A Letter From Heidelberg

SeaToad · 03-07-06, 06:04 AM

To: Kapitan Hans Gerber
Commander of U-73
January 17,1945

My dear Hans,

It's been a month since your last letter and I pray that you and
your crew are doing well.
We are all saddened to here about the capture of our beloved port
of Brest.
I hope that your new base at Bergen is as hospitabable as Brest was.
Hans, It appears that the end might be close now.
Thousands of German soldiers are pouring into the Heidelberg and
Mannhein areas. Three divisions in all
Last night we were awaken by the sound of hundreds of tanks
rolling past our farm house.
I was told this morning that it's the 17th ss Panzer Division heading
towards Mannheim.
We all fear that this is going to be the staging area for the final
battle of the war.
Jorgen from the next farm house over told us his son returned from the
Russian front with one leg missing.
He said that there are thousands of German soldiers laying dead
along the roadside but they either froze to death or died of starvation.
I pray that you and your crew are eating well.
How is your cook Wong ?
I'll bet that U-73 is the only U-Boat with a Chinese Cook.
You must teach me to make some of that Chow Mein stuff when
this war is over.
Please hurry home Hans.

Heidi

03-07-06, 07:56 AM

STEED · 03-07-06, 08:02 AM

Is this a real letter from the war? :hmm:

Inajira · 03-07-06, 11:22 AM

Why is the girlfriend always called Heidi???

The Avon Lady · 03-07-06, 11:37 AM

Vot iz zeh recipe for zeh jow mein?

Ve haf vaze uff makink you tok!

03-07-06, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inajira

Why is the girlfriend always called Heidi???

Because all German girls are named Heidi! Don't you know anything?

Well, except for Helga.

Just like all German guys are named Fritz, or Hans. Makes giving orders very confusing.

Dantenoc · 03-07-06, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Just like all German guys are named Fritz, or Hans.

How come they call them "Jerry"... how did that come about?

JScones · 03-07-06, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dantenoc

How come they call them "Jerry"... how did that come about?

There's many disputed theories, although the common one is that Jerry is simply a short version of "German", coined by the Brits either during, or prior to, WWI. There's evidence of the term being used during WWI, although you don't really see much evidence of wide use until WWII.

Wrong myths are that Jerry comes from "Jerrycan" (the Wehrmachtskanister didn't exist until the late-1930s) or from "Tom and Jerry", which didn't exist until 1940 (although a pre-cat and mouse team existed from 1930+) - remembering of course that the Brit soldiers had been known as Tommies since about the 1800s (again, depending on which myth you follow).

Inajira · 03-08-06, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Well, except for Helga.

There's only one Helga... and she's got the hots for Herr Fliek.

03-08-06, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JScones

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dantenoc

How come they call them "Jerry"... how did that come about?

There's many disputed theories, although the common one is that Jerry is simply a short version of "German", coined by the Brits either during, or prior to, WWI. There's evidence of the term being used during WWI, although you don't really see much evidence of wide use until WWII.

Wrong myths are that Jerry comes from "Jerrycan" (the Wehrmachtskanister didn't exist until the late-1930s) or from "Tom and Jerry", which didn't exist until 1940 (although a pre-cat and mouse team existed from 1930+) - remembering of course that the Brit soldiers had been known as Tommies since about the 1800s (again, depending on which myth you follow).

And here I always thought it was because it's hard for English-speakers to pronounce 'Fritz'.

HEMISENT · 03-08-06, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

Vot iz zeh recipe for zeh jow mein?

Ve haf vaze uff makink you tok!

A nice fat used cat, rice and plenty of mushrooms. Pizza sauce is optional

Kpt. Lehmann · 03-09-06, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inajira

Quote:

Well, except for Helga.

There's only one Helga... and she's got the hots for Herr Fliek.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I thought I was the only one who watched 'Allo 'Allo!

Cheers mate!

I-25 · 03-10-06, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inajira

Why is the girlfriend always called Heidi???

Because all German girls are named Heidi! Don't you know anything?

Well, except for Helga.

Just like all German guys are named Fritz, or Hans. Makes giving orders very confusing.

DAM my name is fritz! :rotfl:

DerKaleun · 03-10-06, 05:23 PM

My honeyÂ´s name is Katja. Also very popular german name. Real nice german girls names are Annemarie, Regina, Monika, Silke, Annika, Maja, Bettina, and many many more... Why they never use one of these...

Or maybe uncle addiÂ´s dog name... Blondi :hmm:

fredbass · 03-11-06, 07:47 AM

My neighbor was in WWII as an MP. His wife is from Germany where they met of course. Her name is Helga.

She is one old mean witch (with a b).

03-07-06, 06:04 AM	#1
SeaToad Watch Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Northern CA. Posts: 17 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	A Letter From Heidelberg To: Kapitan Hans Gerber Commander of U-73 January 17,1945 My dear Hans, It's been a month since your last letter and I pray that you and your crew are doing well. We are all saddened to here about the capture of our beloved port of Brest. I hope that your new base at Bergen is as hospitabable as Brest was. Hans, It appears that the end might be close now. Thousands of German soldiers are pouring into the Heidelberg and Mannhein areas. Three divisions in all Last night we were awaken by the sound of hundreds of tanks rolling past our farm house. I was told this morning that it's the 17th ss Panzer Division heading towards Mannheim. We all fear that this is going to be the staging area for the final battle of the war. Jorgen from the next farm house over told us his son returned from the Russian front with one leg missing. He said that there are thousands of German soldiers laying dead along the roadside but they either froze to death or died of starvation. I pray that you and your crew are eating well. How is your cook Wong ? I'll bet that U-73 is the only U-Boat with a Chinese Cook. You must teach me to make some of that Chow Mein stuff when this war is over. Please hurry home Hans. Heidi

03-07-06, 08:02 AM	#3
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	Is this a real letter from the war? :hmm: __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

03-07-06, 11:22 AM	#4
Inajira Loader Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Posts: 90 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Why is the girlfriend always called Heidi??? __________________ ---- Lt(sr) Wolfgang Schmidt U-108 Der Lechtturm 94% Realism, DiD Career: 13 Patrols Fate: Sunk Dec 1941 in the North Atlantic, W of Gibraltar by depth charges from a British destroyer. All hands lost. "Torpedo treffer!"

03-07-06, 11:37 AM	#5
The Avon Lady Über Mom Join Date: May 2005 Location: Jerusalem, Israel Posts: 6,147 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Vot iz zeh recipe for zeh jow mein? Ve haf vaze uff makink you tok! __________________ "Victory will come to us from the wombs of our women." - Houari Boumedienne, President of Algeria, Speech before the UN, 1974

03-10-06, 05:23 PM	#14
DerKaleun Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: DÃ¼sseldorf Posts: 124 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My honeyÂ´s name is Katja. Also very popular german name. Real nice german girls names are Annemarie, Regina, Monika, Silke, Annika, Maja, Bettina, and many many more... Why they never use one of these... Or maybe uncle addiÂ´s dog name... Blondi :hmm: __________________ U-Boot Spezialcocktail :-)

03-07-06, 07:56 AM	#2
SubSerpent Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:

03-11-06, 07:47 AM	#15
fredbass Ace of the Deep Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Port Richey, Fl, USA Posts: 1,066 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My neighbor was in WWII as an MP. His wife is from Germany where they met of course. Her name is Helga. She is one old mean witch (with a b).