A new book by Jens Ebert and Thomas Jander collects letters written by German Wehrmacht deserter Hans Stock between 1943 and 1944. Most letters are surprisingly frank and critical, even though punishment for anyone suspected of eroding troop morale was severe.
Recently, when I last wrote, there was a five-hour ceasefire to pick up the wounded on both sides. After the Americans traversed the river Rapido our Do-Werfers [smoke throwers] opened fired. They made a good job of it and [the Americans] had more than 100 casualties. Afterwards you could see medics of both sides strolling the river peacefully and upright, traversing the river while swinging the flag of the Red Cross, carrying stretchers with wounded and dead.
They shook hands, swapped cigarettes, 10 Germans and 50 Americans. They left us their nice rations and chocolate. "Just take it", one of them who spoke German said, "now we are friends and in one hour enemies again", and so was it. They came to fetch their dead and crippled, just to send healthy people into the mill soon after, which they came as friends to pick up. Madness!
"Endlich wieder Mensch sein" - einestages
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