Sonntag. Vormittags üben wir in den Zügen und machen Nachrichtendienst. Mittags erscheinen die Zugführer vor dem Regimentsquartier. Ich führe den Kompanietrupp. Abfahrt mit den Offizieren auf einem Lastauto durch den Westwall nach Lammersdorf, an die belgische Grenze heran, über Simmerath, Kesternich nach Ruhrberg, einem schönen Kurort, tief im Tal an der Urfttalsperre gelegen. Hoch oben liegt die Ordensburg Vogelsang. Wir befinden uns am und im Westwall.Gegen Mittag hören wir die Verkündung des Kriegszustandes mit England und Frankreich. Es herrscht erhöhte Alarmbereitschaft.
Sunday. In the morning we practice in the platoons and do messaging service. At noon, the platoon leaders appear at the regimental quarters. I do lead the company platoon. Departure together with the Officers on a truck through the Siegfried Line to Lammersdorf, close to the belgian border, via Simmerath, Kesternich to Ruhrberg, a nice little spa town located deep down in the valley of the Urft river dam. High on top lies the Ordensburg Vogelsang. We are at and in the Westwall (Siegfried Line).Around noon we receive the annoucement that war are in the state of war with England and France. We are on higher alert.
FRA
IT
Sunday. In the morning we practice in the platoons and do messaging service. At noon, the platoon leaders appear at the regimental quarters. I do lead the company platoon. Departure together with the Officers on a truck through the Siegfried Line to Lammersdorf, close to the belgian border, via Simmerath, Kesternich to Ruhrberg, a nice little spa town located deep down in the valley of the Urft river dam.
AntwortenLöschenAround noon we receive the annoucement that war are in the state of war with England and France. We are on higher alert.
This interesting.
AntwortenLöschenObviously Dieter did not know until September 3rd that the war had started in Poland. Besides, he does not seem to be very surprised either.
Most people in the English-speaking world take 3 September as the start of the Second World War, because that was the date of the expiry of Chamberlain's ultimatum and his very reluctant announcement that by virtue of Hitler's failure to reply, Britain was now at war with Germany.
AntwortenLöschenThe newspaper coverage (see links above) reflect the tone of Nazi propaganda in the lead-up to the start of outright war. This was cynical enough to present the attack on Poland as a retaliation against Polish attack.
So Dieter's lack of surprise is unsurprising, even if in the pre-television era days or weeks would have passed before people would see newsreel of Hitler's speech in the Reichstag on 1 September announcing that "since 5:45 this morning, fire is being returned [by Germany!]".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOJLZnZqBVU