Dearest little wife
Will drop you a few more cards to help fill up that album of yours. Well I haven't heard from you for a long time now what is the matter have you quit writing But anyway you know I write once or twice a week whether I hear from you or not. I am going to send you a couple of pictures of me and a friend of mine I aim to
have some more taken soon and will send you one of them also and say have you ever sent me that picture I ask for. Say when did you hear from momma last I haven't heard from her for a month or more I don't know what is wrong. how are all the folks getting along I send you a card a day or so ago telling where I was at and what outfit I was with I guess you have
gotten it by now. But if you ain't I will tell you here on this one too. We are stationed at Hillesheim Eifel Germany. now I'll explain Hillesheim is the name of the town and Eifel in province or about the same as a state in the good old United States. It is just eight months ago today since I left the U.S.A But it seems like that many years to me.
This fellow on the back here is just like I've been lots of times. Say have you wrote remember what I said about your writing I've wrote to Loyd several times But he has never answered I don't know why =But= because some of the letters I know he has =wrote= got But he never answered I guess he has never
got over that old grouch of his well I've done all I can do and if he don't want to forget well he'll just have to remember then I guess, don't you. How is popa getting along now and I wonder if he thinks he can like his soldier boy when he gits home what do you think I guess he will don't you. How does Sis
and Joe like it in California by now I guess they don't like Ray any more they never write well I should worry long as Ollie don't quit liking him why he'll be sitting ace high with the world don't you know well baby I can't think of much more to write so I guess I'll close tell the boys I am going to send them a card right
away in answer to theirs well I've said about all I know so I guess I had better close so answer soon. I remain as ever your husband and devoted lover.
Pvt Wm R. Peterson Co. H. 357 Inf. American E. F.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox all for you
The cards are printed in German and were meant for a German audience, I assume.
On the back it says "I. Linschoten", "Seerosen", "Moderne Meister Arthur Rehn & Co., Berlin" and then in the lower left corner "A.R. & C. i. B. No. 158". I. Linschoten is apparently the artist, and "Seerosen" is German for "Water Lilies". Arthur Rehn & Co was in "art publishing" (Kunstverlag) in Berlin in 1918.
The German text "Auf ferner Wacht gedenk ich dein!" translates to "On the other hand, I keep your watch". The three German crosses, with the W and 1914, are the German Iron Cross of 1914, the W standing for Kaiser Wilhelm II. On the back, it has a logo and a card number:
The German text "Morgen marschieren wir, ade! ade! So reich mir denn noch mal die Hand, Herzallerliebster du!" translates to "Tomorrow we march, goodbye! Goodbye! So shake my hand, my dearest, you!". On the back it says "R&K" and "L" in a symbol of a half sun as with the previous card and then "Serie 2627/5"
The German text "Steh ich in finstrer Mitternacht" translates to "I stand in the dark midnight", and then below in German ("Als ich zur Fahne fort gemüsst, Hat sie so herzlich mich geküsst, Mit Bändern meinen Hut geschmückt Und weinend mich ans Herz gedrückt.") something like: "When I had gone to the flag, Did she kiss me so warmly, Decorated with ribbons my hat And crying my heart". (Google translate is not perfect, but I think the idea comes across). This is part (2nd verse) of a song/poem by Wilhelm Hauff, called "Treue Liebe" (Faithful Love), from about 1820.
The back has an "L&P" in a triangle and then "5777/II."
This is a bit more difficult to understand. The top German text translates to: "Also a high price item!", while the bottom is "A defector!". In the lower left corner is a diamond with "PFB"; the lower right is "4593/6". The soldier appears to be an American (or British), not German. I would think that the woman behind is a pickpocket, but maybe it's trying to say not to get friendly with American soldiers; don't be a defector from Germany. Or maybe the soldier is turning his fancy from one (German) woman to another, because he has no loyalties (?),
These last two cards have different images, but the same text "The power of music". In the lower left corner is printed a symbol
with the number "8230/1" for the one where the man is playing the flute, and "8230/4" on the other.
No comments:
Post a Comment