His leave back to Weischlitz mid-January , where Kurt spend more time in Plauen with a reason : Else. He finally asks her if she loves him. When returning to Flanders, he visits Warneton again and finally some more information on ‘vizewachtmeister’ Dabinius, . And I did get access to the letters Kurt wrote home, I chose one to be part of this blog
10.01.1917
It has rained again. However, there is a light layer of snow on the Kemmelberg. The day passed quietly. Only around 1 o’clock at noon did we get a burst of artillery. Our artillery bombarded the snake path (running trench between Steenebring( this must be a typo in the diary) and the front English trench) with about 50 shells, because about 60-70 Englishmen were advancing in it. These seemed to be quite new and unknown in the terrain, for they looked cautiously out of the trench.
15.01.1917
Leave from 18.1 to 31.1 to Weischlitz to restore my health. I am naturally very pleased about this.
19.01.1917
9.34 a.m. I drive to Plauen, first I went to the barracks. I see many acquaintances and Lieutenant Reymann. Some shopping in town. Went to see the Knorr family, next the Thorn family, but only Mr Thorn and Miss Else are there. Mrs. Thorn and Miss Lene are in Frankfurt for their uncle’s birthday. I talked for a long time with Mr Thorn, who was mostly downstairs in the shop, and especially with Miss Else. I left again in the evening at 7 o’clock.
22.01.1917
1 o’clock at noon I drive to Plauen, go to Knorr’s and then to the Thorn family, where I had been invited for coffee at 4 o’clock the day before by Miss Else. Mrs Thorn returned from Frankfurt at noon today, while Miss lene got off again in Jena. I stay with the Thorn family until 7.30 in the evening and am invited to lunch on Thursday. I will then return in the evening to Weischiltz by train.
25.01.1917
I went to the Thorn family by noon, where I was invited for lunch. However, I stayed the whole afternoon, drinking coffee and having supper. To the concert at the Wagner Verein in the evening. Then back to Thorn’s, where we talk over a cup of tea until half past 12 at night. Spend the night at the Knorr family.
30.01.1917
3 p.m. I arrive at the Thorn family home, where Miss Else and Lene are waiting for me to go for a walk. We go for a walk into the Syratal. We take various photographs in the wonderful winter landscape. At the Syratal bridge I ask Miss Else (while Miss Lene had hurried a little ahead) if she could not love me a little and to my great delight she confessed that she had loved me for a long time and later asked me why I had not asked her about it for earlier. But until now I had not been completely sure of myself. It was only in the last few days that I noticed Else’s affection for me. When I was alone with Else in the room, she reached across the table and took my hand. And then we kissed. It was like a dream to me how Else snuggled up to me so intimately. At first I couldn’t believe that my long-cherished wish had finally become reality. That evening I experienced some wonderful hours here. Instead of going to the theatre, as I had planned, I stayed with the Thorn family for dinner.
06.02.1917
At 7 a.m. I hand over the command of the company to Lt. Perner for a few hours and cycle to Warneton. There I visit various old moored places and also the Bavarian local commander in my old flat;. Basically not much has changed. I have not seen any renovations. Most of the quarters are empty. Warneton therefore now makes a very lonely, deserted impression. I drive back to Comines. have to be present at the new excavation of ‘vizewachtmeister’ Dabinnus (parents in Königsberg, victoriastrasse 4). I had the body dug up in May 1916 at the front of Warneton and had it brought to the Quesnoy cemetery in a soldered zinc coffin. The body is now finally to be transferred to Germany. The excavation lasted until noon. Then I cycle to Comines to the company office, where I have lunch and attend various company matters.
Unfortunately Königsberg is now Kaliningrad a town in Russia and was badly damaged in 1944 and 1945, I did find a map of how the town was and found the street where his parents lived, 10 cemeteries I found online are still there, but originally there were 29. So far I have not found out if his grave is still there today.
Letter from Kurt to his parents
01.05.1917 Comines
Dear Parents and Sisters!
Today, on the wonderful evening of 1 May, I want to thank you most sincerely for the lovely parcel of apples, eggs, biscuits and envelopes that I received today as a Mai Grub when I came back from the trenches to my quarters in Comines at about half past three in the morning. Of course I was very happy about it, especially as the food here is now somewhat reduced again, especially the bread. But we still have enough to get by, even if that may not be easy for some. We are now in reserve here in Comines for a few days, but are being pulled forward at night a few times for redoubling………. Yesterday, my Vizefeldwebel Rudolphi and my Vizefeldwebel Hüttel became Offzier Stellvertreter, which I was very pleased about. I have given the one-year-soldier Enno Seidel a command at the rear of his machine gun company. But enough for today. All of you are warmly greeted
Your Kurt
Sources :
Diary Kurt zehmish held in kenniscentrum IFFM
Library of Scotland ww1 maps
Mc Masters university ww1