After long, anxious waiting, we received the incomprehensible news of the heroic death of our kind-hearted boy and brother
SS-Sturmmann Johann Strootmann
He fell at the age of almost 19 on March 17, 1944, in the East. He gave his young life faithfully loyal to his oath for his beloved leader. May the foreign soil not weigh heavily on you, dear Johann. Rest in peace, our thoughts will always be with you. In deep mourning: Family Strootmann. Annie and Wolfgang. Enschede. Boekweitstraat 46.
So, my dear Johann Strootmann,
You’re dead, completely dead, man,
Your soul has departed
And your storming is over.
With your nineteen years
You have entered Valhalla.
You belong, we read it,
Now to the heavenly SS.
But I have slight doubts,
You are more likely to go to the devil,
Yes, a Bolshevik sent you
To the Republic of Hell,
One can read in the newspaper
You were kind-hearted
And you served bravely in the storm,
Now the death worm is eating you.
Do you think, my dear Johann,
That this poem sounds harsh?
Why don’t I let you rest?
Unfortunately, I can’t do anything about it.
Because you loved your Führer,
Yes, you killed yourself
In sheer Hitler love,
Joyfully you fell in battle.
At , at ?
You fell somewhere in the East,
Your sept reports it proudly,
And all I can say is: Good luck!
All those who love the Führer
Are destined for death,
That’s why your fate doesn’t move me,
And I wrote you this poem.
Post-Editing: Robert Saunders
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