a voyage back in time

ernestlebourru

ernestlebourru

New member
Bonjour
a pic of my last visit on a ww1german site ,in Lorraine ,France...
Ernest
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I am planning to revisit the utter south east sector of the front in May, from roughly the Col Donon, St. Dié, southward over the Tetes de Faux, Collet de Linge, Col de Bussang, the Route des Cretes, the Route Joffre, the Hartmanswillerkopf, Belfort and Altkirch.
As you perhaps now can imagine my curiosity, Ernest, please, can you be a little more specific about the exact location in the Alsace Lorraine sector?
:-? Please name a nearby village, and I will find out the rest for myself.

Thanks a lot for sharing these pictures with us, Ernest!

Pierre
 
Thank you very much for your quick answer. How can one be more exact, than you did, Ernest? :D

By the way, a little off topic, did you visit also the fountain in nearby Pont a Mousson, which used to be an Amercain dressing station during the conquest of the St. Mihiel Salient? Anyway Pont a Mousson was one of the places in my planning to stay during one or two nights.

Thanks a lot again, Ernest! :D

Pierre
 
there are still many fountains in existence today in this sector, some are in still to be discovered deep in the woods, others are in villages, are you talking about the fountain located in a village called "Flirey"
 
no, sorry, it is German slang, I am unable to translate it in its entirety, but I assume it might be a satiric remark about French troops since there's "franzosisch" in the text....
 
I have been in Flirey as you can see here on one of my pages about the St. Mihiel Salient, http://groups.msn.com/TheWesternFrontWW1/buttedemontsec1.msnw .

It seems, we are colleagues or fellow travellers along the Western Front, Ernest. :thumb up:

I meant the fountain on the Central Place in the little town of Pont A Mousson, I once visited, unaware still of it's historical importance. Alas, I don't have any pictures of myself of the fountain in Pont a M., but with your inspiration ( it is on the route to the Alsace) I am planning a little detour! So, perhaps in june I can show you a picture?

Do you have a picture of the inscriped German text, token from a more frontal angle? I have been trying to read it, but did not succeed to decipher it all. I myself of some of my contacts in Germany might be able to translate the interesting text.

Good luck, Ernest.

Pierre
 
this sector of Flirey was my favorite place for my passion,i have recognize many places on your pics :)
here is another pic of this bunker
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This picture should do the trick, Ernest! :)
Now I can try to decipher the text and translate it.
Give me some time and I will report later, if I or my German contacts have succeeded.
Thanks Ernest! :)

Pierre
 
Ernest and others, who may it concern.
I have been analyzing the text on both pictures. The right half of the text is very difficult to read. The text is a poem in it seems a German dialect about the bunker it self: "I am from the best German material from Iron and Cement".
Later on I will translate as possible the whole text correctly.

For now the original German text, as how I have deciphered it. Perhaps some of you detect a misinterpretation. Please, correct me where and if I am wrong.

Thanks,
Pierre.

Ick schlach für dusend Jahre Sege Gansen dräu dat kennt

Bin beste dütsche Waore Ut Isen und Cement

Loat de Franzosen scheten Met Bombens und Schel.....

Mi döht dat nich verdreten Ick schütte blos der Feind.............

Ick wachte bis zerstauben de Gegners wilde Scheih.....

Ick kann mir dat erlauben Ick schlach hier dusend Jahre
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Dear Ernest and Pierre:

Firstly, welcome Ernest. If I was remiss in saying so earlier, I genuinely admire these contributions. Along with Stijn, whose excavations at the Pond Farm have been fascinating, you three explorers have provided a fascinating, albeit rare, glimpse at how the legacy of "man the builder" has outlived his proclivity for shedding blood.

I wish I could walk those fields and woods with you.

Best wishes,

Chas.
 
Both languages are not my native language. And the German lingo is old fashioned and poetically meant. My provisionary translation.

Pierre


I slaughter (massacre) for thousand years of Victory ( “Sege”?), as everybody over there that knows.

( I) Am (made) from the best German (?) materials, from iron and cement.

Let the Frenchmen shoot with bombs and shells(?)

It will not make me sad, I just shoot down the enemy

I wait until the pulverization of the wild …. of the opponent

I can allow myself that, I slaughter for thousands years
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I am grateful for your comment, Lost Skeleton. It is a pleasure for me to share my experiences from my fronttrips in this forum.
Besides that a lot of you guys have been very helpful with answering some of my questions.

So, speaking for myself: it is my pleasure and I am glad that I get a response like the one of yourself here!

Thanks, Lost Skelton!

Pierre :)
 
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