Local Quarters, February 15th, 1942
My loves!
I would like to use the opportunity on this Sunday evening to send my thoughts to you again in a letter. This afternoon we were taken out for the first time and yesterday afternoon we were couped up in the movie theater. I often think on you all and on the peaceful days you must be experiencing back at home. Each one of you appears so clearly before me in my mind; I see your loving hands, which have taken care of everything so perfectly, and I sense the silent breath of a tender kiss from you, I see the luminous blue eyes of our darling Irmgard, and the inquisitive way she asks us questions, and also my darling little Elfriede, who wants to lie peacefully next to me so that I can tell her a fairy tale. I haven’t forgotten my little Brigitte, either, who devotes herself with utter abandonment to the attempt at walking and who by now has certainly achieved a considerable amount of success. Thus I see you all sitting there before me, with our dear Uncle Malz and the good Agathe, in the living room and I feel as though I am actually with you. I voicelessly follow your conversation. Now I want to answer all of the questions that you have asked me. I am doing well. The duties we are doing here are of course in service of our homeland. Even if it may fall somewhat hard upon someone of my age to withstand all of the stress and deprivation that comes along with this, the thought of our homeland and its protection alone puts me in the position to endure all of this stress and deprivation. I feel proud that we are the guard, so to speak, of German interests, even in spite of the hostile demeanor of the local population. Thus I am with you and you are also with me in singular solidarity that I can feel and that does me much good.
Now I would like to devote a few Sunday thoughts to my darling little wife. The situation we are in now is similar to the situation we were in ten years ago. We were also separated then. But in between these two times, we have been blessed with happiness and have had our wishes fulfilled. We have had whole years to enjoy a happy marriage with our dear children, and now through our separation we have entered into a situation again that evokes only a mutual feeling of homesickness.
I am going to bed now, because the time has passed so quickly that the fatigue duty has already begun for the night. Hopefully I can write more tomorrow.
Added on February 21st, 1942
My time this week was so filled with work that even in spite of my best intentions I never had a chance to write to you. Truly exhausted, I layed down for bed earlier so that I was able to get up at the commanded hour. Our training will apparently be ended more quickly than is standard. Even though I wasn’t able to write to you this week, I was still always with you in thought. Why haven’t you written to me yet? Letters take around six days to arrive. I’ve already sent several letters to you. Did you not receive them?
This week we went to the theater once. It was a Kdf performance with different famous actors and actresses, including Lilian Harvey. At the very least, it was a change from the monotony of our work. I send my love to all of you, especially to you, my darling little mouse, to whom I also send a loving kiss
From your faithful Josef
My address is: Soldier Josef Müller, Feldpostnummer 13587 F
My loves!
I would like to use the opportunity on this Sunday evening to send my thoughts to you again in a letter. This afternoon we were taken out for the first time and yesterday afternoon we were couped up in the movie theater. I often think on you all and on the peaceful days you must be experiencing back at home. Each one of you appears so clearly before me in my mind; I see your loving hands, which have taken care of everything so perfectly, and I sense the silent breath of a tender kiss from you, I see the luminous blue eyes of our darling Irmgard, and the inquisitive way she asks us questions, and also my darling little Elfriede, who wants to lie peacefully next to me so that I can tell her a fairy tale. I haven’t forgotten my little Brigitte, either, who devotes herself with utter abandonment to the attempt at walking and who by now has certainly achieved a considerable amount of success. Thus I see you all sitting there before me, with our dear Uncle Malz and the good Agathe, in the living room and I feel as though I am actually with you. I voicelessly follow your conversation. Now I want to answer all of the questions that you have asked me. I am doing well. The duties we are doing here are of course in service of our homeland. Even if it may fall somewhat hard upon someone of my age to withstand all of the stress and deprivation that comes along with this, the thought of our homeland and its protection alone puts me in the position to endure all of this stress and deprivation. I feel proud that we are the guard, so to speak, of German interests, even in spite of the hostile demeanor of the local population. Thus I am with you and you are also with me in singular solidarity that I can feel and that does me much good.
Now I would like to devote a few Sunday thoughts to my darling little wife. The situation we are in now is similar to the situation we were in ten years ago. We were also separated then. But in between these two times, we have been blessed with happiness and have had our wishes fulfilled. We have had whole years to enjoy a happy marriage with our dear children, and now through our separation we have entered into a situation again that evokes only a mutual feeling of homesickness.
I am going to bed now, because the time has passed so quickly that the fatigue duty has already begun for the night. Hopefully I can write more tomorrow.
Added on February 21st, 1942
My time this week was so filled with work that even in spite of my best intentions I never had a chance to write to you. Truly exhausted, I layed down for bed earlier so that I was able to get up at the commanded hour. Our training will apparently be ended more quickly than is standard. Even though I wasn’t able to write to you this week, I was still always with you in thought. Why haven’t you written to me yet? Letters take around six days to arrive. I’ve already sent several letters to you. Did you not receive them?
This week we went to the theater once. It was a Kdf performance with different famous actors and actresses, including Lilian Harvey. At the very least, it was a change from the monotony of our work. I send my love to all of you, especially to you, my darling little mouse, to whom I also send a loving kiss
From your faithful Josef
My address is: Soldier Josef Müller, Feldpostnummer 13587 F