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Cpl. Edward Paul Kirschstein
United States Army 335th Company K
from:Madison, OH
Edward Kirschstein was my father. He recently passed away one day after turning 88. He told the family his ordeal of being in prison at Stalag 9C at Bad Sulza. Of course he probably didn't tell us 'everything' since some things he didn't like to talk about. I can't imagine what he went through. He was captured by the Germans after being wounded in the face and lost one eye and a finger. The German doctors did not use any anaesthetic on the prisoners since they left it for their own men so Dad was told to start counting. He remembers getting to #19 before passing out.
Dad was in the Battle of the Bulge that so many of us remember reading about in the History books. He was captured on Dec 21, 1945 along with Jim Harris who also had a face wound. They were liberated by General Patton's Army on May 11, 1945. Dad remembers it well since it was Mother's Day. There was a book that was written about his company and his name is mentioned several times in the book. It is called 'Dear Captain, el,al' by Allan Howerton. The author was also there during the Battle of the Bulge but wasn't in action so he sent inquiries to my dad and Jim Harris and several others so he could write a book about what they went through. He told my dad that the book was written around what he told him. There is another book called 'A Lifetime in Every Moment' by Joseph F. Littell that tells more in debt of what Stalag 9C was like. So much that was told in this book I remember my dad telling about it. It was a very bad place to be at that time. He received the Purple Heart.
It's wonderful to hear from so many other ones that were in this Prison camp. Thank God this prison camp is no longer there since it has been replaced by something else. Anyone that reads this may contact me.
