Description:

PRISONER OF WAR DIARY OF T/SGT. HAROLD P. SCHICK, CAPTURED AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Most interesting diary kept by T/Sgt. Harold P. Schick, 424th Infantry Rgt., 106th Infantry Division, captured at the Battle of the Bulge and held for over three months at Stalag 9B in Bad Orb, Germany. Schick first "misappropriated" a German soldier or guard''s notebook, 6pp. 8vo., and then commenced making his own entries on Mar. 21, 1945. The orginal German owner had written a song about his home town of Manheim, and makes reference to "Minsk", where he may have once served. The diary is slightly disjointed, as it commences while Schick is a prisoner. Shortly after he is liberated and regains some of his health, Schick describes events leading up to his capture, and his imprisonment. In small part: "...[Mar. 21] An allied fighter plane strafed Stalag IXA killing 12 French prisoners, wounding about 25...[Mar. 25] Picked by guards to go on work detail to fill up crater holes in bombed railroad yards. 1 liter soup and 10 cigarettes extra pay...[Mar. 26] Heavy artillery...News reports Allies 30 miles from Stalag...[Mar. 28] Prisoners were ordered to leave Stalag because of Allies approach. Americans feigned illness, refusing to leave. Guards left Capt. Morgan in charge of camp. French and others left...[Mar. 29] American 6th Armored passed on road in full speed, front of camp. It was declared liberation day...A few rations, G.I., were thrown off passing trucks...[Mar. 31] M.P.s were bringing in German prisoners, Americans were stripping them of watches, rings, money...[Apr. 1] Easter...area was filled with vomiting and dung from overeating...Capt. Morgan said some men were threatening women and children...issued...mail from families, some were 2 yrs. old...champagne was taken from some Germans...chocolate was the most delicious morsel eaten over 106 days...at 10:30 PM men were still cooking and eating...all they could hold...drank and ate out of china ware taken out of the officers barracks...went for a quick shower and delousing...planes were waiting on us [at Giessen]...drew my first clean clothing...sailed to Southampton...my first meal in the U.S....steak, mashed potatoes, ice cream and real milk...". At this point, Schick describes events leading up to his capture, including transit to Europe, deployment, and their surrounding by German artillery and infantry. The unit spiked their guns and surrendered. Transport by train followed: "...Men defecating in helmets, throwing it out a ventilator...parked in the yards at Limburg...10 to 15 bombs came so close it rocked the freight cars...We had a few casualties...Stalag IXB was composed of Russian, French, Italians, Moroccans and Americans, 14 barracks...My feet were frost bitten from lack of circulation and malnutrition...ride in the box car was a freezer...money had no value, bread was traded...ate a 5 cent can of sardines for my 38th birthday...strafing by Allied planes in a plane battle killing three...soup was cut to a canteen per man, bread was cut to seven men on a loaf...Ziegenhain was strafed, bombed, burned all within eyesight of the Stalag...We faked illness...We were accused of passive resistance, the punishment for this was death...American troops passed in front of the camp...2 dog faces came in the camp and were carried on the shoulders of some of the P.W.s..." With full transcript, very good.

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December 19, 2017 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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