A caricature series by Boris Yefimov from the 1943 book “Hitler and His Pack”. The series consists of 12 frames and covers the first year of Fritz’ stay in Russia. First published at our Telegram channel “Beorn And The Shieldmaiden”.
Let’s take a closer look at each frame!
1.
— Dear Martha, I’m not saying good-bye, because I’m going to come back in a month. The Fuhrer said that the war would last three weeks. I’ll spend a week in Moscow shops, and then head right back home…
— See you soon, Fritz!.. Remember that the size of my shoes is 38…
2.
— Dear Martha! Russians are a dark and uncultured people who do not know foreign languages. Judging by yesterday, they simply did not read Goebbels’ statement that they no longer have airplanes, guns and tanks… Your Fritz. July 1941.
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🦇 At this point we had to take a break for laughing, as the second frame came to us in Ursula von der Lying’s voice of 2022…
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“Tomorrow we will be corpses”
— A German testimony from an article in Historian Magazine.
General Günther Blumentritt, who in 1941 was chief of staff of the 4th Infantry Army, recalled after the war:
“With astonishment and disappointment, we watched the Russians in late October and early November, realising that they did not seem to care that their main forces had been defeated. During these weeks, the enemy’s resistance only intensified, and the battles became more fierce with each passing day.”
3.
— The weather is hot here. An athlete has awakened in me, and sometimes I run at night, on both short and long distances.… It’s called a marathon steeplechase and without pants. Your Fritz. August 1941.
4.
— Yesterday, I participated in a very fierce attack. Be calm, Martha, your Fritz remains unharmed. If you could have heard how our enemies were running around, how they were trying in vain to get into the air, how I grabbed my opponent along with the guano… that is, with a gun… Your brave husband Fritz. September 1941.
5.
…Russian nature is very picturesque. I am writing to you, sitting in a large birch grove. Many of my friends liked this place so much that they decided to stay here permanently… Fritz. October 1941.
6.
— Dear Marta!… We are preparing for the parade on Red Square in Moscow… We were issued special uniforms… Your protector Fritz. November 1941.
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🦇 Hitler did send special uniforms in the anticipation of a victorious parade in Moscow. The Hitlerite thugs managed to march across the streets of Moscow somewhat later, but not the way they expected.
7.
— It’s been a week now that we’ve been moving west from Moscow.… We took only hand luggage (watches, rings, ladies’ shoes, etc.) with us, while bulky things (tanks, guns, mortars, shells) were deposited in storage. Your fearless warrior Fritz. December 1941.
8.
— If you, fair Martha, could see your Fritz now, how heroically he fights against a numerically superior enemy!… Fritz. January 1942.
9.
— Thank God, the spring reserves have arrived. They quickly became involved in our combat activities. Fritz. February 1942.
10.
— Dear Martha, I’ve already written to you about our spring reserves.… These are fighting guys. Many of them are boldly marching against the Russians without any weapons. Fritz. March 1942.
11.
— …The weather here is so-so right now, dear Martha… There is a lot of precipitation. One can literally not peek out of the window of the hotel that we are currently occupying. Fritz. April 1942.
12.
— Dear Martha!… I want to delight you: firstly, I found for you shoes in size 38, and secondly, I finally got rid of the old rheumatism in both of my feet, which I sincerely wish to our beloved Fuhrer as well. Fritz. June 1942.
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THE END