tex

Der er færdsel her på gaden hver dag. Den ene bil efter den anden med store officerer, også andre vogne af alle slags, train og kanoner. Flyvere ser vi hver dag og i dag mindst 10. Tidlig i morges var der to franske fly over byen. Jeg lå dengang i sengen og der blev et par skud affyret, så husene rystede. Men de forsvandt så i skyerne. Ude ved Fronten har de skudt de sidste to dage. Nu i eftermiddag holder de søndag. P. Klyhn taler jeg næsten med hver dag. Jeg kender nogle, som er i hans Korporalskab og dem har han forbudt at tale dansk. Det er også bleven forbudt her hos os. Men det kommer de ingen vej med. Måske sanker i hø i dag eller holder søndag. Jeg har haft kort fra N. Jollmand. Han skulle ud i den yderste linie. Vi kan måske slippe længe for at komme ud i graven, da det IX Armekorps er i ro, og det er også godt for hver dag der går. Vi hører ingen Regiment til.
Så vil jeg slutte med mange venlige hilsner til Eder alle. Din broder Christian.
Jeg sender en smørkasse I aften herfra.

There are traffic in the street every day. One car after the other with high-ranking officers, also other vehicles of all kinds, transport and guns. We sight aircraft every day and today at least 10. Early this morning two french planes overflew the town. Once I was lying in my bed when a couple of shots were fired, so that the houses shook. But then they disappeared into the clouds. At the front they have been shooting the last two days. This afternoon they are resting, come sunday. I talk to P. Klyhn almost every day. I know some, who are in his charge as a corporal and he has forbidden them to speak danish. It has also been forbidden here. But they will get nowhere with that. Maybe you are gathering hay today or resting, come sunday. I have gotten a card from N. Jollmand. He was to go to the outmost line. Maybe we can be let off for some time, going to the trenches, since the IX Army corps is at rest, and thats also well, for each day that passes. We belong to no Regiment.
As an end, I send my best wishes to you all. Your brother Christian.
I will send a box of butter from here tonight.

I'm not entirely sure that the translation is totally precise - some of the sentences include "figure of speach". And some words from the military domain might have a slightly different meaning in the 1914-1918 era german army, than the present day danish army. And besides, I'm a jolly hobbyist, when it comes to translation. I hope it gets you some of the way though.

FYI: while searching on the net, to get more than a guess for the word "dreilingtøj", it came to my attention that Christian was killed near Somme august 31. 1916 - roughly two months after this letter was written.

Cheers Tex