The Advice of Driekruis

Until the moment when the positioning and concentration of strategic reserves are considered completed, the German tactics on the Eastern Front, which until 24 hours ago were characterized in various sectors by stubborn trench warfare and heroic defense of key positions, will have a highly mobile character. This means that the German troops will now attempt to hinder the advance of the Red Army and locally intercept it through rapid counterattacks and flanking threats. The first symptoms of this radical transition from partial trench warfare to general mobile warfare are the evacuations of several cities in the last 24 hours, notably Lemberg, Lublin, Jaroslavl, Bialystok, and Dunaburg. Those who usually follow the course of military operations on the map will therefore still be able to note many movements in western directions in the coming days! However, it seems prudent for them not to use ink to make these notes but rather… pins that they can reposition in another direction when the time comes … – July 29, 1944

Friend Driekruis gives a good advice:
Don’t use ink, but pins,
For otherwise you spoil your map.
When soon the German heroes

Prosperously head back east,
You can move them again,
But if you’ve used ink,
It can‘t be prevented

Your map becomes a jumble
Of crooked and scratched lines,
You almost get confused,
Because they don’t disappear.

The pins are quickly put back,
While ink lines remain,
Whoever is skeptical, should
Therefore make sure not to write on the map.

I, however, am an optimist
And will continue to use my ink,
I think Driekruis is mistaken.
Where the lines once were

No Kraut will come there anymore,
Except then as captives,
For Driekruis it’s probably mean,
But we, we long

For Germany to lose soon,
And the chances are great.
For Driekruis, it will be a bit sad,
But we – we will dance.