New Front near Houffalize.
In Berlin, it is announced that the intensity of the battle in the West has slightly diminished. A new front has emerged on both sides of Houffalize. However, the Allies have not succeeded in cutting off the German troops. The Germans slowly retreated everywhere. It was not a defeated army but an army fulfilling a specific task. – 18-1-45
At Houffalize
They pack their things
At Houffalize, they withdraw.
At Houffalize
They lost it
I read the newspapers and cough.
The newspapers lie:
“Withdrawn,
By no means defeat.
The troops have been
Called back.”
And every German gladly believes it.
“Who dares to complain,
We have been defeated?
Name and shame the pessimists,
The German men
Act according to plans
And thus fulfill a task.”
That we will remember,
Given a task
And this task is called: Withdraw!
We see, they want
To fulfill that task,
We see them go and we rejoice.
At Houffalize
They pack their things.
It seems the Hitler army
Has now received
This task everywhere,
Which it strives to accomplish.
We must admit,
We see them running
In the East, according to plan and task,
Evacuating Poland
As commanded,
Dr. Goebbels keeps lying.
They work eager
And work hard
On what they were assigned,
It’s screamingly funny,
I’d like to scream,
But I remain silent, although I am happy.
Post-Editing: Yvonne Groot
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