Personal question to veterans

Wibke · Post by **Wibke** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:07 pm

Dear Veterans,

I would like to ask you a very personal question about your time at the front. Or even more about the time you were allowed to leave the front. About furlough at home.

My father remembers his father coming home a few times. Every time, he hardly recognised him in the beginning and today he feels ashamed about it. He told me as well that he remembers making a terrible scene when his father somehow wanted to spend time with his mother. My father, the son, was terribly jealous. Later on, he didn‘t let go from his father, hanging on or around him all the time in fear that he leaves soon again. This was then difficult for the father who could hardly breathe having his son hanging all the time physically on him. But my father was only 3 when his father left for war and couldn‘t understand.

Imagining that your wifes were at home while you were fighting, they must have had a very hard life, too, being in charge of the families well-being all on their own. And later during the war even for their survival when the bombing of Germany began.

Although being relieved for a few days from the fear to loose your life at battle, wasn‘t it sometimes still difficult to find a sort of communication level with your wifes and families? The women had their very own battle to fight at home and I believe that it must have been difficult for many partnerships or marriages that the lifes of husband and wife went by force into so very different directions. You were living both in two different worlds. Yours at the battlefield and all it‘s horror that no-one at home could possibly really imagine. Hers with the daily battle to feed and protect the children. And that continuosly over many years.

Where you able to overcome the distance the war put between you even in only a few days of furlough? And who decided on furlough? Did only wounded soldiers get it or could anybody?

After the war, I imagine, the time helped to heal the wonds. But was furlough long enough to reunite and stay together without any conflicts during this precious time? Did you actually tell them about your worst memories from the front and about your fears? Were you able to talk about it at all or was it too terrible and you tried to keep it inside you – in order not to worry her or because you simply couldn‘t talk about it?

I entered „furlough“ and „Fronturlaub“ in both search machines at feldgrau.com an in Lexikon-der-Wehrmacht.de but didn‘t find any facts or experiences.

I would be very pleased if you share some memories with me.

Wibke

infanterielandser · Post by **infanterielandser** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:55 pm

Wibke,

Granted, I'm not a WWII vet, but a recently made vet from Iraq. The problems you described are universal for those returning from war. When you are immersed in a situation as hostile as combat (not that I encountered even a fraction of what they did!), coming home to those you love, you feel like a stranger. You don't feel comfortable anywhere you go, even at home with your loved ones. Before I went home on leave from Iraq, we got briefings telling us to spend time with wives and children separately..that way nobody is left with those feelings of jealousy.

I hope this has given you some insight.

gerhard2 · Post by **gerhard2** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 1:36 pm

I can't speak for a father or husband having a furlough at home. Myself I had my first and only
furlough when discharged from hospital after returning from Russia. Except for one day when
I snook out of the hospital for a day and got caught on the train during the way back. I received
a Disciplinary Notice for being absent without leave, it was worth it.
As to be expected for a 18 year old the 2 weeks (it could have been 10 day's, can't remember)
went way too fast. Having a brother killed in Russia made it especially hard for my parents
even as I did not realize it at the time. I was not too worried about my parents as up to that
time Dresden did not have many air raids to speak off, besides due to the many hospitals and
POW camps everybody thought they were reasonable safe.
That was in the middle of 1944 and the last time I saw my parents and home.
Gerhard
And yes there are many of us even though we are OLD, I will be 80 next March, who are computer literate.

infanterielandser · Post by **infanterielandser** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:46 pm

Gerhard,

Thank you very much for posting that. I'm sorry to hear about your brother and your parents...I definitely cannot relate to such a tragedy.

As far as being absent without leave...its nice to hear that soldiers have always done that, and always will continue to!

Anyways, once again, thank you.

Philip

chambers · Post by **chambers** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:27 am

Sorry to hear about that Gerhard. It must have been difficult for you especially when you returned civilian status.

Brooke

desert_fox · Post by **desert_fox** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:16 pm

It is indeed a sad story Gerhard.Sorry about your family members.

Regards

gerhard2 · Post by **gerhard2** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:42 pm

Heh you guy's remember all this happened over 60 years ago and I have long come to terms with it.
What does bother me is the fact that we are still doing it to each other, we just don't learn or maybe I can visualize or feel it more then most.
Gerhard

Nordwest · Post by **Nordwest** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:59 pm

To me, it is a "Gift", a very seldom Gift, to see Veterans writing in our Forum, like above.

Besides any Christmas-Card, thank you!

Michael

infanterielandser · Post by **infanterielandser** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:36 am

Gerhard,

Heinrich Boll is one of my favorite authors, and in this particular case, I think its necessary to quote him.

"If the world were made up of infantrymen, there would be no wars."