A German senior lieutenant wrote in a military letter how horrible it was to see all the dead soldiers. There were notes about the dead recruits, how they died and who their doctor had been. The men prayed and cursed the enemies who had killed their comrades, but these “cold wretches” would never see the dead and their empty eyes. Furthermore, the senior lieutenant asked who exactly were the “cold wretches” because every nation saw their enemies this way. The lieutenant repeated that this war had lasted eight months now without any hope for an end so he asked when this terrible massacre would stop, nations would see reason and conclude peace.
(„Die kalten Schufte“, Berliner Journal, 7 April 1915)