Figure 1.--This is a postcard back portrait taken at a German military hospital during 1915. It was located at Bad Ems. This is a Bad Ems is a town in Rheinland Pfalz, Germany. It was a spa and bathing resort on the Lahn River. Thus there were hotels that could be converted to hospitals and convalesent facilities for wounded soldiers. We see several small group photographs. We suspect they are a ward group. We see both the wounded soldiers as the staff. The little girl is probably the child of one of the staff members. We know from the postmark that the photograph was taken some time before July 17, 1915. There is a message on the back. Click on the image to see the back. The writing is not real clear. A HBC reader has provides information here.

World War I brought many innovations in warfare, making the battlefield much more deadly. One important innovation which helped to save many lives was a much greater attention to the medical care of soldiers. Before World War I non-combat deaths often exceeded military deaths. Ambulance services were organized to get wounded soldiers to medical units. Women served in large numbers as nurses. Nursing sisters played a major role. The Red Cross also played a major role. Countless lives were saved because of the measures taken. Because of the number of casualties, large numbers of hospitals and extended care facilities had to be opened to care for wounded and shell-shocked soldiers. Shell-shock is a term which first came into use during World War I. Such soldiers before World War I were generally not treated medically. In addition to military doctors and orderlies. This is a subject that we do not know much about that. We would appreciate any reader comments here.

Bad Ems Military Hospital (1915)

This is a postcard back portrait taken at a German military hospital during 1915 (figure ). It was located at Bad Ems. This is a Bad Ems is a town in Rheinland Pfalz, Germany. It was a spa and bathing resort on the Lahn River. Thus there were hotels that could be converted to hospitals and convalesent facilities for wounded soldiers. We see several small group photographs. We suspect they are a ward group. We see both the wounded soldiers as the staff. The little girl is probably the child of one of the staff members. We know from the postmark that the photograph was taken some time before July 17, 1915.

Germam Script

Our readers tells us a bit about the old Grman script. "Note that the town address was written with Latin letters; the rest is written in the German handwriting style of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century (the Nazis in about 1940 disallowed teaching of this style in school - I myself born 1935 didn't learn it in school; only later I was able/I was asked to use it as formula symbols of enginering (in my Germany university education -. My grandfather (born 1872) used it till his death (1960) in family letters, in work he wrote Latin letters; my grand-mother wrote all the time in the old German style except for official letters (and for me). I suppose that nowadays only about 20 % of the German population is able to read (less to write it) the old handwriting; well, I think this situation is as in the US most people don't know anything of history!)"

Text

Our reader tells us, "well, it was not easy to decipher all of the text, there are holes. Then I tried to translate as far as possible.

German

Feldpost -- Bad Ems 17.7.15-12-1?
An hochw (ohlgeborenen).
Herrn Pfarer
Kirn
Rüdenschwinden
b(ei) Fladungen.
Burg. Ndf.

Umgedreht:
Abs (sender)
Michael ?????
18. Inf ????
?????
Bad Ems

Soeben die verehrte Karte von Ihnen erhalten, das mich sehr freute. Es geht jetzt schon ziemlich besser und denke bis August nach hause fahren zu können. Aber es wäre jetzt Zeit, daß dieser f???? Sch……. ein Ende nehmen würde, ich bin? vom Kopf bis zum Fuß jetzt ??????

English translation

Army field mail -- Bad Ems July 17, 1915 12-1?
To Sir
Mr Priest
Kirn
Rüdenschwinden (A small village at the foot of the High Rhön and is one of the most northerly villages of Bavaria.
near Fladungen (Fladungen is a town in the Rhön-Grabfeld district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Rhön Mountains)
Bad Ems (This is a spa town on the Lahn River. Literally it means castle low village

Right corner up revert:
Sender
Mike ?????
18th. Infantry ???
?????
Bad Ems

Just the honored (?) card from you received, which me very pleased. Now it is already rather better and think till August be able to go home. However, it would now be time that this ???? …… would end, I am from head to foot now ?????

Created: 7:24 PM 11/12/2017
Last updated: 7:24 PM 11/12/2017