English Translation

after a last panoramic view over the plain in front of them, over which the whole sky was red and smoky, returned to their sleeping comrades. Some may have stood this picture before the eye when falling asleep, and also the black, jagged fireplaces of the burned-down houses before which the battery had gone into position. At 40 degrees cold the next day was attacked. The attack did not break off, it slowly set in motion. How different was this type of battle from all the countless battles they had endured during the summer and autumn! They stomped through knee-deep snow, in loose groups, in the coat, overcoat and snowshirt and carried their weapons in frozen hands. If the snow had not been and the cold, they would have chased the opponent out of his positions in a single angry rush. So everything had changed, and until they even saw the opponent, they had a long time of fighting against wind and weather, against snow and cold. The feet froze to ice, the body became sweaty under the effort of advancing. Then the enemy shot a first fire from MG's and grenade throwers, and they threw themselves into the icy snow, that the sweat drops on their foreheads frozen to ice. Then again up and as far forward as possible, before the fire of the enemy from covered positions forced them back into the snow. Meanwhile, a pale sun crept in the flat semicircle over the misty sky, which was so weak that the figures of the men did not cast a shadow. In the afternoon it became colder, but there they were already after a short, bitter fight, which knew no mercy on both sides, in the village and could warm themselves at the burning rubble of the houses the clapping fingers. The attack had become a battle for the lodging for the night, and the Soviets were forced out into the icy plain and had left many dead. The company lasted ten days, and especially the nights were heavy for everyone who was there. Then the first ordered goal was reached. The attack had been supported by tanks and combat fighters who had smashed the last shelters of the encircled Soviets. Already in the last days of the attack, larger troops of the defeated had strayed across the vast plain, aimless and without hope. They found no shelter for the icy nights, their supplies were cut off, munitions and food were left out. They tried again and again desperately to break through different places, even without a plan and without any prospect of success. The ring drew ever closer around them together, there was no escape. — It is said that there should be three days of rest now. In the streets of S. These days, the men of that regiment, who has reached its target and is now used for security tasks, reappear. It is those old stormmen, troop leaders, substrand leaders of the weapons-4á who have been there everywhere, who have wrestled all over Europe, who are among the best soldiers that a people can produce, and of whom everyone is irreplaceable in their fighting experience. They seem to be raised in a strange way, these unknowns, on whose shoulders trust and future of an entire people rest. 1941 80