Handmade German PW Gift Box, article by Peggy Scholberg

In France, early in 1945, their hospital served wounded soldiers from the Battle of the Bulge, with a census of 1,000 per day. Kitchen staff included 16 German PWs, without guards, as every spare man had been sent to the infantry, even at the risk of stealing knives and escaping. The PWs were warm and better fed than if working with a shovel, and scraps of food could be stolen. Their ranking man, Oscar, spoke English, and when Sarge told Oscar what needed to get done, Oscar made sure it was done by the PWs.

Staff also included five French, two Polish, one Russian, and one Greek girl, providing constant communication challenges, and one American GI cook.

Find out how Kathy and the other women managed to feed 1,000 patients a day out of a kitchen in a renovated horse barn in Girls in a World at War.

Book Excerpt:

In strode a handsome German PW, the picture of Hitler’s superman vision. He marched stiffly, his head high.“Lieutenant, der coal truck ist heer.” He spoke in thick accents.

There was no need for him to tell a dietician this.“Rolf, get out of here. Go tell the mess sergeant,” Vivienne curtly issued orders to the PW.

The German smiled at Vivienne as though assured his smile would captivate her. It didn’t. He turned this superior smile on Kathy. She resisted the impulse to slap the smile off his arrogant face. Instead, she ignored him by turning her attention to the papers on her desk. He stood beside her, took a photograph from his wallet, and placed in front of her a picture of a large brick house.

“Das ist mein house. Mine father president of the Zeist company.” He waited for her to respond to the name. When she continued to look at her papers, he continued. “I am shtorm troopah.”

“You’re proud of storm troopers?” Vivienne stood, raging to face him. “Proud of killing French and Polish and English? Of killing Russians and Americans? You’re proud of that?”

His smile was as assured as ever.“It vas mishtake to fight Americans.”

Vivienne’s voice was calm with disgust. She ordered him, “Go! Now! Leave! Wash pots and pans.”

His smile froze resolutely on his face. He put his picture back into his wallet and marched out, holding his head high.

The GI cook, a large, no-nonsense man, came to the entrance of the stall.“Is Superman putting on his act again? Should I handle him, Lieutenant?”

“Don’t tempt me,” said Vivienne.

Additional Book Excerpt (9 months later)

When she returned to the mess, three PWs came forward to greet her, their hands behind their backs.

“We had few tools,” Oscar said. His round face was pleasant and intelligent. Where were the Germans who had fought in the war, the ones who had starved Sammy? Oscar smiled. “Only a hammer, a saw, and a file. We made these for you.”

Rolf brought a book rack from behind his back. It was made of polished dark wood, a shelf along which two carved bookends slid into a grooved slot. He handed it to her. A second PW gave her a cigarette case made of hammered aluminum cut from a German plane that had crashed in a neighboring field. Inside the hinge was a spring, wound from the same aluminum, that flipped the lid open. On the lid was etched a fine dog, with deep strokes making his eyes and nose, and delicate strokes making his fur.

Oscar gave her a box made of the hard brown sheets of plastic used for electrical insulation. The corners and hinges were filed and hammered from brass shell casings into three-dimensional curved flowers and leaves. It was an exquisite box. These men, to whom Kathy had scarcely spoken, had transformed scraps into beautiful presents for her. There was certainly something good.

Girls in a World at War by Peggy Scholberg is available online wherever books are sold.