25 March, 2012

25 March 1945

438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
25 March, 1945      0840
Germany

Dearest sweetheart Wilma –

It’s still a little noisy in here this morning but the boys will be going to Church soon and things should quiet down. This is Palm Sunday and it seems hard to believe that Easter is here next Sunday. I believe there’s to be some kind of Passover Service at the Corps the latter part of this week – but as usual I don’t know yet whether or not I’ll be able to make it. Meanwhile the weather stays beautiful, the days get longer and warmer, and if it weren’t for an occasional this or that – it would be easy to forget there was a war on. I’ve never seen so much of anything drunk as I have of this wine here. Most of the 800 bottles are gone, but the boys found a shed with tremendous kegs – all filled with fine red wine. They fill up 5 gallon cans and pass them around. We’ve sent a lot of stuff out to the batteries.

1015

I got busy again and here I am back. That’s when you can’t forget about war, darling. Damn it – everything seems so peaceful and serene and suddenly – bang! – and there’s work to do.

1050

Darling – it looks like a tough day so I’m going to sail right along and make this a short one. I wanted to tell you something – and with all the confusion here, I’m damned if I can think what it was. I do remember one thing I’ve meant to clear up some time ago. That was something you mentioned in a letter a couple of weeks ago. You were telling me about being out with Barbara and a fellow named Mel. You told me how he had missed going overseas when he broke his leg and you said I would have been very mad had that happened to me and then you said I like being in this thing. Well, Sweetheart, “like” is hardly the word, and where in the world did you get the impression that I like being in this war. You must remember this, dear, there’s a world of difference between making the best of things, trying to overlook an occasional hardship as discomfort – there’s a world of difference between that and liking it. No, I don’t like this or any part of the war. It has cheated me already of some very precious years of my life and has kept me away from marrying and living with a girl I waited a long time to meet. If you knew how I hated being here, how futile and wasteful it all seems – you could never say I like being in it. Darling – give me credit for making the best of a rotten situation, but that’s all. You’ll know what I thought and think of being a soldier – and over here – only when it’s all over. Then, dear, I think you’ll be surprised.

And now I honestly have to quit, dearest. It’s busy here today and they’re waiting for me. I love you, sweetheart, as life itself, and I always shall. Each day finds me missing you more and more – and only the good news makes the waiting a bit easier. Be well, dear, and send love to the folks. For now so long –
Always yours –
Greg

* TIDBIT *

about the Drive From the Rhine

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Small dotted line is Front Line on 22 March 1945
Dashed line is Front Line on 26 March
Note Operation Varsity in the North
Greg's Unit is pushing East north of Remagen with VII Corps

At 0400 hours on 25 March 1945 United States First Army launched a coordinated attack with the VII, III, and V Corps heading eastward out from the bridgehead. The 3d Armored Division passed through the 1st and 104th in four columns, closely followed by the supporting infantry, and despite difficult terrain, minefields, and enemy fire from small arms, self-propelled guns, and tanks, good progress was made. Infantry regiments from the 1st and 104th Infantry Divisions moved forward behind tank units. The 78th Infantry Division started to take over the 1st Infantry Division’s sector along the Sieg River. The 78th Division’s 309th Infantry Regiment eliminated an enemy foothold south of the river near Hennef.

Using strong forces of tanks and infantry from reinforcements rushed into the threatened area, the enemy unsuccessfully attempted to stem our advance. Eight enemy divisions were identified on the VII Corps front, but in spite of the number of units, the quality of many of the troops was low. In the first day's drive the armored columns advanced 20 kilometers. Resistance to the advance of the 104th Division on the south was moderate, but the 1st Division farther north fought off determined counterattacks as it moved east and also protected part of the Corps left flank. This explains why Greg was suddenly busy again.

The snapshot that follows was taken from Normandy to Victory: The War Diary of General Courtney H. Hodges & the First U.S. Army, maintained by his aides Major William C. Sylvan and Captain Francis G. Smith Jr.; edited by John T. Greenwood, copyright 2008 by the Association of the United States Army, p 347.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

24 March, 2012

24 March 1945


438th AAA AW BN
APO230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
24 March, 1945      1000
Germany

My dearest darling –

Well – the news continues to be excellent and I can imagine that everyone at home is in good spirits. We are, too, and I honestly don’t see how this can continue much longer than about 10 weeks or so – but that’s my private opinion. I think we’ve finally got them where we want them – dazed, confused, and what is most important – spread thinly.

I didn’t get a chance to write you as early this morning as I have been doing. One of the reasons was that I was collecting a little more junk to have wrapped and sent to you, dear. There’s a couple of books showing pictures of German victories in Poland and France – through 1940. There’s another book – a collection of cartoons by a famous German cartoonist. I wish you knew German, darling, because some of them are very good. But others are funny – translated or not – and I’ll translate some of the others for you, sweetheart, some night in bed. O.K.? Incidentally – I once mentioned the fact that I sent a lot of useless stuff home to you, dear. I hope I’m not cluttering up your house too much with it. I’m sure that a lot of stuff I look at now will cause me to wonder why I ever sent it when I see it at a later date. However, dear, in my own defense I can say that everyone here is the same.

Yesterday was another beautiful day here and the boys – I mean the enlisted men in particular – are having a swell time. They’re drinking all the wine they want. They eat their meals on a little patio – it’s warm enough, too. I didn’t do much yesterday – except to visit Group headquarters and take care of a little business there. We played Bridge again in the evening. Pete was over for awhile, and sent his love.

I received a V-mail from you and Lawrence yesterday – both dated 8 March. I believe that is the latest of yours I have – although airmail of the 6th arrived here a few days ago. Lawrence had little to say except that his attitude was unchanged. Your V-mail mentioned the fact that Col. Pereira had called and that must have been a surprise. It was damn nice of him to call and I’m surprised he remembered. In answer to your question why he didn’t know we were engaged – I’m not certain I know the answer dear. It seems to me I had told everyone. The only explanation is that we were out of contact for a long while when I was in England; that was because Pereira was being transferred all over the place. It wasn’t until after Normandy that we got to writing again. I met a mutual friend who had his address. He’s a good egg, though, and we had a lot of fun together. I’m sure we’ll get to see him after the war.

Oh – I meant to mention one article in particular that I’m sending in the package of today. I won’t name it because I don’t know exactly what it is. But tell me if you notice anything particular about it. I think you’ll know which object I mean.

Darling – I’d like to write more, but it’s late and I’ve got to get going. It’s not too late to tell you I love you, though – and strongly – and you, alone, Sweetheart. For now – love to the folks – and

All my truest love
Greg.

* TIDBIT *

about Operation Varsity


Paratroopers Landing in Operation Varsity

Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II. It was the largest airborne operation in history to be conducted on a single day and in one location. It was the last mass parachute and glider assault of the Second World War, designed to pierce the final physical barrier to a ground advance into Nazi Germany. It was planned to immediately follow the assault across the Rhine.

At 1000 hours on 24 March 1945 nine battalions of the 6th British Airborne Division (9,387 personnel) together with six battalions from the 17th US Airborne Division (7,220 personnel) landed by parachute and glider east of the River Rhine near Wesel, Germany. The airlift consisted of 541 transport aircraft containing airborne troops, and a further 1,050 troop-carriers towing 1,350 gliders. The immense armada stretched more than 200 miles (322 km) in the sky and took 2 hours and 37 minutes to pass any given point. It was protected by some 2,153 Allied fighters from the U.S. Ninth Air Force and the Royal Air Force. These were followed closely by 240 four-engine Liberator bombers of the U.S. Eighth Air Force dropping 582 tons of supplies including 109 tons of ammunition, 695 vehicles, and 113 artillery pieces. Fifteen of the Liberators were lost.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Paratroopers of Operation Varsity
before boarding their C-47 transport


C-47s releasing paratroopers of Operation Varsity

At the conclusion of the operation, all of the objectives that the airborne troops had been tasked with had been captured and held, usually within only a few hours of the operation's beginning. The bridges over the Issel had been successfully captured, although one later had to be destroyed to prevent its capture by counter-attacking German forces. The Diersfordter Forest had been cleared of enemy troops, and the roads through which the Germans might have routed reinforcements against the advance had been cut by airborne troops. Finally, Hamminkeln, the village that dominated the area and through which any advance would be made, had been secured by air-lifted units. About 3,500 German soldiers were captured.


Glidermen of Operation Varsity

The defenders of the Reich made the paratroopers pay with their lives. Operation Varsity turned out to be the bloodiest day for Allied Airborne troops in the whole of the Second World War. The two divisions incurred more than 2,000 casualties. The cause of this high casualty rate can likely be traced to the fact that the operation was launched in full daylight, rather than a night-assault. The casualty rates were worsened by the slow rates of release and descent of the gliders themselves, and the fact that each aircraft towed two gliders, slowing them even further; as the time to release a glider unit was 3–4 times longer than a parachute unit, the gliders were vulnerable to flak. Also, there was little element of surprise. The Germans knew the when the attack was to occur, but did not know exactly where. Once the smoke screens were lit, the area of attack from across the Rhine became apparent.


Medic treating wounded gliderman beside his glider


Wounded paratroopers of Operation Varsity
being brought to an Aid Station

Yet for all the success of Operation Varsity, the question remained whether under the prevailing circumstances an airborne attack had been necessary or was even justified. It unquestionably aided British ground troops. However, in view of the weak condition of German units east of the Rhine and the particular vulnerability of airborne troops in and immediately following the descent, some overbearing need for the special capability of airborne divisions would be required to justify their use. Although the objectives assigned the divisions were legitimate, they were objectives that ground troops alone under existing circumstances should have been able to take without undue difficulty and probably with considerably fewer casualties. Participation by paratroopers and glidermen gave appreciably no more depth to the bridgehead at Wesel than that achieved by infantrymen of the 30th Division. Nor did the airborne attack speed bridge construction, for not until 0915 the next day, 25 March, did engineers start work on bridges at Wesel. A treadway bridge had been opened to traffic behind the 30th Division seventeen hours before that.

A documentary about Operation Varsity is shown in two parts in the first two videos below. That is followed Patrick Edmonds telling of his piloting a glider into Germany, filled with troops and materiel, in Operation Varsity.





23 March, 2012

23 March 1945

438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
23 March, 1945
Germany

My dearest sweetheart –

I’m listening to the radio as I’m writing this and it’s playing “It had to be you” – and I’m so glad it was you, dear, because I know you’re going to make me glad always.

Yesterday I had a chance to write you a V-mail only – and a short one at that. We’ve settled again and each time I’m more impressed with the ease and speed with which we adjust ourselves. As usual – the 438th looks for and – if at all available – finds a fairly comfortable spot. If I ever write you, dear, that we’re not in a very good set-up, you can be sure there isn’t a good place within miles of the area we’re in.

This is an old Schloss – or castle. It’s not particularly beautiful from the outside – although there is a dried up moat around it, but it has been completely modernized so that it has central heating, tile bathrooms etc. The occupants were – and we made them move – an honest-to-goodness Count and Countess.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
This is one wing of the castle.
23 March 1945 - Germany

And everything in this place smacks of royalty. They had to leave on one hour’s notice and left everything as is. The wardrobes are terrific and you’d never know there was a shortage of anything at all. The family is or was in the wine business and what a wine cellar they had! The finest Rhine wine, red and white. I guess there must have been about 800 bottles. I don’t know how many are left now. I don’t mean to imply it has all been drunk already, but it certainly has been laid away. The officers had their share.


First C.P. across Rhine - Note Corner Knocked Off - Shell
Königswinter - March 1945

I’m sitting at a large desk, with book-ends, trays, chronometer etc. decorating. My office was the drawing room – measuring about 40 by 25 feet. Bookcases, filled, line the walls and above the bookcases are hunting trophies and mounting of all sorts. It’s comfortable and livable here. So you see, Sweetheart, war or no war – we manage to live as comfortably as possible. Last night we played Bridge and listened to some fine recordings. It was a nice evening, and relatively quiet – and for a change, I was able to sleep rather soundly. Do you toss and turn, dear. I believe you told me once, but I can’t remember. I turn frequently – and when I don’t sleep soundly, I’m all over the bed – so watch out, darling. I’m likely to be all –– oh, what am I saying?

Well – we didn’t get any mail yesterday and supposedly we don’t get any today. By the way – you mentioned in one of your latest letter that you thought I was doing a heck of a lot of drinking. I guess it did sound like a lot – it was when we were in Stolberg. Maybe it was. Every now and then it seems as if you’ll go a little whacky if you don’t forget things for an hour or two and then you look for an excuse to drink – someone’s promotion, a coming birthday – anything. But that’s not steady drinking – dear – and I – at least – don’t drink in between times – as some of the fellows do. The fact is I don’t like the taste of the stuff at all – and don’t worry. I’ll never be a souse.

Well, sweetheart, the time has slipped by – with a few interruptions – and the boys are starting to drift in. I love, you, darling, from the Count’s castle, too, from everywhere in fact – and I really won’t love you the way I can and will – until I get home.

Love to the folks, regards to the girls, and

All my everlasting love –
Greg.

Here is the beginning of this letter as written on the castle letterhead
CLICK TO ENLARGE


* TIDBIT *

about the Kesselstatts and Longenburg

Count Johannes (Hans) Kesselstatt was born on 16 April 1902 in Grundslee, Steiermark, Austria. His first wife, Princess Ferdinanda Hahn was born on 1 July 1902 in Arensfels. The Count and Countess (Graf und Gräfin) Hans and Ferdinanda had 4 children. The eldest, Count Ferdinand Kesselstatt was born on 16 December 1930 in Bonn and died in Eltville on 20 October 1984 at the age of 54, leaving his wife and three children. The second child of the Count and Countess, Alice-Eugenia, was born on 2 May 1932.


Calling Card of the Castle Count and Countess

The last two children of Hans and Ferdinanda, Count Eugen, born on 23 February 1935 in Bad Godesberg and Count Franz-Edmund, born on 6 April 1936 in Bad Godesberg both died on 22 April 1944 in Longenburg at Königswinter. Princess Ferdinanda died two days later on 24 April 1944 in Longenburg at Königswinter. It happened that during a terrible air raid in the early evening of the 22nd which killed 56 people in Königswinter, three heavy bombs landed in the immediate area of Longenburg. Two hit the southeast side. The third bomb struck at an angle just in front of the north tower. The huge blast shook the east side of the building from the foundation, and it collapsed in on itself. Countess Johanna and her two young sons died in the wreckage. Greg noted on his picture in this letter the part of the castle that was hit. Is is unlikely that he knew anything about the deaths that went with the destruction. Here are some pictures from when it was intact.






Hans subsequently remarried a woman named Alexandra von Schmettow (born 28 Jun 1914 in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Prussia) on 28 June 1945 in Longenburg. The Count died on 9 January 1963 in Berenbach, Eifel, Germany. Alexandra lived until 1975, leaving no children of her own.

In 1952, automotive and commercial highway steel and aluminum wheels manufacturer Lemmerz-Werke acquired the entire property of Königswinter. Four years later they had finished their first building in the immediate vicinity of the castle. In 1959 the farm buildings and stables were demolished for another factory. In April 1962, the old knight's hall fell victim to the pickaxe and before the end of November the last remains of the manor house were razed to the ground.

22 March, 2012

22 March 1945

V-MAIL

438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
22 March, 1945      0900
Germany

Dearest sweetheart –

Only a few moments – in which to say “hello, hello, hello; I love you, I love you, I love you!” Sorry to be so curt and scrawly, darling, but I’m on my way – as usual – and I’m trying to reverse the procedure by writing you now instead of later.

But time’s-a-wastin’ – dearest and duty calls – so I’ll be off in a cloud of dust. But I love you deeply – even when I’m in a hurry – so there’s no way out; you’ll just have to marry me!

Love to all – So long for now –
All my love, sweetheart
Greg

Route of the Question Mark


[CLICK TO ENLARGE]

(A)Friesdorf to (B) Königswinter, Germany
(2-6 miles, depending on where the bridge was...)
15 March - 22 March 1945

March 22... Longenburg (at Königswinter). The crossing of the Rhine, and the castle where we found the wine. The pleasant life on the terrace, where we ate and listened to Pfc HANSON's records, and had our parties. Chow call was played on the Victrola at meal times. The memorable party on the last night of our stay. Here Pvt BIGGIE and T/5 DE SILVA, checking a break in the line, were hospitalized when an 88 mm shell exploded near them.


Königswinter - Front Patio - Enlisted Men's Mess
Note Victrola - Continuous Music
Aid Station Directly Inside - March 1945

The following photos were taken on the way from Friesdorf to Königswinter.


March 1945 - "Long Tom" waiting to cross the Rhine


A Pontoon Bridge over the Rhine. Farther shore is West Bank.
Note guards every several yards watching for floating mines.
Bonn, Germany - March 1945


Our first crossing of Rhine - Just Above Remagen, Germany
Background is artificial smoke screen.
March 1945

21 March, 2012

21 March 1945

438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
21 March, 1945      0825
Germany

Good morning, darling –

The start of Spring and I hope the weather is as pleasant at home for you as it has been here recently for us. It was exactly a year ago that this outfit hit Sherborne for a swell 10 week stay. That all seems like such a long time ago. Everything seems like a long time, darling, everything that preceded landing on the continent. The fact is – it is a long time. There have been troops in combat longer than we have been – and it’s a wonder to me how they or we take it. When I refer to combat, it doesn’t necessarily mean hand-to-hand fighting every day in the week – even for the infantry. But just being in a combat area is enough. It’s the goddamned monotony that’s the hardest thing to take – and it just defies the imagination to realize that it’s going on to a year now – of exactly the same routine of living, sleeping, eating; the same clothes, the same faces. I’d like to see a little display of color – I’d like to talk to somebody other than the same group of officers.

I’m really not down in the mouth, sweetheart, because I know that’s the way it has to be and I can’t change it so long as the war continues. I was merely reflecting. For me – it has not been too hard a war and I can’t complain. I started reading “A Tree Grows etc” yesterday. We have lots of choice in books – thru Special Service and the Med. Detachment gets its own share. But I haven’t done much reading because I’m usually too restless. Yesterday I just felt I had to do something besides talking Army, Army, Army. The book – by the way – has kept me interested, and leaving the subject of style etc. – out of it , I’m finding it enjoyable reading.

I think I’m a bit cranky anyway, as are most of us these past few days, because or our inability to get any sleep at nite. This takes or breaks all records as to that. I’ve tried getting to bed early and late; it makes no difference – the noise awakes you. I guess the only way out is a couple of hours of sleep in the p.m. – but that’s a bad habit to get into.

Well – with all the bitching over with – I can tell you, dear, that I got another letter from you – 7 March and a cute letter from Sylvia B with an à propos cartoon from Esquire. I’ll have to answer her one of these days.

Yes – dear – I’ve been told I snore – so you better be looking up remedies right now. But since I’ve never heard myself – I don’t know how bad it is. Anyway, if you talk in your sleep, dear – we’re all even anyway.

Say – you wrote that you were going to a movie and anticipated a headache. You have lots of headaches, seems to me, and there’s something wrong if you can’t see a movie without definitely getting a headache. You have glasses, haven’t you, dear? Do you wear them? If you do and still get headaches – you’d better have those glasses corrected. If you don’t wear them when you should, I’ll get the cat-o-nine tails out on you. Seriously though – don’t neglect your eyes!

The war here has been going along excellently – and it seems to me that we must be writing ‘finis’ to this thing soon. I can’t see anything else. And that’s when the real ‘sweating out’ period will come. I don’t care what they do – so long as I get a chance to come back and see you, darling – even for a few weeks. There’s so much we have to say to each other – that can be said in person only. Well – I think it will work out the best way, too.

All for now, sweetheart – gotta run along. Be well – sending best love to the folks, and so long for another little while, dear.

My deepest and sincerest love –
Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Expanding to the Seig

CLICK TO ENLARGE

The Seig River is a Right Tributary of the Rhine
entering just to the north of Bonn

From "U.S. Army in WWII European Theater of Operations: The Last Offensive" by Charles B. MacDonald for the Department of the Army's Office of the Chief of Military History, Chapter XI, Page 231, published in 1973 in Washington, D.C. comes this excerpt:

Beginning early on 15 March, the 1st Division of General Collins's VII Corps had crossed the Rhine over the III Corps bridges and on ferries, and at noon the next day, Collins assumed responsibility for the northern portion of the bridgehead. In the process, Collins's corps absorbed the 78th Division.

Eisenhower had directed that the bridgehead was to be used to draw enemy units from the Ruhr area opposite the 21 Army Group and from the 6th Army Group's Rhine crossing sites in the south. Although an exploitation eventually might be made in the direction of Frankfurt, a minimum of ten First Army divisions had to be reserved for the time being as a possible "follow-up force" for the 21 Army Group, still designated to make the Allied main effort.

From this restriction, it was obvious that Eisenhower had no wish to see the bridgehead expanded appreciably. General Bradley in turn told the First Army to advance no farther than a line approximately twenty-five miles wide at the base along the Rhine and ten miles deep, in effect, a slight expansion of the third phase line that the III Corps commander, General Millikin, earlier had imposed.

The First Army's General Hodges disagreed, though to no avail. Like almost everybody at First Army headquarters, Hodges was piqued about the elaborate preparations Field Marshal Montgomery was making for his 21 Army Group's crossing of the Rhine and the emphasis General Eisenhower continued to place on that crossing when, in Hodges' view, a breakout from the Remagen bridgehead could have been staged at will. With evident amusement he listened to the story--probably apocryphal--of how the 21 Army Group on 7 March had asked Supreme Headquarters to stage a diversion before Montgomery jumped the Rhine and how, five minutes later, SHAEF passed the word that the First Army had already staged a diversion; the First Army had crossed the Rhine.

While advances in the Remagen bridgehead continued to average only about a thousand yards a day, Hodges was convinced this was less a reflection of German strength than of timidity in American attacks. By 17 March the German order of battle opposite the bridgehead sounded impressive on paper--in addition to those units early committed, the Germans had brought in contingents of the 26th, 62d, 272d, 277th, and 326th Volks Grenadier Divisions; the 3d and 5th Parachute Divisions; and the 3d Panzer Grenadier Division - but in no case were these real divisions. All were battalion-size Kampfgruppen or else had been fleshed out to something more than regimental strength with inexperienced replacements culled from up and down the Rhine. In most cases the Americans characterized the resistance as "moderate to light."

By 16 March, when troops of the 78th Division made the first cut of the Ruhr-Frankfurt autobahn northeast of Honnef, expansion of the bridgehead had proceeded to the point where artillery no longer was able to support the attacks properly from the west bank of the Rhine. As artillery units began to cross the river, engineers supporting the VII Corps began construction of three more tactical bridges to care for the increased logistical burden. Keyed to the northward advance of the infantry east of the Rhine, the first of the bridges was completed late on 17 March, another on 19 March, and a third, located at the southern fringe of Bonn, on 21 March. Screened by smoke from chemical generators, the engineers incurred only one casualty during the course of construction.

Of all the American attacks, those to the north and northeast by the 1st and 78th Divisions continued to bother the German army group commander most. More than ever convinced that the Americans intended to make their main effort northward toward the Ruhr, Field Marshal Model recognized that a strong counterattack had to be staged soon or the Americans would breach the natural defensive line in the north, the Sieg River, which enters the Rhine just downstream from Bonn, and then be ready for exploitation.

On 19 March Model began to strip all armored units from the eastern and southern portions of the line to assemble them in the north for counterattack. Unfortunately for Model's plan, the Americans afforded no pause in their attacks. Operating with only normal tank and tank destroyer attachments, the 78th Division on 21 March 1945 gained the Sieg River, the northern limit of the bridgehead as authorized by General Bradley.

20 March, 2012

20 March 1945

438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
20 March, 1945      0845
Germany

Wilma, sweetheart –

With the every increasing length of the days, we’ve changed our eating hours to 0700, 1200 and 1800. We now have our staff meeting at 0800 and so here I am off to an early start before the sick start coming in. It looks like another fine day coming up here. Yesterday was beautiful and in the p.m. I took a ride over to Baker battery. I didn’t do a heck of a lot of inspecting – but I went in that direction because of the scenery. It really is something beautiful and just a little different in its beauty than anything I’ve seen before. Although I didn’t see or hear the Lorelei, I might have. The castles in this region are worthy of their fame – and if I get to see many more castles in many more lands, I’ll really begin to think I know something about them. The castles here are the fairy-book type. They rise out of the heights overlooking the water, with spiral towers, fancy façades and all. And when a white cloud happens to drift by and partially obscure a castle – it really appears as if it’s just an image in the sky. I stood and looked at one yesterday – for some time and I was truly fascinated. I’ve read quite a bit of the history and folklore of this part of Germany and it seemed as if it all ran thru my mind in those minutes that I stood there.


Castle Katz above the town of St. Goarshausen

Baker Battery’s C.P. is in a beautiful home – not far from the water. The people here know how to live comfortably. They all have excellent balconies and in several homes now I’ve seen German translations of ‘Gone with the Wind’, Cronin’s ‘The Citadel’, H.G. Well’s books, etc. They all have exquisite China – mostly Bavarian; and the walls are covered with beautiful oil paintings – with a fine sense of interior decorating. You’ve got to hand it to the bastards – the middle class had a good design for living – certainly better than what I’ve seen in England, France or Belgium.

When I got back – I found two letters from you, dear, 3rd and 4th March. One of them told me of the car-strike which certainly made me angry. How in the world anyone can strike these days unless he is being completely exploited, is certainly beyond my conception. Much as I dislike the thought – I hope somebody becomes powerful enough after the war to break the back of organized labor – which in my mind is just about getting out of control.

I hope by now you’ve got all the details about the law case of mine. It took place in Stolberg – we’re now far enough away from there to be able to mention it – and created quite a stir for awhile. As I’ve already intimated, it was an obvious frame-up and the woman was getting a dirty deal. I’ve told you we went before the lower court – and the judge felt he didn’t have enough power to rule on so serious a charge – so he referred it to a higher court. Had he listened to all my evidence, he could have thrown it out of court – because I could prove fraternization, intimidation, the rest, etc. against the M.P. The latter – incidentally – has been reduced to the grade of private, from sergeant – by his Provost Marshall. Anyway – before we moved out I had to be released from my job as defense counsel – by the Military Government. The case had meanwhile been reviewed by the higher court; I was asked to give my testimony in writing, and on the basis of that, the case was recommended to be thrown out of court because of sufficient evidence, and the woman is now free. And, darling, I’m glad you thought her attractiveness was some compensation for my trouble (heh! heh!)

I’m so glad those pictures got thru. I don’t think I sent more than 26 – and I’m glad you liked them. We must have a fair collection by now. I have 4 or 5 more rolls – undeveloped – with no immediate prospects of getting them done. But I keep taking pictures anyway Darling, if I take close-ups – you’ll see all the wrinkles in my face – and I wouldn’t want that! Seriously, though, I’ll try.

I was surprised to read you knew so much about poker. I had no idea. Good – I’ll show you some new ones when I get back – new games – and now that I mention it – not necessarily card games. Boy! I’ve got hundreds of them – and each with a new twist – shall I say? Well – wait and see.

Tell Mother B, by the way, dear – that I understand perfectly if she doesn’t write often. She really can’t have very much to write me – you cover the picture so admirably. And besides – I realize that she can’t have been much in the mood for writing recently. I’ll drop her a line from time to time – just to let her know that she has a real future son-in-law.

And now – Sweetheart – whether you like it or not – I’m going to tell you that I love you more than you can possibly know by just reading it. I miss you, dear, like the dickens – and once I get you – I’ll never let you out of my sight. Remember!

I’ll have to stop now, dear, and do a little work. Be well, take care of yourself – and for now – so long –

All my everlasting love, darling –
Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Lorelei Rock and the Legend


St. Goarshausen (left) across from Lorelei Rock (right)

The Lorelei (also spelled Loreley) is a 433 foot high slate cliff on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It marks the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there.


Aerial View of Lorelei and Narrowed Rhine

The Rhine, at the Lorelei, is up to 82 feet deep and only 371 feetwide. Because this area is so deep and narrow, it is one of the most dangerous places in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Ships, crossing each other here and all along the section between Oberwesel and St. Goarshausen, are directed by light signals.


Castle Katz and Lorelei Beyond

There are two theories about the derivation of the name. One theory says that the name comes from the old German words "lureln" (Rhine dialect for "murmuring") and the Celtic term "ley" (rock). The translation of the name would therefore be "murmuring rock". The heavy currents, and a small waterfall in the area (still visible in the early 19th century) created a murmuring sound, and this combined with the special echo the rock produces which acted as a sort of amplifier, giving the rock its name. The murmuring is hard to hear today owing to the urbanization of the area.

The other theory attributes the name to the many accidents occurring here, by combining the German verb "lauern" (to lurk, lie in wait) with the same "ley" ending, with the translation "lurking rock".


Lorelei from the Rhine

The rock and the murmur it creates have inspired various tales. One old legend envisioned dwarves living in caves in the rock. In 1801 German author Clemens Brentano composed his ballad Zu Bacharach am Rheine as part of a fragmentary continuation of his novel Godwi oder Das steinerne Bild der Mutter. It is the first story told of an enchanting female associated with the rock. In the poem, the beautiful Lorelei, betrayed by her sweetheart, is accused of bewitching men and causing their death. Rather than sentence her to death, the bishop consigns her to a nunnery. On the way thereto, accompanied by three knights, she comes to the Lorelei rock. She asks permission to climb it and view the Rhine once again. She does so and falls to her death; the rock still retained an echo of her name afterwards. Brentano had taken inspiration from Ovid and the Echo myth.

In 1823 Heinrich Heine seized on and adapted Brentano's theme in one of his most famous poems, Die Lorelei, translated below. It describes the eponymous female as a sort of siren who, sitting on the cliff above the Rhine and combing her golden hair, unwittingly distracted shipmen with her beauty and song, causing them to crash on the rocks. In 1837 Heine's lyrics were set to music by Friedrich Silcher in a song that became well known in German-speaking lands. A setting by Franz Liszt was also favored and over a score of other musicians have set the poem to music.

The Lorelei character, although originally imagined by Brentano, passed into German popular culture in the form described in the Heine-Silcher song and is commonly but mistakenly believed to have originated in an old folk tale. The French writer Guillaume Apollinaire took up the theme again in his poem "La Loreley", from the collection Alcools.

A statue of "Lorelei" can be seen on a small islet in the center of the river nearby.


"Lorelei"

Here is a translation of the "The Lorelei" written in 1823 by Heinrich Heine:

I wish I knew the meaning,
A sadness has fallen on me.
The ghost of an ancient legend
That will not let me be.
The air is cool in the twilight
And gently flows the Rhine;
A mountain peak in the setting sun
Catches the faltering shine.

The highest peak still gleaming
Reveals enthroned in the air,
A Siren lost in her dreaming
Combing her golden hair.
With golden combs she caresses
Her hair as she sings her song;
Echoing through the gloaming
Filled with a magic so strong.

The boatman has heard, it has bound him
In throes of desire and love.
He's blind to the reefs that surround him,
He sees but the Maiden above.
And now the wild waters awaken
Then boat and the boatman are gone.
And this is what with her singing,
The Lorelei has done.

19 March, 2012

19 March 1945

438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
19 March, 1945      0930
Germany

Wilma darling –

Happy first of the week to you – or something! That means it’s Monday, dear – but I’m not blue. Why am I happy? Because I love you and you love me – and that’s good enough reason – too.

We got some mail yesterday and mine included a recent copy of the Boston Herald – 12 September, a letter from you of 5 December, but also one from 5 March – which of course compensated for everything else. Oh – there was a letter from Mrs. Tucker in Salem; I hadn’t heard from here in a long time. And – another V-mail from you, darling, without any date! Now how in the world am I going to compare the relative speed between letters – if I can’t compare the dates! Will you tell me that, huh! What’s this about only V-mail going by Air from now on? We haven’t heard about it over here at all – but I don’t think they really mean it.

Your old letter of December – asked me a very pertinent question, namely: do I think I can fill the bill as your husband? And the answer is, modestly, of course, yes! You were discussing the attention you – as a wife – would want, and would be willing to give; and you said it would be 50-50, of course. That 50-50 is a very interesting expression – and it’s too literal interpretation has led to much trouble, I’m sure. The point about married life, I think, is that situations are bound to arise which call for one member to give 60 or 70 – as against 25 perhaps – at any one time; that member will at some time receive that much or more, in return. There may be a time – more than one – when the situation looks like a 60-40 arrangement; that may be all right, too, so long as it isn’t permanent – because later it will become 40-60. The point I’m trying to make, dear, is that married life should be flexible; you can’t lay down the rules as you do in a ball game and live up to them always. There must be times when allowances, interpretations, giving in, trying to understand – makes the balance swing back and forth; but so long as both parties share in the swing of the pendulum – it all equals up. And – on the whole – I think that life goes that way for two people very often. The trouble comes too often from the fact that one party is afraid it’s giving up too much and won’t wait to see things balanced up. I think that as intelligent people – sweetheart – we ought to be able to see through anything as simple as that. I honestly think we can get along swell and have a heck of a wonderful time doing it, too.

Your letter also mentioned having been out with Verna and discussing politics, marriage, and in-laws – quite a combination at lunch time, dear. You say that Verna speaks rather vigorously on the latter subject – and how! It’s quite a while now – and I don’t remember all the details, but I do know Verna never got along with hers. Whose fault it is or was – is hard to say, but as I remember it – quite a serious rift developed between Irv and Verna because of it. Living away from in-laws – on the whole – is a good thing for a couple, and yet it shouldn’t serve as an escape mechanism. It should help eliminate the little but sometimes very irritating things that crop up – for both members. Again – I feel we haven’t got a real worry at all on that score. Interference is usually the thing that starts it off – and we shouldn’t have that.

Well – I’ve rambled on today without saying a heck of a lot. What I’d look to do is get married right away and give all these ideas a tryout – incidentally. I mean incidentally we’d be trying things out. Actually we’d be married – and to Hell with the theories! Boy how I’d love that, and how often I think about it! And Spring isn’t going to help it one bit, is it dear? Anyway – we know we love and want each other – and when that Spring feeling does creep in – we can at least feel that someone we love is thinking about us and thinking of the same future. The sad aspect of Spring was always depicted by the unrequited lover. Darling – I love you and you love me – and that makes everything infinitely easy to bear.

And so much for that, sweetheart, or I’ll get to missing you too acutely. Love to the folks, dear – and –

All my sincerest love
Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Book Relief

From TIME, 19 March 1945, Vol. XLV, No. 12 comes this:

One of the first moves in both German and Jap schemes of conquest was to destroy free men's ideas by destroying their books. In 1938, while the Nazis were systematically looting some 400 libraries in Czechoslovakia, the Japs deliberately dropped 50 bombs on China's National Hunan University in Changsha. The National Tsinghua University at Peiping lost many precious books and manuscripts, some irreplaceable.

With the beginning of World War II, these ravages became wholesale. In Naples, the Royal Society Library was burned in reprisal for the shooting of a Nazi in a nearby street. In Athens, the books of three American colleges reportedly were used to stoke furnaces. Not all the destruction was deliberately aimed at books, but the results were the same. In England, the contents of at least 50 libraries, plus some 6,000,000 books in stalls and publishing houses, have been bombed into dust.

ABC, Inc. Since October 1943 this stupendous loss has been the prime concern of the American Library Association's Board on International Relations. After much exploring of ways & means, the Board, with the help of the State Department and the Library of Congress, convened representatives of all interested agencies, last week took steps to form a corporation. Its name: American Book Center, Inc. Its purposes: 1) to replace lost books; 2) to supply the world's libraries with recent U.S. publications.

ABC will ask every potential source in the U.S. to donate both English and foreign-language books and periodicals. It will store them in warehouses on the East and West Coasts. There representatives of the various countries may make their selections. Another suggestion: orders may be taken at a sample-library, set up somewhere in Europe, of single copies of all wartime U.S. publications.

Funds for ABC will be solicited from business concerns which have foreign interests. The Rockefeller Foundation has already chipped in $2,500 for a starter. Kenneth Shaffer, librarian at the University of Indiana, has been appointed director of ABC at $5,000 a year.

ABC's sponsors well realize that they cannot hope to replace more than a fraction of what has been lost. But they would not, even if they could. Said brisk Luther Evans, Acting Librarian of Congress: "Those libraries oughtn't to get back all the books they had. ... All libraries ought to destroy about three times as much as they do. ... [They] clutter up their shelves with too much junk, and they never weed out the deadwood. . . ."