The story of SS Rottenführer Günter Prange

[Dimas]

For a great work I've promote you to the WRF club membership!

[Monuir]

For a great work I've promote you to the WRF club membership!

Yey! An early christmas treat! Cheers mate

[Paul D]

Well I would say most feldpost looks like this. There is not very much of what they do that they can actually say. So if he can not write about the things he does it might be hard to come up with things to write. Also counting in the mental trama of being in the chaos of world war 2 might be hard to one day be in hard combat, losing friends and sanity and the other day write a letter to your parents.

Like many soldiers he will have been very mindful of not letting his mother in particular know the harsh realities of modern mechanised warfare , plus as Danny has pointed out he will have been fully aware of the level of cencorship etc.

[Monuir]

Feldpost 23 - O.u., the 20.2.42

Dear Parents!

I have received your letter of the 30.1. in the meantime. You have not heard from me for a very long time now. Please don’t take it badly, but it was not possible. Do not worry. I am quite well. I have not had post from Bremen yet. Otherwise all is the same as always.

I want to close for today now, with warmest regards.

Heil Hitler!

Günter

© Copyright D. Linoubli "Monuir" 2012 - Do not copy or republish pictures or text without permission

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[Monuir]

Feldpost 24 - O.u., the 4.4.43

Dear Parents!

It is about time that I let you hear from me once again. I have received a lot of post in the meantime. The cigarettes arrived, too. I was very pleased. My sincere thanks. Unfortunately I had not found the time or rest to answer until now. I have driven 6000km here in that short time, while most of the vehicles are at 2000km. Now my left swingarm has broken, and my own left arm is also in a sling. So we both get a little rest. But you mustn’t be alarmed straight away. My hand had got infected after I pricked myself on a wire rope, and had to be cut. Apart from that I am quite well.

I want to close for today, with warmest regards,

Heil Hitler!

Günter

© Copyright D. Linoubli "Monuir" 2012 - Do not copy or republish pictures or text without permission

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[Panzer trooper]

This thread is amazing thank you for your time and effort and for sharing it with us!

[Paul D]

Feldpost 24 - O.u., the 4.4.43

Dear Parents!

It is about time that I let you hear from me once again. I have received a lot of post in the meantime. The cigarettes arrived, too. I was very pleased. My sincere thanks. Unfortunately I had not found the time or rest to answer until now. I have driven 6000km here in that short time, while most of the vehicles are at 2000km. Now my left swingarm has broken, and my own left arm is also in a sling. So we both get a little rest. But you mustn’t be alarmed straight away. My hand had got infected after I pricked myself on a wire rope, and had to be cut. Apart from that I am quite well.

I want to close for today, with warmest regards,

Heil Hitler!

Günter

© Copyright D. Linoubli "Monuir" 2012 - Do not copy or republish pictures or text without permission

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He had just been through the Third Battle of Kharkov , quite a few LAH vets i have interviewed counted this Battle as their finest hour on the Ostfront !!

[Monuir]

He had just been through the Third Battle of Kharkov , quite a few LAH vets i have interviewed counted this Battle as their finest hour on the Ostfront !!

Thank you very much for that information!

[Monuir]

Ok so enjoy this one as tommorow there will not be any letter, I am in Finland at the moment and tommorow I'm heading back to Sweden so I will not have time to update this thread, a new letter will be posted on the 21:st though, and all the way 'till christmas.

Please note that in this letter, as you can see from the absender, Günter has been promoted to Rottenführer! Like Paul noted (Thanks for that mate!) Günter has just been trough the battle of the Kharkov so I am guessing that this promotion is because of something he did in that battle or maybe because another Rottenführer fell in battle and Günter took hes place. Anyway enjoy this letter that is also very special because it is the first this far to actually mention someone that got killed in action! It is also a little sad as it seems like Günters little brother will not write to him.. Merry christmas!

Feldpost 25 - O.u., the 12.6.43

Translation of envelope:

Sender: SS Rottf. (short for Rottenführer) G. Prange 29707c

Feldpost

Familie

Ernst Prange

Walsrode i. Hann.

Moorstraβe 29

Stamp: Feldpost the 16.6.43


Translation of letter:

Dear Parents!

Have received your letters from the 28.5 and 1.6 and was very pleased. –

I thought it was very nice to hear from H. Gerling once again. How is he doing? You must surely have visited him. – I will write to W. Hosius, too; either today or tomorrow.

I can well imagine that you liked our music corps. I was very interested in the programme. The arrangement was super again.

It is very pleasing that Hans-Peter came third at his sports day again. But why does he not write to me himself?

There is nothing new here. Sadly there are only two of us from Bremen in the company again now. Our comrade from Blumenthal was killed in action. –

Please excuse the handwriting. I am writing with a borrowed fountain pen in the car. Now I want to close for today, with warmest regards.

Heil Hitler!

Günter


© Copyright D. Linoubli "Monuir" 2012 - Do not copy or republish pictures or text without permission


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[Monuir]

Feldpost 26 - O.u. 10.8.43

Dear Parents!

At last I get around to sending you a sign of life from me. Why and wherefore I did not write for so long you will find out for yourselves in time. Please don’t take it in bad part, but it is not just up to me.

I am still quite well. The weather is marvellous. We are as brown as Negroes. I am currently driving a fuel truck. The units travel about 200km daily. You can perhaps imagine how much more we so called ‘Sprit-Drivers’ have to drive, and how many 200l barrels we move. On top of that is the fact, that on these winding roads I get about 6 flat tyres every day because of overloading. I am stationed in a village at the moment, and cannot move on. My repair kit is finished. I had a bath and a shave, and now I am writing this letter. As I do not know anything more to write, I will close this letter. I will now endeavour to get out of this situation.

Heil Hitler!

Günter


Translated Envelope

Feldpost

Familie

Ernst Prange

Walsrode i. Hann.

Moorstraβe 29

Sender: SS Rottf. ( Rottenführer) G Prange 29707A

Stamp: Innsbruck 09.8.43 -21


© Copyright D. Linoubli "Monuir" 2012 - Do not copy or republish pictures or text without permission