen

Bunker bauen müssen und haben manchmal

16-17 Stunden durchgearbeitet, jetzt sind wir

fertig bis auf die Schönheitsarbeiten. Die

kommen morgen an die Reihe. Ich habe

jetzt Bunkerwache und so kann ich gut

meine Post erledigen.

Vorgestern bekam ich das Päckchen

vom 28.1. Der Kuchen war prima, ebenfalls die

Bohnen mit Kochwurst. Ich habe sie warm ge-

macht und zum Abend gegessen. Meinen besten

Dank. Ebenfalls bekam ich ein Päckchen

von Liesa mit Kuchen, Marzipan, Zigaretten und

Ölsardinen und eines von Tante Erna mit

Kuchen und 1/2 Pfund Butter. Ganz schön, ich

habe mich bald übergegessen.

Sonst geht es mir soweit ganz gut.

Was ich auch von Euch hoffe! Wie geht

es Hanne? Hoffentlich ist wieder alles

in Ordnung. Ich bin auch etwas erkältet,

aber das ist weiter nicht schlimm. Es

kommt wohl von dem Wechsel zwischen

Tau und Frost.

Nun will ich schließen

Seid herzlich gegrüßt

von Euren Herbert

The Feldpost letter translated in English reads as:

In the East, 29.02.44

My dear ones,

I have finally found the time

to answer you. We had to build a new

bunker and had to work sometimes

16-17 hours straight, but now we are finished,

except for the finishing touches. That

will be done tomorrow.

I'm on bunker watch now and so I can

get my mail done.

The day before yesterday I received the parcel from

28.1. The cake was great, as were the beans with

the cooked sausage. I warmed it up

and ate it for dinner. My best thanks.

I also received a parcel from Liesa with cake,

marzipan, cigarettes and oil sardines;

and one from Aunt Erna with cake

and 1/2 pound of butter. Quite nice,

I will soon been overeaten.

Otherwise I'm doing quite well so far.

I hope you are too! How is

Hanne? Hopefully everything is

all right again. I've got a bit of a cold too,

but that's not too bad. It

probably comes from the change between

dew and frost.

Now I will close

Best regards

from your Herbert

Herbert addresses this letter from "Im Osten" which as seen in previous letters is "In the East", not as definitive as Estland before to denote the country but as the Soviet Union is so big and vast "The East" or Ost as sometimes referred was a term to describe the region briefly.

Herbert writing as he finds the time after building their new bunker with his fellow kameraden. Herbert recalling that he had to work 16 to 17 hours straight in order to get it built and that at the time of writing this it is mostly finished except for some finishing touches that they will finish tomorrow. Herbert being on guard of the newly built bunker as he writes this letter.

Herbert then addressing the parcel he received from home that was stamped 28.1, this showing the delay the Deutsche Reichspost has via the Feldpost system from home to Herbert now on the Eastern front. This is possible due to the places Herbert has moved to as he has been Ill and positional changes of his unit. The parcel contained cake that was great, in addition to the beans and cooked sausage that were also included. Herbert eating the latter warmed up together for his dinner, with compliments to his family. Herbert also detailing food received from extended family that he is to eat, Herbert detailing that he will likely be overeating. These food supplies as previously mentioned in many letters all help Herbert and his fellow kameraden as the rations and food available whilst in the field is scarce.

Herbert draws the letter to a close by detailing that he is doing well and hoping that Hannes is doing well too. Herbert detailing he is coming down with a cold but isn't too serious. Herbert accounting this to the dew and frost with the slow changing of conditions at the end of February when this letter was written.

Herbert letting his family know he is recovering well from his time in hospital and managed to be safe in the confines of his newly built bunker. It is imagined this is out of wood, often large timber or logs were pieced together in the field to provide shelter for soldaten from the cold and bleak conditions of the eastern front. Herbert detailing condition in previous letters and how it is essential to keep in the warm away from the elements and Ivan.

Herbert concluding the letter in his usual way of greetings to his family, von Euren Herbert, From your Herbert.