Kaiserliche Marine: German Imperial Navy Postcards, Set 36

3 Comments

1. SET 36

   1. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 15.11.15
   Umstehend siehst Du auch wieder eine Pinaß schwabbeln, das Boot mit dem Schornstein, wo der Heizer gerade sein Zeug ausspult. Das Boot ist mittels eines Stagen an der Backspier (der lange Querbaum, wo auch noch zwei Leitern dran hängen) festgemacht. Über diese Backspier muß man klettern, wenn man vom Boot an Bord will. Sei herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 15.11.15
   Overleaf you see a small boat wobbling around, the boat with the stack where a stoker is washing his stuff. The boat is fastened with lines to the gangway (the long log where two ladders are attached) you have to climb the ladders if you want to go aboard from the boat. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst.

   2. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 29.11.15
   Gestern war ich wieder im Schlosshof, wo die Kapelle der 1. Matrosen – Division konzertierte. Das Etablissement war ziemlich dicht besetzt und es wurden viele bekannte u(nd) schöne Stücke gegeben. Es ist jetzt sehr kalt hier, 6-8 Grad unter Null, ist es dort auch so kalt? Sei vielmals herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 29.11.15
   Yesterday I was at the court of the palace, the band of the 1. Sailor’s Division was playing a concert. The place was packed and many popular and nice songs were played. It is now very cold here, 6 – 8° (Celsius) below zero, is it equally cold there too? Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst.

   3. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 16.12.14
   Deine liebe Karte mit dem süßen Buben habe ich erhalten, hierfür besten Dank. Auch besten Dank für die freundlich übermittelten Grüße aus Eggesin. Ich freue mich dass Du einen schönen Sonntag verlebt hast. Mir geht es noch immer gut, hoffentlich Dir auch! Es grüßt Dich vielmals herzlich Dein Dich treu liebender Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 16.12.14
   I received your dear card with the cute guy, many thanks. Also, many thanks for the relayed greetings from Eggesin. I am glad you had such a nice Sunday. I am still fine, hope the same goes for you too. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful loving Ernst.

   4. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 4.6.15
   Herzlichen Dank für Deinen lieben Brief vom 1.6. der mich sehr erfreute. Hoffentlich wirst Du auch den Brief meiner Schwester Amalie inzwischen erhalten haben. Es war auch so gegen 6 Uhr vorigen Sonntag, dass ich an Land Dir die Karte schrieb; angestoßen haben wir jedoch eine größere Spanne Zeit hindurch. Sei herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst Herzliche Grüße an Deine lieben Angehörigen

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 04.06.15
   Many thanks for your dear letter dating 01.06., I was very delighted. Hopefully you will whave received the letter form my sister Amalie by now. It was about 6 o’clock last Sunday that I wrote the card from ashore, but we were partying for a longer time. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst. Affectionate greetings to your dear relatives.

   5. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 25.11.15
   Umstehend siehst Du ein Teil unserer Flotte im Kieler Hafen an der Boje liegen. Das viele Qualmen der Schlote zeigt Dir, dass die Schiffe klar zum „in See gehen“ sind. Das erste Schiff links gehört zur Helgoland-Klasse, die andern in der ersten Reihe zur Nassau-Klasse. Sei vielmals herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 25.11.15
   Overleaf you will see a part of our fleet at the buoys at Kiel harbour. Lots of smoke from the stacks indicate that the ships are ready to go to sea. The first ship on the left belongs to the Helgoland-class, the others in the first row are Nassau-class ships. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst.

   6. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 23.10.15
   Jetzt sind hier auch von der Stadt Höchstpreise festgesetzt worden, und zwar beträgt der Höchstpreis für Butter 2,60 (Mark) pro Pfund (metric pound, a little less than a US pound). Es soll ferner eingeführt werden, dass es an zwei Tagen der Woche kein Fleisch zu kaufen giebt, (wrong spelling) ebenso fallen an den Tagen die Fleischmahlzeiten in den Restaurants fort. Es soll mit Gewalt gespart werden. – Sei vielmals herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 23.10.15
   Ceiling prices have been enforced here too by the town council , the ceiling price for butter is 2,60 per pound. Furthermore it has been ordered that no meat must sold on two days per week, also, there will be no meat in the restaurants. Savings at all costs. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst.

   7. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 16.10.15
   Außer Anschwellung und örtlich starker Spannung fühle ich mich bis jetzt nach der 2.ten Impfung noch sehr wohl. – Hast Du von der schändlichen Tat der Engländer gegen eine unserer U-Bootsbesatzungen gelesen? Gemein, was? – In Serbien machen wir ja gute Fortschritte, was mich sehr erfreut. Sei herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 16.10.15
   Except for a swelling and a strong local tenseness I am feeling fine after my second vaccination. – Have you read about the disgraceful deed of the English against one of our submarine crews? Very mean, isn’t it? In Serbia, we are advancing well, I am very delighted. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst.

   8. Liebe Lotte! Kiel, d. 26.11.15
   Heute ist es hier recht kalt und es schneit tüchtig, mit einem Male ist es Winter geworden. Ich bedauere Dich schon wieder Deine Hände wegen, fette sie nur immer gut ein und tüchtig massieren. – Sei vielmals herzlich gegrüßt von Deinem treuen Ernst

   Dear Lotte! Kiel, 26.11.15
   Today it is very cold and it is snowing heavily, all of the sudden winter is here. I feel sorry for you because of your hands, just grease them thoroughly and give them a good massage. Many affectionate greetings from your truthful Ernst.

2. From Urs:

   Set 36
   #5 showing battleships of the 1st squadron (Ostfriesland- and Nassau-class) preparing to leave harbour (“rising steam” = “Dampf aufmachen”)

   #6 typo, should read “Küstenpanzer” (“Siegfried”-class)

   #7 Torpedoboat S 116 was sunk October 6, 1914 by the British submarine E 9 off the River Ems. E 9´s Commanding Officer was Lieutenant-Commander Max Horton, who had sunk the German light cruiser “Hela” the previous month, started the tradition of British subs to fly a “Jolly Roger” (a pirate flag with skull and crossed bones) on return from a successful mission and rose to rank of Admiral in WW II.
   The four other boats S 115, S 117, S 118 and S 119, commisioned in 1903, were, really, out-dated at the start of the war. The 7th Half-flotilla they belonged to was tasked for a minelaying mission off the British coast with considerable risk from the beginning. A British patrol with the Light cruiser “Undaunted” and four more modern destroyers of the L-class (commissioned 1913) intercepted them off the Dutch island of Texel and sank all 4 boats. The Flotilla´s Senior Officer, Commander Georg Thiele (a German WW II-destroyer was named after him) perished with most of his men.
   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_off_Texel

   #8 “Formidable” was sunk by the German “U 24” (Commanding Officer Kapitänleutnant Rudolf Schneider) off Portland in the British Channel in the first submarine underwater night attack in history. 547 men, including her captain, went down with the ship

3. SET 36

   #5 showing battleships of the 1st squadron (Ostfriesland- and Nassau-class) preparing to leave harbour (“rising steam” = “Dampf aufmachen”). Ernst´s “set sail” is an obsolete term for modern warships.

   #6 typo, should read “Küstenpanzer” (“Siegfried”-class)

   #7 Torpedoboat S 116 was sunk October 6, 1914 by the British submarine E 9 off the River Ems. E 9´s Commanding Officer was Lieutenant-Commander Max Horton, who had sunk the German light cruiser “Hela” the previous month, started the tradition of British subs to fly a “Jolly Roger” (a pirate flag with skull and crossed bones) on return from a successful mission and rose to rank of Admiral in WW II.
   The four other boats S 115, S 117, S 118 and S 119, commisioned in 1903, were, really, out-dated at the start of the war. The 7th Half-flotilla they belonged to was tasked for a minelaying mission off the British coast with considerable risk from the beginning. A British patrol with the Light cruiser “Undaunted” and four more modern destroyers of the L-class (commissioned 1913) intercepted them off the Dutch island of Texel and sank all 4 boats. The Flotilla´s Senior Officer, Commander Georg Thiele (a German WW II-destroyer was named after him) perished with most of his men.
   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_off_Texel

   The “disgraceful deed” Ernst is talking about is the at least controversial “Baralong incident” when the commanding officer of the British Q-ship “Baralong” (a submarine trap looking like a harmless old steamer), Godfrey Herbert, ordered the survivors of the sunk German submarine “U 27” to be shot while swimming in the water and taking shelter aboard a civilian ship (“take no prisoners”) as he “supposedly” feared the unarmed men were going to sink that steamer. See wiki for more.

   #8 “Formidable” was sunk by the German “U 24” (Commanding Officer Kapitänleutnant Rudolf Schneider) off Portland in the British Channel in the first submarine underwater night attack in history. 547 men, including her captain, went down with the ship.