Field post letters from hans koch, vienna, world war ii, eastern front, 1922-1945 previous letter (1943-05-30) letter no. 171 (1943-06-16) next letter (1943-08-16) now to me this time i have all sorts of new things to tell you. Unfortunately we have moved again! i am still at the back with the sergeant! as always, the order to move came quite unexpectedly. On june 12th the packing started, i also have clothing and equipment here, and i sent this in a wagon to the new quarters, along with 25 pastries [luggage???] from vacationers. Thank god it was already gone. Because now something really great is coming. I was sitting at lunch with a staff sergeant, a senior sergeant and a sergeant. I had just undressed and was in my swimming trunks when the little russian boy from our house came rushing in, terrified, shouting, "pan, pan [sir], the house is destroyed. " i rushed out with the sergeants to see what was going on and saw that our house was on fire! we went back straight away and took the cash register outside and went back in. You have no idea how quickly a russian house burns down; it's all straw and wood. When i went in for the second time, everything was already on fire. I took what i could reach, my bag and some clothing, but then i got out as quickly as i could. Date: 16 June 1943.
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