The rulers of the Central Powers stumped by Verdun. Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, Mohammed V of Turkey, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, and Czar Ferdinand of Bulgaria puzzle over a map labeled "Verdun." The ink and watercolor drawing is dated March 4, 1916. By R. DLC?The German assault on Verdun began on February 21, 1916 and continued through August.
Illustrated map labeled "Verdun." Drawing dated March 4, 1916. By R. DLC?
"yesterday we heard that 4 fortresses of Verdun were taken. There has been a lot of shooting . . . Maybe this is the end of Verdun and peace will come soon . . . the barbed wire on the other side of the card is French. You can see dead patrols"
Part of the message from a photo postcard of a German trench view of barbed wire and a dead patrol. Dated February 22, 1916, and field postmarked the next day, the message is from a soldier of the 10th Ersatz Division to his uncle, and reads in part, 'yesterday we heard that 4 fortresses of Verdun were taken. This have been a lot of shooting . . . Maybe this is the end of Verdun and peace will come soon . . . the barbed wire on the other side of the card is French. You can see dead patrols . . .' (Translation from the German courtesy Thomas Faust, Ebay's seller Urfaust.) Evidently the author safely reached the French trench line.
Verdun February 22, 2916 German trench view of barbed wire and dead by Soldier 10th Ersatz Division, postcard back, publication date: 1916-02-22
trench view, dead, bodies, February, 1916, 1916-02-22, 1916-02-23, field postmark, feldpost, Ersatz, Verdun, Battle of Verdun, barbed wire
