Diary of Annie's War (10 page)

We have received a paper from London today and it is of the 30
^th
of January. We are very much surprised to read that the Germans are not in Soissons. Here they say they are and have been since January 15
^th
. One scarcely knows what to believe.

We are almost afraid to read the telegrams today for the papers are sure of a great sea battle. They say that yesterday they sunk three ships, one coal boat, and two food and goods ships and also that a large English man-of-war is injured. We scarcely know what to think, or whether to believe it.

The bread is
awful.
I heard at school today that the teachers have to go to all houses and see how much foodstuffs the parents have in hand.

We read today that in Russia the government has taken from the Germans all their food and land. Severe steps are to be taken here. I wonder if it will affect
us
in any way. One never knows.

The shoemaker told me today that all the hides of animals had to be sent directly to the government for leather and that he could not get any. He said it was not half tanned before it was used and could not last long. They are so short of pairs of men’s boots that cost twenty-two shillings before the war that they are now thirty-five shillings.

We hear today that in Belgium the French have suffered severe losses. We also hear that the Germans have lost two Zeppelins through the machines going wrong in a storm. All the men were saved but two.

The school where I go to give out the milk has to send half their scholars home at half time for they have no teachers. Out of a staff of twelve only three remain.
I mean men of course.

We hear a lot today of the Russian losses. They have a lot of spoil here in Germany and say that the Russians left behind a box of gold with half-a-million gold pieces in it.

I hope to go to Woltershausen tomorrow. I have had such a deal of worry that I have given all to the lawyer and Herr Grebe to do.

As I came from the police today I saw about thirty Poles (Russian) being taken to the police office with an escort of six policemen. I made enquiries and heard that they are Russian Poles and had left one farm and gone to another to work. They had not asked the police. It will mean either a few days imprisonment or a pretty stiff fine. It’s an awful place to live in. If I went out of here for a few hours I should be the same.

I heard yesterday that if I go to the lawyer for advice then he is bound to report my visit and any business to the police under a severe penalty.
Nice isn’t it?

We got two telegrams saying that China and Japan are going to war and that the Germans have sunk an English troopship with two-thousand men on board. They also report they have sunk a second ship but no details are to hand.

There is a special Thanksgiving Day by order of the Kaiser in all churches, Protestant and Catholic. In Germany they declare ‘God is with us’ after each day of devotion in the churches when they have had a victory. We had our last on February 7
^th
and on the 14
^th
a great fight took place. It was the same after the three days of devotion in December.

I was in Woltershausen. On my return I heard of the loss of two thousand men in England (cannot be true). I read in a weekly paper that the French are in Soissons, not the Germans, though we have had a rejoicing here for that victory.

The reported German gains in the last victory in Russia is over one hundred thousand men captive, many dead, seven Generals, one hundred and fifty cannons, one hundred and fifty ammunition wagons, three Red Cross wagons and a deal of clothing and food, also gold. The last I do not believe as people do not take gold on the battlefield. I also doubt the numbers. The people here believe every number.

I have a map but cannot follow the war for the reports are so confusing.

I had a very busy time at the house in Woltershausen and I sold a great deal of furniture and am glad all is away now. I could fill pages of this book with my experiences but that is not war items.

The bread here is awful and so many people are ill. It’s a treat to get a bit of bread you can eat. Yet they tell us we have enough for three years. I fail to see that. The bakers dare not sell you any yeast and prevent the people baking at home and so having more than three-and-a-half pounds of bread per week. If you have a visitor then you must go to the police and give their name and address and you get a card to purchase another three-and-a-half pounds of bread for your guest. All common tea and coffee is sold out and now there is only the best at the price of four shillings for a pound of tea and two shillings and sixpence for coffee. The people are roasting rye and grinding it for coffee.

So many things are scarce that one fears a famine. They say, ‘No, we can last three years’.

Arthur writes me that he will not get free. I never expected it.

Two thousand men left here for Russia. I think that Germany has had many losses. It’s very sad to see the men going away in crowds and one can scarcely realise the numbers that go from here.

We have read that a regiment of Suffragettes has landed in Le Havre, the French coast, and are to take duties as chauffeurs, telegraphers etc. in the field. I was glad to read it for it shows that the English women are not all talk.

We hear of a few thousand more Russians being prisoners. But we get that news everyday. They also tell us that seven English ships have been sunk and that the Americans are making a deal of fuss over a ship of theirs, the
Evelyn
, which sank either on a mine or by torpedo boat. The Germans say it was a mine.

There is a long article in the papers about a great discovery a chemist has made. He can grind straw so fine that we can use it as flour and it has great nutriment. So we are likely to have straw bread now.

We read for the first time that the English are bombarding the Dardanelles and it seems like old news. They say that they have taken the first forts and have cleared the sea for four miles of bombs and mines.

For the past few weeks here the wounded officers have been very busy in the schools. Every boy from sixteen years of age must present himself (or pay a large fine) at a certain school twice a week for drill. It lasts for three hours each time and they are drilled just like soldiers. One day they were taken into the drilling field and taught shooting lying on the ground. They came home such dirty sights. It goes on each week and they
must
go to the practice.

I got a notice from the police today that I must go and take three photographs and any means of identification I have such as papers. They are giving us our passports. One photo goes to Berlin, one to Hannover and one here. I have one which I took to the police on January 7
^th
on my pass. They seem rather uneasy over the Americans here but still have no fear of losing.

We have announced today a collection for gold from house to house. Anyone found keeping a store in the house will be severely punished. I have not seen any gold since August.

I hear also that the Red Cross Society is in a low condition. It will be dreadful if that has no funds as so many people rely on it for food.

Today I got a letter from dad posted on the 8
^th
February and all is well at home, thank God. He writes me that Kittie is engaged to be married. I do hope that all is well with her. But she has Joyce close by. It does seem strange to think of her married. James and Kittie were the two babies and it makes me feel so old. Ettie also sent me a note. She says that baby Joan is just like a beautiful doll. I do long to see them all and to read of the Canadian news. I have not heard of our Kittie since she wrote off the boat and I often feel uneasy. I think of her scores of times a day. We were together for a week. It was the first week in March last year. All on our own and I stayed with her in Stockport. It is a pleasant memory now. One does not value those days until one has a time like this.

It is now eighteen weeks since Arthur left me here alone and it is like eighteen months. What must it be like for him? I sent him a parcel today and he tells me they are not allowed to write so often now. I shall only get a postcard or one letter a week.

I had a long chat with the agent today, Grebe, and he told me that Germany had lost one million men. He said the war would last certainly another twelve months. If it was over next August, he said, that would be the soonest. It makes me feel ill to think of it. I do not think, myself, it can hold out so long for so many things are failing.

There is a notice in the papers today saying that no fat of any description must be used in the making of soap as it all must be used for foodstuffs. The notice also asked the people to limit their food for the new potatoes will not be ready before July. I think they fear a famine and the begging of gold this last two months has been each day. Banks and shops give you an extra six pence if you give them gold, i.e. sixpence on one pound sterling.

I heard today of an artist, English and lived in Goslar, who is now in Ruhleben. His wife and child are reduced to want. I wish I knew them. A lady here told me of them and said that a few German ladies sent her a few shillings a week to live on and that she went out cooking and sewing. She will not be able to send her husband any luxuries. I mentioned him to Arthur and I hope he finds him. But there are so many in Ruhleben.

It is very bad to go in a place of business as the regular men are at the front and the new ones are strangers to the trade. In our hotel we have six waiters, a boots, and a coachman and all have been changed four times with the exception of the head waiter and one young one. When one goes into the army we get another and in a few weeks he goes away. And so on. The head waiter is in delicate health, also the young one. That is why we keep them.

The proprietor, Herr Roeder, has been called up twice but has managed to return. So many businesses have been closed because the proprietors are at the front. In Hamburg the state has had to appoint a manager for many an English works. The owners are prisoners and there is no one left to work the business. I met a Mr. Prahl, a relation of ours, he was in England for four years and he has a business (shipping) in Hamburg. He has not turned over a penny since August 10
^th
and his capital is in England and he can get none. He is in a fix. He prophesies many a bankruptcy after the war is settled. I feel so sorry for him.

It is ridiculed here that the Turks have lost four forts at Constantinople - ‘Another English lie’

Now our bread is weighed out to us. I would not care how little we got if only it was good. Each person gets half-a-pound of bread per day and no more. Not white bread, just the German rye bread and it is mixed with potatoes etc. It is very heavy to digest.

We got an English paper of the 18
^th
of February and were delighted by it. We read that the Americans are for England. At this date here they say all the American sympathy is for Germany. Again we do not know what to believe.

There is great laughter here. They tell us in the papers that the 4
^th
March was a great day for them. The stupid foes made such blunders. Firstly, an English ship, full of guns and ammunition, was crossing to France but before the men would sail they had to make them drunk. The consequence was that they lost their way and landed their ship in Ostend. It sailed right into the enemies’ hands. Secondly, the French mistook a convoy of French prisoners for German troops and fired on them killing them all. So they killed their own men. Never can they forget this March 4
^th
for the laughter it caused them. They freely state this in the papers. The people believe that the English soldiers have refused to cross the Channel as they are afraid of the undersea boats. Therefore the fall of Paris is not a long time off for there is a shortage of soldiers.

Many thousands of German soldiers are being sent to Constantinople on Saturday for the defence. They are to travel overland so there must be some truth in what they say about the bombardment of the Dardanelles though it is, to a certain extent, denied here.

We have a telegram today saying an undersea boat, the “
U8
”, has been sunk by an English torpedo boat. But the Germans must remember that they have taken twenty-eight English and French ships since the blockade of the 18
^th
began.

Things are pretty scarce here and there is an announcement in the papers saying there will be no bread sold for three days. Also that from the morning of the first day no one can lay in a store.

The clothing for soldiers is running short and they are wearing such dirty patched clothes which I have never seen before. All are different coloured overcoats with the numbers on the arms. Green, black, blue, brown, all the colours of the rainbow and of course it is not as good a cloth as the general military cloth. It’s a blessing the worst of the winter is over for the poor soldier’s sake, especially if we are so short of wool.

Our Kittie’s birthday - I wonder how she is and if she and Joyce are together.

During Lent here there are special sermons on the war by order of the Kaiser and the churches are full. There are confessions every morning during Lent from six o’clock until seven-thirty and in the evening from six till nine. Sunday morning included.