Soldier's last letter from Stalingrad

[warnej]

I thought some of you might find this interesting. The following letter was written by Uffz. Eugen Sodenkamp while serving with the 13 Kompanie, 517th Infanterie Regiment, 295th Infanterie Division. Uffz. Sodenkamp was listed as missing in the City of Stalingrad on January 1, 1943. The following letter was written by him on 22 December 1942.

I have several hundred letters that this soldier sent to his wife and this is the last one in the group. It's a very touching letter written by a man caught up in a terrible situation. Does anyone else have any Stalingrad letters they could post?

Jason
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Russia, 12/22/42

My dear Irmchen,

Darling, here's a nice little greeting from your husband in Stalingrad. I'm in the best of health and very happy indeed to be able still to write this letter to you. Up till now winter has been merciful, the cold is quite bearable. The lowest temperature we've had so far is -15 degrees [centigrade], but at the moment it's only a few degrees which is easy to take. Other than that there is not much new to report from here. Even though I don't get mail as often as usual, I do know you are writing diligently, but the problems with the delivery of the mail have to do with ongoing military actions so the mail has to take a backseat, but sooner or later this inconvenience will be over and the mail will come as usual. As of now, I have not received your letter with the enclosed photo of you, I''m really anxious to get it and aching to see your lovely face again. Well, my little Dittchen [pet name: Dittchen is the East Prussian dialect word for a 10 Pfennig coin; perhaps 'my little precious' is a good equivalent], what are you doing these days? I hope and pray that above all you are in good shape considering your present condition. I know, my Love, it's not so easy in these circumstances, but Irmchen, soon your troubles will be over and you can hold another little cry-thing in your arms. Irmgard, I wonder whether it will be a boy or a girl. Irmgard, when you receive this letter and answer it you might consider writing me what the child's name should be. I rely entirely on you. Little wife, I know you'll choose the right one. Yes, my Love, all day long my thoughts circle around you and the new child. No doubt it will be something outstanding, the two of us can make a pretty good show to the world, and it will have to look like us after all, right? When your time comes, my Love, please go into a hospital, there you'll have better care than at home, and you won't have to cowtow to anyone. Well, my Love, this is all for the moment that comes to mind. Do take good care of yourself so no harm comes to you and the child.

A thousand greetings and kisses from your eternally loving

Eugen







Original letter (Page 1)
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[warnej]

I posted the wrong letter on the prior post. Here is the last letter written by Eugen on 27 December 1942.

Jason
_______________________________________________


Russia, 27.12.42


My dear Irmchen,

Irmgard, my love, your Eugen, who holds you so dear in his heart, sends you a heartfelt greeting from Stalingrad. Dear little wife, I am able to report of myself that I am still fit and healthy. I am situated, living with two corporals, in a bunker which we have built for ourselves. Now you must not think that we are always lying here in the dark, or even that it is crowded. On the contrary, it is wonderfully light. We have put a large pane of glass in the door, and have built beds for ourselves so that we do not have to lie on the ground. Most importantly we have built ourselves a first-rate stove, which warms things very well; in winter, of course, that is the main thing, that one sits in the warm.

You see, my love, that your husband has made things as comfortable as is possible in this ****ty Russia. It is not as though we can always stay in our bunker, however. When the Russian attacks, we have to go out and shoot with our weapons, but it is always nice when one can come back into a warm room.

My dear little wife, I have written this to you so that you can make yourself an approximate picture of how your husband spends his days. Not every day is rosy, but on the whole one can get by. The Russian has relaxed his attacks a great deal in our sector. When he occasionally attacks now, only a couple of men come, and those are bumped off. So, my love, that is the life of your husband.

Now, how are you, my little wife? Soon, of course, you will once again be my little mother. Oh, how I am looking forward to that! I wished that it was all over, and that you had it all happily behind you. Imagine, my Düttchen, during these days I had a dream. I saw you lying in a white bed, in a hospital. You were smiling with your whole face because next to you were lying a boy and a girl, to whom you had just given life. Yes, my love, I dreamed that you had had twins! What you give me is all the same to me; the main thing, of course, is that you will get through everything. Irmchen, when at some point things are very bad for you, then think of this: that you have a husband who loves you very much. When I am once more with you, my darling, I will make up for everything that you have to go through now. You know how I am; I do not go out alone when you have work to do with the children. If we go somewhere, then we go together; that is always the nicest anyway.

Yes, my love, those are dreams that your husband has now. But I say over and again: “Hold your head high. One day happiness must come, also for us”. It would be so hateful if we were to let ourselves be brought down. I know, Irmgard, that things are particularly difficult for you at the moment, but even that will pass. After long suffering will come the happiness for which you yearn so much. When you have someone little, then life will have purpose again.

Now, little wife, I am sending some air mail stamps with this. Do not send them all at once, but use them when you have something important to tell. Dear little wife, I wish you everything good for the New Year, most importantly happiness and all blessings, particularly that all with go well with the birth.

With this I want to close; I think that you will be satisfied with me for this letter.

A thousand greetings and, in my thoughts, passionate kisses are sent to you by

Your Eugen



Many greetings to Martha, Maria, Günther, Erna, Ingrid

Ernst, Luise and Ernstchen.

[François SAEZ]

Thanks for sharing another aspect (normal) of the war

[peter leggett]

Thanks for sharing this sad letter,it for me was very moving,I wonder what happened him.Did his wife and the un-born child survive the war?