Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Cemetery postcards


AliceF

Recommended Posts

„3.9.1916

Dear friend

Have received your card, inform you that I am still all right, which I hope is the case with you as well.

Are you still at home or will you leave soon?

With best regards

Your friend

Karl Genzel”

 

„3.9.1916

Lieber Freund!

Habe deine Karte

erhalten, teile dir mit

daß es mir noch gut

geht was ich auch von

dir hoffe. Bist du noch

zu Hause oder kommst

du in nächster [?] Zeit

weg. Mit besten Grüßen

Dein Freund

Karl Genzel“

 

Not sure if I got it all right.

 

Christine

 

Source: e-bay, lost unfortunately the link, card was just sold.

 

Epoye_f.jpg

Epoye_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

19.4.1917

Dear Arthur and mother!

We are now in the area between Poelkapelle and Spriet.

It is an almost entirely flat area, but wet and swampy – everything drowns.

Today is a day without rain, if it does not start yet.

Best regards your father

 

 

„Im Felde den 19.4.1917.

Lieber Arthur, u. Mutter!

In dieser Gegend liegen wir jetzt

zwischen Poelkapelle, u. Sprieth [? Spriet]

So ist es fast eine gans [? ganz] ebene

Gegend aber naß u. sumpfig

alles ersäuft. Heute ist mal

ein Tag wo es mal nicht regnet

wenn es nicht noch losgeht.

Es grüßt herzlichst euer Vater.

 

Abs. Sold.

H. Wolf 4

R.I.R

11. 107.

z.Z.

???”

 

Christine

 

Source: akpool.de (sorry lost the link)

Poelkapelle_f.jpg

Poelkapelle_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

“Dear cousin,

I was very happy to get your lovely parcel, thank you very much.

You know exactly how good it does to receive greetings from home.

I have been somewhat promoted, I am now the xxx [what is the correct translation of Bursche?] of the lieutenant.

With thousand heartily greetings and many thanks for the parcel and the letter to you, your mother and sister

Your Cousin Richard”

 

„25.9.

Lieber Cousin
Hab mich sehr über dein liebes
Paket gefreut und sage dir
vielen Dank dafür. Du
weißt es genau wie wohl
es tut wenn man nur einen
Gruß aus der Heimat erhält. Habe
mich etwas verbessert bin Bursche
bei Herrn Ltn. Mit tausend herzl.
Grüßen und besten Dank für Paket
und Brief an dich deine Mutter und Schwester
Dein C. Richard“
 

Christine

Source: http://www.akpool.de/ansichtskarten/25274782-ansichtskarte-postkarte-schuetzengraeber-bei-la-musette-holzkreuze-i-wk

Musette_f.jpg

Musette_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

although not strictly  a used one with writing on, here is a before and after for Doullens . I couldn't get up high enough, it would have meant sitting on the entrance gate!!!

 

ww1 cemetery.jpg

DSC_0303.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, chaz said:

although not strictly  a used one with writing on, here is a before and after for Doullens . I couldn't get up high enough, it would have meant sitting on the entrance gate!!!

Thanks for posting card & photo! Always fascinating with before and after views!

Christine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Written 8th of October 1916

 

Dear Neighbours

two months have passed yet again since my last presence in my dear homeland, and the tremendous war still rages. There is no end in sight; also the third Christmas will come and will be spent in a distant country. Otherwise, my health is fairly all right, which is worth a lot out here. Hopefully everybody is still well at your place, and also Otto Behrend [?] still all right. Friendly greetings to all Wilhelm Liepe

 

"Geschrieben d. 8.10.16

Liebe Nachbarn

Schon wieder sind zwei Monate ver-

flossen während meiner letzten Anwe-

senheit in der lieben Heimat und immer

noch tobt der gewaltige Krieg weiter

und läßt noch kein Ende erblicken, es

wird auch das dritte Weihnachtsfest kommen

wo man im fernen Lande weilt. Im

übrigen geht es noch einigermaßen mit

der Gesundheit, was ja viel wert ist hier

draußen. Hoffentlich ist auch dort bei Ihnen

noch alles gesund, und auch Otto Behrend [?] auch noch

wohl auf. Es grüßt alle bestens in

freundschaftlicherweise Wilhelm Liepe"

 

In the Verlustenliste Uffz. Wilhelm Liepe from Riewend, IR 330, 10. Komp. is listed as wounded in 1915 and 1917 and as previously wounded and missing in January 1918.

Christine

 

Source of the card: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Osten-Soldatenfriedhof-330-IR-83-ID-1916-nach-Biewend-35091-/382100032454?hash=item58f6efcbc6:g:U8wAAOSwGJlZJp0a 

 

 

Friedhof im Osten_f.jpg

Friedhof im Osten_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, AliceF said:

Written 8th of October 1916 ... 

 

 

Thanks yet again for an interesting view although I still find the morbid interests of the average German soldier somewhat surprising! I am desperately trying to remember something I read somewhere recently about the German habit and taste (as it were!) for cemetery photographs as opposed to the lack of interest in such on the British side... Anyway, I can't quite make out the addressee and the address on this one - would you oblige? Thanks in advance!

 

Julian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Julian,

 

the address here is

Gutsbesitzer [=estate/land owner]

Herrn W. Buge

in Riewend

bei Pawesin in d. Mark

Kreis Westhavelland

 

Päwesin is about 50km straight West to Berlin.

 

Yes, I am also surprised, always again.

Well, I missed my hobby, when I had too much work the last weeks (term end). Not sure what it makes so fascinating.

Read the thread on "taphophile" a couple of weeks ago, nice word for it, isn't it. Well, I am a kind of digital one.

I think I remember the thread you mention. From France. I'll have a look.

 

Christine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Christine, I am very slowly trying to get my eyes around these scripts, not helped by having very imperfect German (picked up rather than taught or learned!). I know this has been discussed elsewhere on this thread, but it still very IS  :wacko:odd to me that a serving soldier in a war area would want to send a post card of a war/soldiers cemetery to his nearest and dearest! 

 

Julian

Edited by trajan
Syntax
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4.3.2016 at 19:52, AliceF said:

“Best regards from France sends you your [THANKFUL] son and brother Paul – [ALL] healthy and cheerful.”

“Die schönsten Grüße aus Frankreich sendet Euch Euer [DANKBARER] Sohn und Bruder Paul [ALLES] gesund und munter.“

Christine

Just thought I add the two missing words IN BRACKETS... of the 1st post in this thread. Doesn´t really change anything.

GreyC

Edited by GreyC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, GreyC said:

Just thought I add the two missing words IN BRACKETS... of the 1st post in this thread.

Thanks a lot! (Always so obvious afterwards...). It's a bit irritating when words can not be read (some cards I can not read at all).

So any help is always very appreciated!

 

Christine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Christine,

though I would consider myself a moderately experienced reader of the German handwriting, there are quite a few examples that leave me clueless.

GreyC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Written 10th of October 1915

 

From the East I send you many thanks for the cigars you sent and which tasted good on the long journey.

Hopefully I will return healthy and then I will allow myself to visit you.

For the time being xxx [best?] greetings sends R. Brach [?]

 

Text on the front:

War pictures from the East

Burial of fallen heroes at the forest cemetery Tilsit

 

"Geschrieben 10.10.15

Vom Osten sende ich Ihnen

meinen besten Dank für die

gesch. [? geschickten] Cigarren welche gut

schmeckten auf der langen

Reise. Ich werde hoffentlich

wieder gesund zurückkommen

und mir dann erlauben Sie

zu besuchen. Einstweilen  xxx

Gruß sendet R. Brach [?]"

 

I was surprised to see so many civilians on the photo. Found this unusual but maybe it isn't.

 

Christine

 

Source: http://www.akpool.de/ansichtskarten/26496425-ansichtskarte-postkarte-sowjetsk-tilsit-ostpreussen-bestattung-von-gefallenen-soldaten-auf-dem-waldfriedhof

Tilsit_f.jpg

Tilsit_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

I think it´s save to assume that the name is Brach. He seems to have served with the 173rd IR but maybe I read it wrong as that regiment was deployed on the western front. He mailed the card from a village called "Splitter" which translates as "splinter".

GreyC

Edited by GreyC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/06/2017 at 00:40, GreyC said:

He seems to have served with the 173rd IR but maybe I read it wrong as that regiment was depoyed opn the western front.

Thanks! Thought it  was IR 143 or 243, but no idea really.

 

Today's card:

 

France 29th [?] of June 1916

 

My dear Emmy!

Have received 2 cards from you. Thank you very much.

I am still all right. But there are daily losses. This monotony - very boring.

There is no variation here. If only I were back at home with you.

Best regards and kisses

From your dear faithful Kurt

 

Front: With joy received also the card from Grünau today

 

„Frankreich 29 [?].6.16

 

Meine geliebt Emmy!

Habe 2 Karten von Dir erh[alten]. Besten Dank.

Bis jetzt geht es mir noch gut. Es gibt hier

aber täglich Verluste. Dieses eintönige

sehr langweilig. Es gibt hier keine Abwechs-

lung. Wen[n] ich blos[ß] erst wieder zuhause wäre

bei Dir. Nun herzliche Grüße u. Küsse

von Deinen[m] lieben treuen Kurt“

 

Front: "Auch die Karte von Grünau heut mit Freuden erh.[halten]"

 

Amongst other things I was wondering about the handwriting. Quite different between front and back. Tried to find out what this type of handwriting (back) is called and when it was introduced at school, but did not really find an answer. Called something like Lateinische Schreibschrift or Deutsche Normalschrift (?), there is also a "Latin" Sütterlin version (1924?). Anyhow a bit off, just thought if it could tell anything about the age of the writer. But not to me. Read also that Sütterlin was first introduced in 1911 in German schools, before it was Kurrent – but the difference between the two is not so obvious to me that this would give me any clue in the context of this thread . (See also: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schreibschrift). 

 

Midsummar greetings from Sweden (yes it is midsummer in Sweden today – always moved to a Saturday, so that people have the chance to recover from the parties on Friday - if needed)

 

Christine

Corbeny_f.jpg.a34cddf230789967a0e53f7e70f9da8f.jpg

Corbeny_t.jpg.f2d029d5c2fbf6f7a5e86294dcc4f243.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello AliceF,

IR 143 could be, especially because the censorship-stamp and the address say Straßburg, Els., where the IR 143 was at home, yet this regiment was active on the Westfront only, too. But I may well be corrected.

With regards to the German handwriting types, it´s a bit morte complicated. Sütterlin was ordered by the Preußisches Kulturministerium to develop a new Ausgangsschrift ( in short something like a binding normtyp) in 1911. It was not totally different from the former Kurrentschrift but a simplified and normed enhancement of it that took into account that there hitherto seemed to be no hard and fast rules on how to write certain letters in the old Kurrent and that it was becoming difficult to write it with the new writing tools, especially when learning how to write. Sütterlin was meant to put back the flow in the Kurrentschrift (lat.: currere= to flow). It was only introduced in schools in 1915 and therefore started to replace the former Kurrentschrift to a considerable extent only in the 1920s.

Both the Lateinische Schreibschrift as well as the Deutsche Schreibschrift are cursive (the latin equivalent for "Schreibschrift") Whereas the Latin cursive stems (as the name suggests) from Roman times the Deutsche Schreibschrift has its origin in the Gothic cursive of the middle ages. From then on learned folk in Germany wrote texts not in German in Latin cursive and texts in their own tongue in German cursive. For what ever reason familiy names (christian and surnames) were written in Latin cursive throughout in official documents. In 1941 Sütterlin was banned from school teaching and replaced by Latin cursive. What you have  on your postcard then is the old German cursive on the front and the Latin cursive on the reverse both in use at the time, the German current more so than the Latin.

GreyC

Edited by GreyC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, more complex issue than one could think of.

But why using two different handwriting stiles on the same card?

Most cards are written in some form of Kurrent/Sutterlin, but very few in this Latin cursive - or what ever I should call it.

So I just wondered if there both were commonly taught at school and why few people would use this Latin version (besides of writing the address).

Christine

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Christine,

the Lateinische Schreibschrift was considered un-German by some. In a time of nationalistic orientation many prefered to write in what was considered more "German"= the cursive lettering that stemed from the Gothic cursive. Cf. my remarks on usage of both for foreign and German texts. Later in the 19th century those who felt national pride and wore there attitude on the sleeve or the pen wrote German cursive. There were also wordlists quite like today in France (baladeur=walkman) that helped find "German" equivalents for what today would be considered "normal" German words like Praxis (doctor´s surgery). So I would judge this to be an expression of nationalistic attitude fired on by official national institutes/organisations that people got so used to, they didn´t even think about it and choose it unconsciously as their usual means of expression.

GreyC

Edited by GreyC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi,

 

This card caught my attention, this time more because of the photo than the text. I am a bit fascinated to see these chapels that seem to have been built during war time.

 

xxx Blankenheim

5. Komp Land Inf Reg 68

 

Dear Marie [or Maria]

Happy birthday and regards

Sends your Hubert

See you again

 

„Liebe Marie [or Maria]!

Herzlichen Glück-

wunsch zu deinem

Geburtstag mit

Gruß sendet

d[ein?] Hubert Bis auf

Wiedersehen!“

 

The soldiers buried in the German cemetery in Villers-sous-Preny were reburied in Thiaucourt-Regniéville in the 1920s. I guess the chapel was removed then as well.

 

Christine

 

Source of the card: delcampe, sorry lost the link, sold since I downloaded?

Villers-sous-Preny_f.jpg.168538ec43f0e50bcbb38d48d3208284.jpg

Villers-sous-Preny_t.jpg.d31537967b7ef36627f858d65da815bf.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I think I posted a card from Termes before, but not this one:

 

Termes, 6./7.1915

Lieber Oskar!

Danke dir für deine Karte

Sonst geht es mir sehr [?] gut. Kann nicht

auf Urlaub fahren [??] meine Frau hat

Scharlach [???] nun wird es erst Mitte Aug.

Vielleicht ist bis dahin Frieden.

Es grüßt dich vielmals

Dein Freund Max

 

Grüße alla Kameraden von mir.

 

Front: Wagenführer [?] Nitsche

Gen. Kdo. 18. Res. Korps

 

Eulenstein [?] Paul ist auf Urlaub

14 Tage.

 

 

Dear Oskar!

Thank you for your postcard!

I am very [?] well.

Cannot go on leave, my wife has scarlet fever [???], will not go before the middle of August.

Maybe it will be peace until then.

 

Best regards

Your friend Oskar

 

Front [sender]: Wagenführer [?] Nitsche

Gen. Kdo. 18. Res. Korps

 

Eulenstein [?] Paul is on leave

14 days

 

Christine

 

Source:http://www.ebay.de/itm/1-Weltkrieg-Termes-Ardennes-Soldaten-Friedhof-alte-Foto-Ak-Feldpost-/232412090919?hash=item361cd71227:g:ILgAAOSw241YfJkh 

 

 

Termes_2_f.jpg

Termes_2_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, GreyC said:

it is Vizefeldw[ebel] Nitsche.

 

Thanks!

Well, I was quite off here....

 

Christine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Christine,

I think you were to 99,9% dead on with the transliteration and he has a handwriting that is very hard to decipher. I was happy that you took a first shot so I had something to go on.

GreyC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Today a card which shows the cemetery of the Reserve Feldlazarett No 64.

Unfortunately I can only read the first lines. As always: any help is very much appreciated.

 

“Frankr., den 24.9.17

“Dear Martha,

send you again a sign of life.

I am on the road to recovery.

Please let me know, if Heinrich was there on his leave [???].

…..

Bruno”

 

„Liebe Martha,

Sende dir wiederum ein

Lebenszeichen. Befinde mich auf

dem Wege zur Besserung. Laß bitte

mal was hören, ob Heinrich auf

Urlaub da war [???]. ….

 

Bruno“

 

The sender is Bruno Pietschmann, I think.

 

Maybe the name on one of the crosses is Gerhard Bein (http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/5486516)

A soldier with the name Gerhard Bein is today buried in Sissone – but it is difficult to know if this is the same solider http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/detailansicht.html?tx_igverlustsuche_pi2[gid]=2b0c6a2a87c1b3346b0e893ad4e0b2e5&cHash=8bf171952644cae70e8ea432d27f500a 

 

Christine

 

Source of the card: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Soldatenfriedhof-Reserve-Feldlazarett-64-Fotokarte-Feldpost-1917-38918-/382075974122?hash=item58f580b1ea:g:yl8AAOSwAPVZEL1U 

Feldlaz64_f.jpg

Feldlaz64_t.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Written 17.6.191?

 

Dear Mother,

 

Belated happy birthday! God may give you many happy returns of the day and that I can be with you soon again.

We are not allowed to send the cards anymore without envelope. Have been 6 days in xxx xxx, therefore this card is so late.

 

Front:

Have received the letter of xxx, many thanks.

Tomorrow I’ll send 30 Marks, so that you, dear mother, can buy something for yourself.

 

Xxx greetings and kisses yours xxx

 

"Geschrieben 17.6.191?

Liebe Mutter

 

Sende dir nachträglich noch

die beste Wünschen zum

Geburtstage. Gott mag geben

daß du den Tag recht

viel erlebst, und ich auch bald

wieder bei Euch sein kann.

 

Dürfen die

Karten nicht

mehr so, ohne Umschlag

fort schicken.

Habe wieder 6

Tage in xxx xxx

gelegen deshalb

die Karte so spät.

 

Front:

Den Brief von xxx [Lieschen?] habe ich erhalten

besten Dank.

Schicke Morgen

30 Mark ab

da kannst du liebe

Mutter dir mal

was kaufen.

 

Xxx Grüße

u. Küsse

euer xxx"

 

As always I am thankful for comments on parts I can not read.

Christine

 

Source of the card: http://www.ebay.de/itm/21314-Foto-AK-Essey-Deutscher-Soldatenfriedhof-1915-/142041334721?hash=item211252c3c1:g:QOMAAOSwzJ5XdUTu

 

 

 

 

Essay_t.jpg

Essay.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...