Diary of Annie's War by Annie Droege Page A

here for they have always ridiculed the Suffragettes.

    Annie (Drummond) Dröege
1874 - 1940

    Arthur Joseph Dröege
1871 - 1950

    28th & 29 January 1915
Annie details German hatred for the enemy.

    Annie and Winnie 1913

    John Drummond with his eight children 1912

    l - r back Jim … Kitty … Gertrude's husband … Will's wife
l - r middle Esther … Jack … Will … George … Gertrude
l - r front Arthur Droege … John Drummond … Annie

    Annie and ‘Uncle’ George at the Roder-hof
4.8.1913

    Annie, Arthur and Winnie in the Kioister Wald
6.8.1913

    Annie, Arthur & ‘Moor’

Tuesday 16 th February.
    We hear of a great German victory in Russia by Königsberg and now there are no more Russians in Germany. She is free of the enemy and all have been driven to their own land again.
Wednesday 17 th February.
    Great rejoicing over yesterday’s battle and bands are playing. The results are published. Fifty thousand prisoners alive, many thousands have been killed, one hundred and ten large guns and large stores of clothes and food stuffs.
    We have received a paper from London today and it is of the 30 th of January. We are very much surprised to read that the Germans are not in Soissons. Here they say they are and have been since January 15 th . One scarcely knows what to believe.
Thursday 18 th February.
    We are almost afraid to read the telegrams today for the papers are sure of a great sea battle. They say that yesterday they sunk three ships, one coal boat, and two food and goods ships and also that a large English man-of-war is injured. We scarcely know what to think, or whether to believe it.
    The bread is awful. I heard at school today that the teachers have to go to all houses and see how much foodstuffs the parents have in hand.
    We read today that in Russia the government has taken from the Germans all their food and land. Severe steps are to be taken here. I wonder if it will affect us in any way. One never knows.
    The shoemaker told me today that all the hides of animals had to be sent directly to the government for leather and that he could not get any. He said it was not half tanned before it was used and could not last long. They are so short of pairs of men’s boots that cost twenty-two shillings before the war that they are now thirty-five shillings.
Friday 19 th February.
    We hear today that in Belgium the French have suffered severe losses. We also hear that the Germans have lost two Zeppelins through the machines going wrong in a storm. All the men were saved but two.
    The school where I go to give out the milk has to send half their scholars home at half time for they have no teachers. Out of a staff of twelve only three remain. I mean men of course.
Saturday 20 th February.
    We hear a lot today of the Russian losses. They have a lot of spoil here in Germany and say that the Russians left behind a box of gold with half-a-million gold pieces in it.
    I hope to go to Woltershausen tomorrow. I have had such a deal of worry that I have given all to the lawyer and Herr Grebe to do.
    As I came from the police today I saw about thirty Poles (Russian) being taken to the police office with an escort of six policemen. I made enquiries and heard that they are Russian Poles and had left one farm and gone to another to work. They had not asked the police. It will mean either a few days imprisonment or a pretty stiff fine. It’s an awful place to live in. If I went out of here for a few hours I should be the same.
    I heard yesterday that if I go to the lawyer for advice then he is bound to report my visit and any business to the police under a severe penalty. Nice isn’t it?
Sunday 21st February.
    We got two telegrams saying that China and Japan are going to war and that the Germans have sunk an English troopship with two-thousand men on board. They also report they have sunk a second ship but no details are to