The sun., 1915-03-14
lyon HINDENBURG"
IS A BEST SELLER
Biography Of Commander Tells
Of His Baptism Of Fire
in 1865.
WRITTEN BY BROTHER

Special Correspondence TO The srS.
BERLIN, Via London. Feb. 2b.-oer-
many's best seller" is a biography OF
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg.
Bernhard Won Hlndenourg has put
into book form some intimate remin,s-
cences Of his brothers youth. especially
OF tho days when. as young lieu-
tenant. he fought IN the war OF 1895,
and later in the Franco-Pr,,ssian war.
The author OF the book Is we'll known
in German literary circles under the
pen name bernhard Won Burgdorfr"
Probably the most interesting part of
the book is collection Of letters sent
by Gen. Won Hindenburg to his parents
from the front during tho two wars.
few days before the outbreak Of
the war of 1866 Hindenburg wrote:
1T is high time for the Hlndenourvs
10 smell powder. Our family has been
singularly neglected in that respect"
Less than week later he wrote:
Sorry as I am for not having had an
opportunity to soc you once more be-
fore going to the front, am happv.
on the other hand. when I look into the
future. so full OF promise and real
life. For soldier war is the normal
thing. and I know that God watches
over me.
"If die IL viii be the most beautiful
and most honorable death: ~ am
wounded will have done my best and
II return unharmed 90 much the
better"
In another letter written a few day.
later Hrdenburg said;
"My highest aim has been reached
I have smelled powder have heard
the bullets whistle. all lends o. them,
grenades, shrapnel. rife bullets I have
been slightly wounded and therefore
am an Interesting personality, I cap
tured five cannon, Hurrah,
Above all. however. my beloved par
ents, | have experienced Gods love and
mercy, 20 Him be glory into eternity.
Amen"
Soon after this was written linden
burg came within an inch OF being killed.
lie describes his experience as fol.
lows.
"a bullet pierced the eagle on nv
helmet. struck my head withou, wound.
ing me severely and came out behind
the eagle. fell unconscious my men
gnthered around me. thinking me dead
Half an inch deeper and the bullet would
nave penetrated Into the brain and 7
would oe living on tho battlefield"
vivid description OF the feei.ngs O,
soldier during his first battle ia given
IN another letter as follows:
III had 70 describe the feelings that
permeated my soul Just before tho battle
| would say they were these: f,rst. a
certain JOY that a. last one Is 20 smell
powder, then a hesitattns tfmid..y and
doubt whether. as a young soldier. ono
will do his duty sufficiently and come
up to expectations.
Then. II YOU hear the frst bullet,
whistle tthey ara always accompanied
by laundering 'Hurrahs") you are car
lied away bv enthusiasm: yhor,
prayer thought OF the loved ones n,
home and OF tho old name-then: For
ward!
With tho increasing number of
wounded around you the enthusiasm
Yields to a certain cold hloodelness or
even Indifference. The real excitement
does not come until after the battle
when one has to sec tho horrors Of war
In their most ghastly forms 10 describe
this Is impossible. My pen revolts Later
therr VIII be chance to tell n bout this
or that striking feature
On September %. 1870. H,ndenb-rg
wrote.
We are still before Paris in our old
position. from which Wa can hardly
move forward on account OF the forts
The decisive attack. to my mind must
come from the west. from Versailles
toward the Bois de Pouloene To-day
the good defenders OF Paris are shooting
salVos OF hombs--of course without hit
ting any one or anything The good
people AT least want 10 have done every
thing TO defend themselves II had not
so much n do life would be quite com
Portable IN the trenches. The only thing
We are in need OF IL candics"
The chapter Wars IN tho Hindsn-
burg biography is closed by the follow
ing short letter:
January 20. 1871 Hurrah, Paris
has capituated We have occupied three
forts and 81. Denis Truce-and. NAV
God will 1t. soon peace g"