Mail Correspondence with Soldiers at War (“Feldpostbriefe”): Letters from German soldiers and relatives concerning the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942/43 (Published on 20/10/2025)
The German defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in World War II. Originally intended as a starting point for a further advance into the Caucasus, the German attack on the industrial center of Stalingrad, which began in late summer 1942, ended in November 1942 with a Russian counteroffensive that encircled and ultimately destroyed most of the German 6th Army. Despite the hopeless situation of the inadequately supplied German soldiers in the Stalingrad pocket, the German leadership ordered them to hold out and continue fighting. Most of the remaining German soldiers ceased fighting in late January/early February 1943 and were taken prisoner of war. Of the approximately 110,000 soldiers of the Wehrmacht and allied troops who were taken prisoner, only about 6,000 returned to their homeland. The fighting for the city cost the lives of around 700,000 people, most of them soldiers of the Red Army.
The German book “Das andere Gesicht des Krieges – Deutsche Feldpostbriefe 1939 – 1945” [“The Other Face of War – German Field Post Letters 1939 – 1945”] by editors Ortwin Buchbender and Reinhold Sterz contains a separate chapter with field post letters from German soldiers and their relatives relating to the Battle of Stalingrad. These letters aptly express how the initially arrogant display of confidence in victory slowly gave way to reality.
The letters documented there include the following (source: Buchbender/Sterz, Das andere Gesicht des Krieges – Deutsche Feldpostbriefe 1939 – 1945, 2nd ed. (1983), p. 95 ff. [all translated from German language]):
Monday, 24 August 1942
Private B. G., 6. Kp./Fla-Btl. 55 (Letter 161, p. 96 f.):
“Soon we will be able to sing the song »There stands a soldier on the banks of the Volga« with good reason, because only a chain of hills occupied and fiercely defended by the Russians separates us from the Volga, and Stalingrad is only 45 kilometers away. Our division has now been spread out across the hilly terrain for two days, because first the artillery and the air force have to clear the way to some extent. And they are doing so again with German thoroughness. Yesterday, we could see through binoculars how the Russians were fleeing with their artillery. It will be a few more days before the actual attack on Stalingrad begins. The infantry divisions are not as far along as we are, and we apparently have to wait for them. The Russians have staked everything on Stalingrad. Much of the outcome of the Russian campaign surely depends on it. Stalin himself is said to be in charge of the city’s defense. But that will not change the city’s fate, and if it goes up in smoke and flames like Voronezh …”
Sunday, 6 September 1942
Mrs A. T., Bad Reichenhall (Letter 163, p. 97):
“Now there has been another break in your lovely messages, and all I hear are reports of the terrible fighting. How can you go through this? What tremendous strength and courage it must take. Everyone admires you all, and everyone, myself included, wishes that it would finally come to an end! Recently, someone said that the capture of Stalingrad was such a big decision because the Russians are cut off from their oil wells, and even though some industrial areas are located in the Urals, they are dependent on the southern region. People are talking about an end that is not too far off. Everyone who hears this breathes a sigh of relief. And me especially! If only it were already that far along …”
Thursday, 1 Oktober 1942
Sergeant J. S., 6. Kp./Inf.Rgt. 226, 79. Inf.Div. (Letter 165, p. 98):
“… We are positioned northwest of Stalingrad, but we have not yet crossed the Don ourselves. I am glad that I was spared the fierce fighting for Stalingrad. It is really tough going there. Stalingrad is Comrade Stalin’s favorite city and also very important to the Russians. That is why the Russians are doing everything they can to prevent the city from falling. However, the fate of Stalingrad is probably already sealed today.
Where we are is a very poor area, very sparsely populated, mostly just steppe. The Russians are also trying to break through here to cut off supplies to Stalingrad. We have always held our position, and the enemy has suffered heavy losses. In just a few days, we have destroyed six Russian divisions. This is quite an achievement, considering that we are already quite exhausted. My division has been in continuous action since July 1941…”
Tuesday, 27 Oktober 1942
Soldier K. H., Aufkl.Abt. 113, 113. Inf.Div. (Letter 167, p. 98 f.):
“… We took up winter positions here north of Stalingrad eight days ago. It is not an appealing sight here in this steppe. Far and wide, there is no village, no forest, no tree, no bush, and not a drop of water. Every day, the Russians attack. The city itself is completely destroyed and still burning everywhere, illuminating the vast steppe at night. A passage from the Gospel comes to mind, one I have often thought about: Not one stone shall be left upon another. That is the reality here. The kitchen has to drive for hours to fetch water for coffee and tea. Hour after hour, day after day, German bombers roar over what remains of the city to finish the job. But I hope and firmly believe that I will survive this time too, just as I have survived many great dangers this summer. One must not lose courage and trust in God, even if the machine guns continue to roar and the bombs and grenades continue to crash down. If fate has decreed that I should not escape from this cauldron, then it is God’s will …”
Monday, 14 Dezember 1942
Soldier K. P., Nachsch.Tr. 367, 367. Inf.Div. (Letter 168, p. 99):
“… We haven’t been able to write the whole time. We’ve been surrounded since November 22. The worst is now over. We all hope that we’ll be out of the encirclement by Christmas. We’re still surrounded at the moment, but the Russians are already surrounded by German troops. General von Manstein is still 30 km away from us. We have already had to endure some difficult times, believe me. I have forgotten how to laugh. Eight days ago, my car was hit by a bomb. Thank God I was ten meters away. Wherever you go, you come under artillery fire. Believe me, I thought it wasn’t so bad, but it could get worse.
Please excuse my poor writing and lack of coherence. If you could see where I am writing, you would understand. I am sitting here in an earth bunker, surrounded by craters on the left and right, behind and in front. I have to write quickly; I don’t know when I’ll have to flee again. This is the fourth time I’ve written this letter. Now I have to stop; it’s lunchtime.
Dear parents, the war will soon be over. Once the encirclement battle is over, the war in Russia will be finished …”
Friday, 1 January 1943
Special leader H., Wirtschafts-Erfassungs-Kdo. 6 (Letter 171, p. 100 f.):
“… I do not resent fate for bringing me here. The harsh hardship, which may last for months but should not last if possible, is only a call to increased duty, increased service to the community. Amidst the thunder of artillery, the rat-a-tat of machine guns, and the stuttering of engines, an attack by the Reds yesterday, which was supposed to recapture the city of Stalingrad before the end of the year, melted away. In response, at midnight, the Leuthen hymn rang out to the Russians across the Volga, where the Bolsheviks’ loudspeaker truck sang in great tastelessness: »Morning glow, morning glow, there will be no bread tomorrow!« These things no longer impress a German soldier who has adapted to the situation as it was in the World War, and as it shines out at us from many pictures, half already detached from the earthly realm and grown into eternity. At midnight, German soldiers responded to the pathetic leaflets urging them to finally give up their futile resistance with a New Year’s bonfire that finally taught the Reds that there was no room for their propaganda in the minds of the soldiers.
Once again, the Russians will have used the winter to prepare us for a »Napoleonic fate«, which they failed to achieve last winter. And just as here, things will get tough elsewhere too, only that under normal circumstances, people will no longer freeze to death. Once again, Toropez is a pivotal point, once again it is about Lake Ilmen and the Volkhov front. When will the struggle end? I believe and hope, and this is also my New Year’s wish, that the battle for our position here will ultimately grow into a matter of the utmost importance, perhaps even of decisive significance for the end of the war itself. One must be able to read between the lines. In his lithographs, the Russian is practically begging the German officers to finally surrender, saying that there is no longer any resistance against the iron »ring of the Reds« (Wagner!). Yes, one can only ask, »Why don’t you then push us from our positions, as we have always done with you?« …”
Tuesday, 12 January 1943
Private B. L., Feldgend.Tr. 414 (Letter 172, p. 101 f.):
“… As you have surely heard from many reports in the press, the battle for Stalingrad is probably the hardest of the entire conflict, mainly because it has lasted so long. And the battle for this city also included the preceding battles, as this was the only way to reach the city. And since both sides considered this battle to be decisive for the war, it has been fought with corresponding tenacity. At the end of August, we also crossed the Don and then found ourselves in this wedge formation. At the end of October, all surplus personnel from our department and our field gendarmerie unit moved to more distant quarters, leaving only five comrades and myself behind as a standing command. In the course of our mission, we also visited Stalingrad, where I saw the Volga, that river of destiny. Up to that point, it had always been very hot here, as you may have experienced. Unfortunately, the losses in our unit, which was not even engaged in combat there, are also relatively high.
In mid-November, the fighting intensified, resulting in us being cut off from our rear connections since November 22. You may not be aware of this. We are therefore dependent on aircraft for our supplies. You can imagine how difficult this is. In December, winter set in with poor flying weather, making supplies even more difficult. The first consequence was a radical reduction in food supplies, the second was poor postal service. On December 22, we only received mail, namely letters and your parcels. Unfortunately, the Russians were able to make further advances, mainly due to favorable weather conditions. Reportedly, strong German forces have been brought in, but they have not yet managed to relieve us. We hope that they will still succeed. It is understandable that we have experienced a number of things during this time that cannot be mentioned in letters. Now, the situation has become even more critical for us in recent days, so that further developments cannot be predicted. I have never mentioned any of this before, so as not to worry any of you, but I would like someone to know how things are going for us now …”
Wednesday, 13 January 1943
Captain H., 3. Kp./Korps-Nachr.Abt. 60 (Letter 174, p. 102):
“… Please do not mourn or weep for me when you receive this, my last sign of life. I am standing here outside in an icy storm, fighting a losing battle in the city of Stalingrad. Trapped for months, tomorrow we will face our final battle, man against man, and I am very proud to be able to participate in this unique heroic epic of history as a German officer. So I bid farewell to you, who have been a dear comrade to me …”
Wednesday, 13 January 1943
Lance corporal H., Gen.Kdo. XIV. Pz.K. (Letter 176, p. 102 f.):
“… You will be surprised that I am writing to you, but in a situation like this, I can only write to you, because you were in the war yourself and are aware of the seriousness and danger that war brings. Dear Father, Lotte will have already told you that we are surrounded at Stalingrad and can only be supplied by aircraft. Until now, things have been going quite well. There hasn’t been much to eat, but it has been bearable. However, dear Father, since Sunday, the situation has become very serious. The Russians have tightened the ring even further, but now we can no longer leave. Where can we go? Either into Russian captivity or to our deaths. We don’t want either of those things, but it’s very serious, and now everyone has been ordered to write home again, but it has to be handed in by 5 p.m.
Dear Father, as I have already been assigned to security duty, as defense, because it is expected that the Russians will arrive tonight, I ask you, dear Father, if fate is unkind to me, to convey my best regards and many kisses to my dear wife, and she should not grieve for me, she should remain healthy for a long time to come, and to you, dear parents, my best regards and many thanks for all your efforts on my behalf, but let us hope that God will still be kind to me at the last moment. Therefore, I ask you, dear father, to keep this letter secret, and when you receive new mail from me saying that everything has gone well, I ask you to destroy this letter, but if fate decrees that I should not see my homeland, you dear parents, and my beloved wife, whom I loved faithfully until the last day, then please give my wife my last greetings …
Dear Father, I wish you and Mother many more healthy days, and please don’t worry about me, because there are so many others who share the same fate…”
Thursday, 28 January 1943
First Lieutenant H. H., Kdr./Inf.Div.Nachsch.Tr. 258,258. Inf.Div. (Letter 179, p. 104 f.):
“… Earlier, I received the Wehrmacht report for the first time in a long time. However, it was dated January 7, 1943. It begins with the following words: »The great winter battle on the Eastern Front continues with undiminished intensity and is spreading to new areas. The units of the 6th Army that are still capable of fighting are clinging to the ruins of the city of Stalingrad«, etc.
This confession seems to me almost like the obituary of the last remnants of Paulus’ proud tank army. I must say that the desperate resistance put up by a pitiful bunch of German soldiers down there is somewhat uplifting. It breaks your heart when you think about it. But it seems to me that this must be the hour of reckoning, because mustering enthusiasm for a cause in good and beautiful times often requires little more than a glass of schnapps. Keeping your loyalty in the face of death is a service we must prove ourselves worthy of. This is probably the obligation imposed on us by the men who, in times of danger, freed themselves from earthly afflictions and became heroes by conquering their own bodies. May we succeed like them when the hour of trial comes. Now, in times of danger, he is a miserable servant who tries to preserve his life for the sake of vain pleasure. And so I silently pray for many brave soldiers down there. They have often been afflicted with all human vices and have indulged in them, but their sacrificial death atones for everything. It compels us to revere them. I believe that many people in my situation might think the same way. And even if I am not exposed to general danger, the hour of trial could also come for me.
You see, the certainty that even in the greatest danger, many weak people found their way back to their people, some through strength, some through other means, is uplifting for all of us. It touches our hearts, and so I ask you not to let despair overcome you. That would be the worst service you could do me and all of us. I do not want to take any statement in your letter as a reason for admonishment. I am simply asking you to do so. I myself believe that my attitude should not cause you any concern. I suddenly feel a great sense of resolve. In times of need, there is only one commandment. What is the individual when the life of a people is at stake? So be brave and fight the gloomy thoughts that impose themselves on you when they are expressed in this way. That is certainly a good deed …”
Monday, 1 February 1943
Lieutenant P. G., Rgts.Stab/Gren.Rgt. 721, 714. Inf.Div. (Letter 181, p. 105):
“… Melancholy and dejected, I heard today in the Wehrmacht report the expected news that Stalingrad had been reached by part of the enemy. It was clear that this would happen, especially after Göring had indicated in brief, decisive words the lost fate of these bravest of the brave. Yes, this struggle for life, facing death, is something inhumanly heroic! Here in Stalingrad, a sea of the best German blood is now surging, but on the other side, streams upon streams and yet more streams upon streams of the most agonizing tears are flowing in the homeland. Never before in this war has such a heroic battle been fought. No one will ever see their homeland again from this raging cauldron!!
It is true that we cannot compare ourselves to those immortal Stalingrad fighters. They are completely different people. And that is why we cannot understand this struggle to the death. I believe that Nazi Germany has never been as serious as it is now. For probably every second family will have had a father, son, husband, or fiancé in this deadly cauldron. We are living in a time whose true value will only be recognized many, many years later. It is no longer about the individual; it is about the whole. Only as long as we are aware of this can we achieve victory! And believe me, it is much harder for those at home than for those at the front! Who has more to suffer? The fighter dies a heroic death outside. He dies for victory! But his relatives cannot forget him. A piece of their lives has been taken from them! …”
Wednesday, 3 February 1943
Soldier (illegible), Gen.Kdo. I. A.K. (Letter 183, p. 106):
“… Who in the fatherland is still without grief and sorrow today – it is like paying tribute to these cruel times – and, unfortunately, these are far from the last. Meanwhile, my sister Christa’s little son has also stayed behind in Stalingrad and joined the great army that is preparing to become the largest in history – this time for real. Sometimes it seems to me that one must have a guilty conscience for remaining unharmed – at least for the time being – and perhaps returning home one distant day, in view of all the mothers, wives, and children who have lost their lives. After all, you yourself are at an age where you could quietly pass away – but all these young boys who don’t even know what life means yet – that weighs heavily on you, as dull and insensitive as you have become over the years. But all these terrible things – we can’t change them …”
Sunday, 7 February 1943
Mrs E. S., Vratza/Bulgaria (Letter 184, p. 106 f.):
“…Have you heard from Erich? Ten days ago, I received a letter from him, posted on November 19. In the meantime, the worst has happened, and it has made me very ill. Erich is in »Stalingrave«, and whether a miracle happened for him, I don’t believe it. I am completely exhausted again, I can’t read or hear anything more about Stalingrad, I feel sick when I see the newsreels at the cinema. And Mother, how must she feel, crying her eyes out for her four sons …
Here you hear and see nothing like this eerie »Stalingrave«! They say that a quarter of a million Germans, the best of the best, were lost there. And I think they should have evacuated the city in time. With this army and such good soldiers, who are now no longer there, they could have held the front, even behind the Don, where the fiercest fighting is still going on. How much longer will the brave soldiers be able to withstand this cursed Russian onslaught, which is being carried out in such large numbers? Despite my rock-solid confidence in the German leadership, I still get scared at the mere thought that the communists might still win …
Let’s see what the approaching spring brings. Every person’s greatest wish would be peace; at the very least, the soldiers and Hitler should succeed in finally clearing up the situation in the East. Then the sacrifices made at Stalingrad will not have been in vain …”
(Head picture: Grave stones at the German military cemetery Ittenbach,
August 2025)
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