The story of SS Rottenführer Günter Prange

[Wagriff]

Such a young man and not even really involved in all the ferocious combat and battles-and still he falls,just days after his 21st birthday. Just one of literally Millions of lives, snuffed out and lost forever in an instant. Gone when his family needed him most to be there. Such a waste. What they all may have gone on in life to do, the World will never know...

It's been a most fascinating glimpse into the mundane life of an every day common young soldier "out there in the war". Thank you much for posting these letters!

[Panzer trooper]

Fascinating insight into his very short life can't help in some way feel sorry for him,thank you so much for sharing these letter's with us.

[slados28]

Very good of you to have shared this with all of us! A very thought provoking and ultimately very sad tale that was unfortunately all too commonplace back then --- I can only agree with your sentiments that war does indeed belong behind us, in books and museums. Unfortunately, as long as our species still roam the earth, I do not see this ever happening.

(cue Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones )

[Glenn66]

Have faith Slados, one day I'm sure that war will be studied by future students as a brutal aspect of the primative era much the same as current students might research human sacrifice and cannabalism.

[slados28]

Have faith Slados, one day I'm sure that war will be studied by future students as a brutal aspect of the primative era much the same as current students might research human sacrifice and cannabalism.

Sorry about this but... this is me being the pessimist (in my view also realist) once again here ;

I agree with what you're saying that perhaps thousands of years further down the line we could reach this point either due to evolution of the mind or a massive global epiphany of sorts, ridding ourselves of ancient superstitions etc. --- but, again, this is only if we ever get that far. Unfortunately, I have my doubts -

[Paul D]

Such a young man and not even really involved in all the ferocious combat and battles-and still he falls,just days after his 21st birthday. Just one of literally Millions of lives, snuffed out and lost forever in an instant. Gone when his family needed him most to be there. Such a waste. What they all may have gone on in life to do, the World will never know...

It's been a most fascinating glimpse into the mundane life of an every day common young soldier "out there in the war". Thank you much for posting these letters!

I think bearing in mind his unit this young fella will have seen plenty of action , but like many ason not wanting to worry his mother his letters don't relay the real truth to home.

Well done for perservering with this Danny !

[slados28]

Plus censorship, which I'm guessing was much stricter towards the desperate 11-12 months at the end of the war...

[Monuir]

Yes I think the German censorship was really hard.. I have had a lot of letters translated and I never read anything "extreme". Sometimes someone mentiones that someone has fallen, that a EK was given after an attack or something similar. Of course you have to read between lines many times and like Paul says, understand that many times they do not want to worrie the family back home.

[Studly]

Thank you very much for sharing this with us Danny and i have really appropriated the time and effort you have put into this thread.

Greg

[TRR7]

I've been looking for information on this SS Division - these letters are awesome! Thank you so much for posting these!