Transcription of the letter from Paul to Anna Lefmann on 15 July 1917:
“Written, 15 July 1917.
Dear Mother!
Many thanks for your letter of the 10th and the parcel of the 7th.
Letter to follow tomorrow.
Warm greetings
Your Paul.”
Transcription of the letter from Hedwig to Paul Lefmann on 14 August 1917:
“14 August 1917
Dear Parents, dear Heti!
I think it is high time that I send you another little letter. In our work assignment there has been a small change for some days. Twenty-five men go with a pioneer detachment to work, and ten men do trench work on some shelters, directly next to our quarters. I belong to these ten. We get up at 6 in the morning and work from 7 to 3 o’clock—if one can call it that. Not a drop of sweat has flowed yet, and the chip has not yet begun to glow. From 3 o’clock on we are completely free. I am also reading a bit again now. Two days ago I received a larger parcel of books, which was very welcome to me here in this loneliness. I now provide all my comrades with reading matter. I kept eight books for myself, packed in a large carton and, together with two pairs of socks, sent it off as a large parcel. So there are now two large parcels of mine on the way. The two pairs of socks I do not need. For firstly I do not wear any, and secondly I still have four pairs.
Last week Otto and I cooked about twelve pounds of applesauce. The apples cannot be eaten well raw, but for applesauce they are splendid. We still have half a sack of apples. The sauce can be used very well as a spread on bread. We now receive half a loaf of bread each day, and sometimes it is miserably insufficient for our needs. Our rations are now good, at least as far as quantity is concerned. One need no longer go to bed hungry. So we receive daily 750 g of bread. And you?
That Uncle August has so long received no mail from me is now clear to me, for yesterday I got back a letter which I had written him about three weeks ago. On the envelope was marked: addressee unknown. For what reasons the letter did not arrive I do not know. The address was correct in any case. I have now sent him the letter again with exactly the same address. It will surprise me if it arrives this time. Moreover, Otto and I wrote a longer letter to Uncle August eight days ago.
Have I already confirmed receipt of Mother’s letter of the 6th? I think not. You tell me in it that Heti will probably have to undergo an operation on her nose. That is very unpleasant. Well, she is not timid otherwise, and this pain too will pass. Yesterday evening Müller’s letter of the 9th arrived. The news of Carl Scheele’s death surprised us all greatly. I am truly sorry that this good fellow had to succumb. Scheele had been heart-ailing for a long time. He probably ruined himself through the highly unsound way of life that he led. I even think he deliberately aggravated his heart condition in order not to be fit for field service. That surely gave him the rest. Scheele had been with the artillery for about half a year and was for a few days in Romania. Because of his heart disease he came back and was declared fit only for garrison duty. That was already some time ago. Since then he has not been in the field again. Now so many people are dying that when one receives the news of an acquaintance’s death, one has already reconciled oneself to it the next day.
The Huhns have probably already returned from their trip. If you learn anything further, you will tell me, surely. Mrs. Huhn will probably also report to me herself. Before her trip she wrote me that she had sent me a cake. When she came to the post office with it, she was told that the parcel was too heavy, and so she sent it as a large parcel. Just imagine such nonsense from that woman. With the cake I can knock someone’s head in if it arrives here after four weeks. It will probably be completely moldy, if it was packed fresh. I cannot tell you how much I have already been annoyed about it. Just now, when one so seldom gets cake, such foolishness must happen. Well, I will wait calmly for the arrival of the parcels. If the cake is spoiled, the whole parcel will go into the Aisne Canal.
Have I already told you that Mrs. Schüürmann lately sent me a large piece of sausage and a piece of ham? The sausage was positively a poem.
This evening your two parcels of the 8th will probably arrive. I am already quite curious about the contents. Lately you have supplied me abundantly with parcels. I do not know how it is possible for you to spare so much. Müller writes me that I may eat everything without worries. I would otherwise worry if I knew that you were restricting yourselves on my account. But you have also preserved quite a lot. Fräulein Kühle too writes me that she has been diligently preserving during her holidays and that later, when peace comes, I shall have some of it. But perhaps peace will not come so soon, so that you will have to consume your preserves without me.
At present we are again at a high point. Nothing of significance, nothing hopeful is happening. That presses the spirits down. I have still not given up hope for peace this year. If it does not end this year, then very sad times will come for us.
Yesterday I read in the Bremer Nachrichten about the requisition of copper and brass articles. I was simply flabbergasted. You will surely also have had to give up a great many. Tell me about it. So it has come so far, that one can be forced to give up one’s private property. It would not surprise me if at the next war loan coercion is exercised to subscribe.
Mother is asked to send me in the next parcel a field-grey scarf. My present one has become completely worn out. Mother knows well enough what it must be like; she has already once sent me one.
A few days ago the French sent a free balloon over to us. One of our sergeants found the thing as it came down and brought it along. And hanging on it was a bundle of Frankfurt newspapers—faked ones. I have come into possession of such a copy and send it today. It will certainly interest Papa. Please keep the newspaper. It is, after all, something special.
A few days ago I came across a healthy piece of humor. I laughed till I cried. I send the thing today; you will enjoy it.
I think the letter is now long enough, and I will close.
With warm greetings to you all,
Your Paul.”
