Reluctant Accomplice by Jarausch Konrad H.; Kohn Richard; Jarausch Konrad H. H

Author:Jarausch, Konrad H.; Kohn, Richard; Jarausch, Konrad H. H.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2011-07-13T16:00:00+00:00

Training recruits, spring 1940

The French Surrender

June 22, 1940

[. . .] Frau von Tiling gave a lecture in Dresden yesterday, and because she was tired and unprepared she failed miserably. Incidentally, she didn’t even mention my article, and now it’s almost time to publish the July volume, and I suspect the situation there is just as disastrous or even worse.

We’ve been waiting all day for more news of the armistice and its terms. We’re concerned to hear that the English [airplanes] have now made it to Berlin. But generally we are all preoccupied with our own personal sorrows and troubles. [. . .]

Flagging Spirits

June 24, 1940

[. . .] We’ve really taken on too much the past couple of weeks. The result is that the recruits want nothing more than to get away: leaving Kosow is their only solution. Our chief is now suddenly so ill that he can’t get out of bed and has to let others dress and undress him. They’re talking about having him sent to Warsaw to the infirmary. We can’t really even think about work. It’s sad that in such moments one can only think: “Hopefully it’s not too bad.” Then we would be looking forward to a few easier weeks. The mood here is therefore very critical; I spoke about it before. As long as we could justify the fact that the recruits were going into battle (or that we were going with them), the harshness of our training could be justified. But now with the collapse of France, we’re asking ourselves: What for? And why am I not home yet? Or at the very least they’re thinking about what they can still experience and what kind of “booty” they can collect to take home with them. [. . .]

Lives in the Shadows

June 29, 1940

It’s almost midnight. I’m the “officer on duty” and have to review the sentries between 12 and 5. So I’ll just stay awake. We had a party this evening, after we had our inspection yesterday and this morning. The regimental commander was there. The whole thing didn’t have any real “zip” to it, but it went well enough. There’s a backlash in pushing them so hard in that we have to let up ourselves. Now things are quieter. Unfortunately it was stultifyingly hot again today. Fifty more recruits are arriving on the first, and they’ll sleep on straw in a newly erected barracks. Two hundred and fifty more are to get here on the 5th of July, so that each trainer will have fifteen to sixteen men. But I’d rather focus on these more innocuous days than worry about how that will work out. The party wasn’t particularly enjoyable, because no one had any energy or desire to prepare something, so a funny, but loudmouthed recruit set the tone. At nine I checked as our patrols cleared the streets. Everything in front of our post disappeared, our men in steel helmets with their weapons at their sides fanned out, and the noise from the party drifted out through the half-open door.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.