A Cavalry Lieutenant’s Diary

The 1st of August 1914. In Germany, war has just been declared against Russia. For the brothers Hannes und Helmut in the hussars, the start of the hostilities played out almost like a tour with friends across the Belgian and French countryside. Hannes writes , “As long as we’re always successful, I think it’s a lot of fun”, and when the Eiffel Tower appears in the distance, he enthuses, “How wonderful it is to be part of it and be allowed to experience all of this”. The young hussars worry more about where to requisition the next bottle of wine the next night than dying.
“You know what then, Helmut. Let’s go and sit ourselves down cosily in your room… stuff ourselves and talk about these times that we’re experiencing when heaven and earth are being moved. It’ll be beautiful, won’t it?”
All went well – until the allied attacks became more intense, the deaths in the ranks of the hussars more frequent.
Then one day in October, under extremely heavy fire, a shell exploded… it was the end of their youth.