Dietrich: Yes of course, Wilhelmina is a dear friend and I am happy to allow you some time. Her daughter is always welcomed in this home, and you being her friend are fine as well.

Can I ask how you came to be in an Assault Gun group?

Dietrich: Yes, it was the start of the war when I finished school and was sent to the labor service to fulfill my obligation. I will tell you that I did not like it, as many young boys did not. We wanted to get into the war. You could leave early if you volunteered and many did. I was among those who, being from the Ostmark [Austria], I wanted to be a mountain soldier and was quickly taken by the army mountain troops. I was close to home and in my element. During this time at the school a new weapon was emerging, the mobile artillery, and that caught my interest. I met a very persuasive friend who was part of this new branch, and I was talked into transferring. Although I must add he did not need to give a lot of convincing. I was sent to the school in Jüterbog [north-eastern Germany] to learn all about this weapon, and to master everything about them. You know this weapon was at first meant to be support for the infantry, to knock out bunkers and resistance nests. Later on in the war we were retrained to become tank hunters. It was at this time the weapons came into their fame; we were deadly to the enemy, inflicting heavy losses on all fronts.

Can I ask when it was that you came to the front?

Dietrich: Yes, it was in the spring of 1941 that all the military training and technical training was finally done for me. I was posted to the Stug Unit 185 [Sturmartillerie-Abteilung 185 (185th Assault Gun Brigade)] under Major [Friedrich Wilhelm] Lieckfeld. We were moved to the north side of the front that was soon to open against Stalin. It was called Army Group North and on June 22nd 1941 we moved into the Baltic States to free them from the red army.

What was the opening of the war with Russia like for you?

Dietrich: I don't really recall how I felt about it but I think I was full of hope and optimism back then. We were told that Stalin was oppressing these people and that they needed to be freed from Bolshevism. I remember the people did greet us as their liberators, I remember that well as they handed us flowers. We started our march and there was very little contact with the red army at first. Then we came upon large forces that were scattered. We also captured large supply bases with much fuel and weapons. The first wave of attacks had broken their lines and forced either surrender or retreat. I remember the civilians cheering us as we moved captured soldiers to the rear. I was thinking to myself that this is going to be an easy time if it stays like this. The people would call us to stop so they could offer water, as it was very hot and dusty. They gave food, water and flowers. If you were lucky a pretty girl would offer a kiss as well, the men tried to sneak two or three.

We moved very fast I recall, at times having to be called back. Our supplies could hardly keep up. One time we attacked a column of Soviet trucks and took all the fuel so we could keep going. We told the ones who surrendered to wait for the others, I always wondered if they waited. All through this area it was the same scene, the Soviets would put up a fight, then break and run. We would capture a town and the people would throng to us, thanking us for freeing them. In one town we came to they rose up and killed the soldiers themselves with old weapons. We would stay with the people at night, that was a good time. We would be ordered to stop and rest for a couple of days to catch up on repairs and so forth. The townspeople always put on a feast and party for us. There would be much eating and good times. I sometimes wondered if we really were at war.

It was not until that July and later that we really started to run into trouble. Once we broke into Russia the reinforcements from the east started coming. They would have better defensive lines that would take coordinated assaults with Stukas to break. Our unit was directed up towards the Leningrad front, and the armor became more common. They had some large numbers here but were very disorganized, this allowed our forces to overcome them. It was on that front I was wounded by hits to our gun and finally sent back home for more training in 1942.

Did you go through the winter of 1941-42 in the east?

Dietrich: Yes I was there, and we were given a medal for that time, we called it the 'frozen meat medal'. And you know why they called it that, because it was so damn cold our meat froze in our pants. You had to stuff yourself with any rags or anything you could find to keep warm. Lucky for us we had undamaged villages near our lines and the people helped keep us warm. We did have to go out and gather firewood in temperatures as low as -40 below. Pulling guard duty had to be limited as well; it was so cold at times that water would freeze in the air when thrown. I saw some soldiers who had gotten frostbite due to worn socks or lack of warm clothing. In a sad instance I even saw our men take warm clothing from prisoners who were being moved west. This was forbidden and the clothing was returned. The men were told to use blankets and uniforms from the dead. In one village we were in, we stayed in a garage of a mechanic. He had a big homemade stove and it warmed the place very well.

We had to keep it secret so more men did not make it unlivable due to space. We kept it even more secret when a home was burned down by careless soldiers using their oil lamps. The family had to be put up in an already overcrowded home. That was our life during that winter. We had to find ways to keep warm as best we could. The engines would not start, weapons froze shut, it was miserable. Stalin was smart, he had ordered the red army to burn and destroy everything in their retreat path. Houses, towns, farms, fields and wells were destroyed. The goal of course was to deny us their use. It also burdened the civilians whom we then had to care for, sapping our already stretched supplies. To make this even worse, the Soviets launched counter-attacks in the north to save Moscow. This caught us by surprise and they tore through our weak and lightly defended lines. We had to fight hard to repulse these fresh troops; one good thing was they were well dressed and supplied. Men had to take their warm boots and uniforms when they fell.

At this time we had lost some in our unit, and others became sick so it was a very hard time. Our leaders did well by staying out with us to show they were bearing our burdens and not hiding. It became so cold that for a few weeks it was calm. All each side wanted to do was stay warm and survive the brutal weather. There was even a report I heard where Soviet soldiers traded for items in a quiet area. I never saw this but I could see it happening. As I mentioned, I was wounded and this caused me to be sent back home which led to a training course that lasted a while as I thawed out.