Diary of Annie's War

by Annie Droege

  I asked the head waiter to buy me a sign as I wanted it for some German friends in England. But he did not get me one.

  Wednesday 31st March.

  No war news. We have a paper a month old from America and what a treat.

  Two waiters went in six hours notice to the army. One is the head waiter and he is the only one who knows a word of English. I am now alone in my glory!

  Thursday & Friday 1st& 2nd April 1915.

  Good Friday is a lovely spring day and we have spent a lot of time in church. This war has made the Catholics very devout and all services are full. When you think there are eight large churches in Hildesheim it means many people in church. The Protestants are not nearly so devout. The services are very beautiful and I never saw such a lovely altar of repose as the one at the Dom. In the evening we had a fine sermon by a Franciscan monk. He brought the lesson of the war in, said how we were ahead the first few weeks, and now we must wait God’s time.

  Saturday & Sunday 3rd & 4th April.

  Today is Easter Sunday and still no news of the war. The papers are full of China and Japan. I wonder if it will come to anything.

  The papers keep telling us little memories of Bismarck but I think it is to keep our minds on the war. April the 1st was the hundredth birthday of Bismarck and every German town celebrated it. The town was decorated in the morning and everyone wore a button. It is a general holiday. In the evening there was a speech and a few national songs in the Town Hall square. Then the people walked in procession to the Bismarck statue which is twenty minutes away. The statue was decorated and there were more songs and fireworks. An English lady who had never seen a German crowd before was astonished at the quietness and orderliness of the thing. No loud laughing and screaming like there would have been in England. At nine o’clock at night there was nothing but the greatest reverence and respect.

  This acknowledges that we in England can learn a lot from the German conduct.

  We had a fine sermon today, quite out of the ordinary. The Pastor had received a letter from a parishioner, not by any means noted for his piety when here, and he read us a portion of it and took his sermon from the same. It was a sad letter and very likely the same man was now shot. He said that if he was alive he would think of his church this Easter Sunday morning but his organ would be a cannon, his hymns the bombs, and the shrapnel the prayers for his comrades shot before his eyes. The Pastor said his letter was written on Tuesday and perhaps by Wednesday he was dead. His religion was his only comfort.

  So much that one hears these days is too sad to live through.

  Monday 5th April.

  There is a notice in the paper today that the government has issued orders that no extra telegrams will be issued during the Easter holidays. It sounds as if there have been some reverses at the front. I am only anxious over the Dardanelles but not a word is to be heard. England has said they cannot be taken before Easter and I am hoping for some news soon.

  I had dinner with Belle yesterday and we drank Arthur’s health in his own champagne. I had a few bottles sent from the house and on special occasions we toast him in Ruhleben and drink his champagne or wine. Fine is it not? I only wish I could send him a few bottles.

  Tuesday & Wednesday 6th & 7th April.

  It is lovely spring weather and the trees seem to have become covered in green in just a day or so.

  I went to the doctor yesterday. I have been going for two weeks or more and he told me that he did not think I should have my husband for a long time yet.

  Thursday 8th April.

  It is reported today that U29 has been lost. It has been missing since the 27th March and they hoped to hear daily from her. Now they think she has been sunk by the English whilst she was helping passengers to leave a sinking ship. I reminded our waiter that about the 28th March there was a report in the Hildesheim paper that - ‘The British Admiralty has announced the sinking of an undersea boat by an English ship but they could not see her number. After the shooting it sank and never reappeared’. This announcement was under the heading of ‘More British lies’ and I remember it well. They will not have it so here. They say she has either struck a mine or the English have sunk her whilst rescuing passengers from a sinking ship. What ship we are not told.

  Friday 9th April.

  We read today of an uprising of the people of Italy and of them being against Germany. The papers are full of it and apparently Italy is a dreadful nation. I never knew it.

  Saturday 10th April.

  A funny thing happened yesterday. I quite forgot to go to the police and chased around at half-past-three. I have to go before one o’clock. I had wild visions of being escorted by a couple of policemen which is not an unlikely thing. You can bet that I was not five minutes in getting there. I made great apologies and they graciously forgave me. They told me that I must not do it again or I become a penalty.

  Got a letter from Arthur and he seems to be very well and comfortable and says that they had a fine concert on Good Friday. There were over forty fine performers and they presented the bandmaster with a new conducting stick. The presentation was made by a Mr. Butterworth of Manchester. Arthur has written before of there being several good musical artists imprisoned and also several painters. There is a small chapel now built and they have mass every fourteen days. I wonder if it is like Dresden. At the commencement of the war Mass was stopped at the English church in Dresden but later reopened. Police were present at each service to be sure that no prayers were offered up for England. I should imagine that they would take the same precautions in Ruhleben.

  Sunday 11th April.

  No news from the front. China and Japan are quiet again and no sign of war.

  I had a letter from Alice Graeinghoff yesterday. She writes me that there are many German prisoners at Handforth and that the rescued men of the Blücher are there. Lena went to see them one day and met a man from Königswinter and he was able to speak to her. She wrote to his father for him to say he was very comfortable.

  Monday 12th April.

  Our Willie’s birthday. It’s a lovely day here. The war news is the usual – a small advance in the east and west.

  I sent Arthur a parcel and I have advertised the house again and hope I can let it.

  Miss Broches leaves for Switzerland and says she will write to my people for me from there.

  Many more Landstorm are called up today. All are men of forty or so and I do feel sorry for them. This morning I heard many feet going past the hotel at half-past-three and they were soldiers going to the barracks. They were to go on a sixty kilometre (forty English miles) march starting off at four o’clock and to arrive back at half-past-one. They are fitted up just as if for the front. I saw them come in at half-past-one passing the hotel. Many were limping and all looked dead tired. These men go away in ten days and are mostly for Russia.

  We hear today in the German papers that the English have been sent back by the Turks at the Dardanelles and all is quiet there.

  Tuesday 13th April.

  There is the usual list of small fishing boats sunk by torpedo but that is all. There is an announcement to the effect of having heard that the English people have put the rescued men from the U boats in prison and treated them as pirates. The Germans have taken four English officers for each one of the Germans and are treating them just the same. Four for one - that is the German justice - not one for one. I think it is very dishonourable. I cannot think that the English people, who are renowned for their fairness, can punish men who are only doing what they are told.

  There are a lot more men called up today and these are not free willing. One never hears them singing as they march through the streets. The free willing were much more lusty.

  There is another attempt to revive the English hate. I firmly believe that the hatred is based on the fact of there being no conscription in England. The first thing a German man says to you is: ‘After this war Englishmen must be like us – under conscription’.

  Tha
t is a great pleasure to him. I remarked that I did not think so and the reply was: ‘This will make them’.

  I said that England would have a revolution first. Oh, I would not wish that misery for England.

  Wednesday 14th April.

  Went to Woltershausen for half a day to see about the garden but I can get no workers. Steinoff tells me there are no more men to go away from our village. All are gone who are between nineteen years and forty-five and that it is the same in the neighbouring villages. He also tells me that Hans, our old horse, has gone to the front and also that the dog Uncle George took with him, Lord, has died. So with the horse and dog the last of our pets are gone.

  Thursday 15th April.

  I saw a lot of men going to Berlin today. It was such a sad sight. They had been called up to the Commando here and all the tallest men were sent away to Berlin to take their place in the Guards regiment. That regiment has suffered very severely in France. There was a procession of over three hundred men and they had been called up for fifty miles around here and all were men from thirty to forty-five. They walked along with their cardboard boxes and never looked up. It was very easy to place them in their various grades of life – the merchant, teacher, priest, parson, bank clerk, musician and worker. I cried as I saw them and so did many more women.

  I went to the Doctor’s and when I got there a woman, who was watching the procession from the windows in the Doctor’s rooms, asked me if my husband was amongst them for she could see that I had been crying. I said no – my husband was already away.

  She said: ‘So is mine. But I am past crying. Many of the wives of these poor men expect them home tonight, but they will get a telegram from Berlin instead’.

  She went on to say: ‘This war has killed as many women as men. I know a few who have died when they knew their husbands were killed or injured. The doctor has told me it’s no use me coming again to him until the war is ended, for it is anxiety that is killing me’.

  And she looked it.

  When I got back to the hotel I found that three of the waiters had been sent for and now we only had one for the week. He took the place of the head waiter. It’s awful for the proprietor as the hotel is quite full of officers and is very much understaffed. Women are doing a lot of men’s work but they do not act as waiters here.

  There is a collection from house to house of old India rubber this week. They ask for all kinds of old gum shoes, mackintoshes, old hot water bottles, anything made of rubber and no matter how small. The woollen and metal collections were a great success.

  Friday 16th April.

  Three hundred men leave here today for Russia.

  I feel so sorry for the chambermaid as she is so upset for her brother-in-law. He goes to the front today for the fourth time. He has been wounded three times and says he does not care if the next bullet or bomb finishes him. He suffered so much with his wound last time that he dreads going away. It seems as if they are getting tired of it. All long for peace.

  Saturday 17th April.

  We hear that an airship has been over Kent and that it has done a deal of damage. We do not have many details. They seem uneasy over Italy and Greece. There is no news of the Dardanelles or Prussia.

  Had a postcard from Arthur saying he wished me to go away to a baths for a change. Perhaps I will after I have finished with the doctor.

  Belle and I have been buying things to send to a friend at the front in Russia. When we were buying a lady in the shop said to me: ‘Is your son at the front?’

  Belle and I laughed about it but I thought: ‘Well, I must look old’.

  If I looked as old as I felt she would have asked me if it was my grandson who was at the front.

  Everything is dear. Butter is one-shilling-and-nine-pence per pound, bread (rye) two pence per pound, white bread four-and-half pence per pound and we can only get a quarter pound per day or six ounces of brown (rye) – more than that you cannot buy. The system of bread tickets is working very well and you can get no more. I know of families who have to eat potatoes every night. All sausage is six pence per pound dearer and meat is also very dear. It’s a good thing that summer is coming. I wonder how long it will last.

  I was speaking to a woman today whose husband was at home from France on a week’s leave. He said that some of the neutral countries should, in mercy, have arbitration to stop the war for it was only murder. No one was making headway and there were murders everyday. I also heard that a man who had returned to the front said he got a shock when he got back and that he greatly feared a pestilence next summer in the ranks.

  The men who are going now are not young and they have seen more than the first lot. They are not so keen. Besides they have wives and children to leave behind.

  Sunday & Monday 18th & 19th April.

  There is news of the English being sent back at the Dardanelles and of the French attacking the Germans. But they made no progress and that the loss of life was great.

  It is perfect spring weather and much too warm to wear a coat. Lots of people are in full summer outfits.

  Arthur wrote me on Saturday and wants Belle and I to get away for a month to a bath or into the mountains. But I have not yet finished with the doctor.

  Tuesday 20th April.

  We read today that the English government is sending four pounds of flour per person per week to their prisoners here. That’s a godsend for the bread here is dreadful. Arthur often gets a parcel from his English friends of tobacco and cigars and he always writes bright letters. I am now glad he is where he is. If he was free he would have been at the front by now.

  The last few lots to go were all over forty-years-old and so many of them had bad eyesight and weak hearts. They have to be very ill when they are passed over now.

  Herr Grebe told me of a friend of his who was sent to the front after being shot in the lungs. He has spit blood ever since and was spitting it when he went away.

  The doctor said: ‘The good weather is coming and you will pick up’

  We are getting dark bread now at two pence per pound and white bread at four-and-a-half pence per pound. I wonder if they are paying nine pence for a two pound loaf in England.

  Herr Stoffregan went to a sale of a farm in Adenstedt and the dried beans for cattle fetched thirty-six shillings per hundredweight. The usual price is fourteen shillings. Everything is dearer now and it is impossible to buy bread without a card from the magistrate and your allowance is only one third of a pound per day. The difference must be made up of soup or potatoes.

  Everywhere there is a shortage of men. If you go in a shop it is all young men, or women, who serve you. They never complain. Such unity surprises me. With just one half to put up with the English man would grumble for hours. There is always the firm belief of the winning and always the same talk. England is always to blame for all this war and bloodshed.

  Wednesday & Thursday 21st & 22nd April.

  I paid a visit yesterday to Dean Heiser and we of course talked about the war. He is confident of Germany winning and he does not think the war will last long. The Dardanelles are impossible to take he says and the English are as usual too stupid to know that they are wasting lives and ammunition on a false hope. He has a firm belief in England’s ignorance of warfare and feels sorry for her soldiers under such fools of officers and ministers.

  Friday & Saturday 23rd & 24th April.

  We hear today of a great battle by Ypres in Flanders. A great victory for Germany and there are many thousands of French and English prisoners and dead. Also they have captured thirty large English cannons. The Germans have made a great forward march. It does not state that they have yet got Ypres.

  Sunday 25th April.

  There is a good account in the papers of many bank officials being let out of Ruhleben. It was very amusing to read of their journey from Berlin to Hamburg. The person who wrote the account for the papers had a full share of hate for the English. He complained bitterly of the Germans having to stand up on a crowded trai
n while Englishmen sat at their ease in first class carriages and in the dining car. You could hear the pop of champagne corks. It was dreadful. There were the poor Germans full of troubles and thinking of their people on the battlefield and too sad to smile. And there were the cheeky English, in an enemy’s land, feeding and drinking. So said the correspondent!

  Monday 26th April.

  The papers report a great progress in Flanders. Over three thousand five hundred prisoners and many killed. There is no report of any losses.

  Belle told me that she made a visit to the Bishop and was surprised to hear him say that, with the exception of one here and one there, that the English were very unsatisfactory as a nation and that the politics were very rotten in that land. In fact there is nothing good about the general crowd if only one or two stand out alone. This is from an educated man who has never been to England. It is astonishing that they give their opinions.