Post B6CsYk2yyVj6fWQ27s by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
(DIR) More posts by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
(DIR) Post #B5dDSIMI6wVsP4f04m by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-04-24T21:37:16.300275Z
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Ch. 7 The Epic of EstoniaGood afternoon, Mr. @Flak88 Did you know Leon's brother had been assassinated? That sounds like something worth looking into.It is absolutely mind biggling that four day long recruits should be shipped off to fight, having never been trained to use their weapons, and without their leader! "They had been given machine guns at the last minute with orders to learn how to use these complicated weapons on their own in the train." Such a stark contrast between worthy, intelligent, White men and the slovenly, stupid, amerimutts that make up our military today. That would be a recipe for disaster, here and now.Leon was shocked and embarrassed that those brave young men should be sent without him and his training. He had been forbidden from returning to the front, he was too valued by Hitler. Yet he persisted, even to the point of defiance before receiving the final word, "Do as you wish."
(DIR) Post #B5nPNsEWRbDJFXHfIO by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-04-25T00:29:58.899311Z
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CH. & The Epic of EstoniaGood afternoon @ShowMeYourLibrary Feels so strange to type a chapter number again, fingers hardly remember the motion.No, I had not heard of it either. Losing a sibling to coward terrorists is unimaginable. The strength to move on after that is another level, most certainly missing from the modern population. Apparently Edouard Degrelle was shot and killed by four assailants who broke into his office and gunned him downat his desk. Looks like 46 were arrested by the Gestapo and three Belgian partisans were executed but the four assassins were never brought to justice. Unwilling to leave his men to face that savagery without him, surely Leon would have been a knight of renown in centuries past. "while above the narrow channel a Soviet squadron appeared in the blue and gold sky." Just wouldn't be Leon at this point if we didn't end the section on another downer now would it?
(DIR) Post #B5nPrPURsItwn9ojpI by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-04-29T19:44:10.198152Z
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BEFORE NARVAGood afternoon, Mr. @Flak88 I didnt make any marks in this short section, but did enjoy Leon's description of the water rolling from the submarine like the back of a whale. "Submarines are like men, however. There are more bad than good ones." That got me thinking, he obviously strove to be the very best man that he could. There were fun descriptions of the countryside and its inhabitants. He was so eager to be reunited with his Walloons after their first ever separation.
(DIR) Post #B5rTYdMBGu7MkH5lwG by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-04-29T23:20:46.123074Z
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BEFORE NARVAand Good Afternoon to you @ShowMeYourLibrary I noted that about the subs as well, it had to be nerve wracking that you could be drowned by the enemy at a moments notice. Returning to civilized life after the war must have seemed so incredibly boring to everyone by comparison.Between color and scene Leon most def had an artist's eye. "and put in at Tallinn...perched on a hillside, the glorious city was outlined by pointed steeples and dominated by it's powerful ramparts." I wanna go to Estonia now, care to tag along? Finding that old gothic barn that could fit right at home in his native Belgium feels like such a moment. A physical example of how two peoples really aren't that different at all, especially when threated by a common and far more alien foe.
(DIR) Post #B5rTYeBaBnEbJh8p3g by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-01T18:44:21.111136Z
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THE GULF OF FINLANDGood morning, Mr. @Flak88 the loss of the Dutch regiment was astounding, and impossible to imagine how the 20 survivors retained the will to carry on.How Leon could consider his troops fresh, with only a three week break after three years of war is entirely beyond my comprehension.Where he begins to describe the twilights, we find confimation of what we have, many times, noted. His soul requires the recognition of beauty to sustain him through the horrors, "dutiful witnesses of beauty, to rekindle our spirits".Yet they go singing into battle. One cannot but help wonder if they were simply better people than exist today.Then "Tartu, whose famous library, whose nicely painted houses, whose art centers, printers, and ancient University we would see go up in flames". ðŸ˜
(DIR) Post #B5txmU5ntkCV0Zs92W by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-02T00:02:13.617547Z
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THE GULF OF FINLANDHappy Friday @ShowMeYourLibrary ,20 out of a unit of 3,000, that's what a survival rate of 2/3rds of a percent? We keep coming back to that word...unbelievable. "The Reds were at the doors of Warsaw." Understandable that even with Poland under direct threat it was still necessary to hold little Estonia for as long as possible. The strategic planners must have felt like they were trying to plug countless holes in the bottom of their sinking ship. "These iridescent evening that died in the tumult of reds and purples, these nights spangled with stars that called to one another, the cool solitude of the crystalline dawns were doubtless given to us soldiers, dutiful witnesses of beauty, to rekindle our spirits before the howling days when bodies would be torn apart and souls would grasp on the threshold of great departures." You'll have to forgive me for typing out the whole thing. It really does summarize this whole adventure doesn't it? Looks like Tartu University Library was a hoppin' place in it's time.
(DIR) Post #B5txmVG7Ys30crhtlA by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-02T23:32:29.912156Z
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FACE TO FACEGood afternoon, Mr. @Flak88 we open our section with more beautiful descriptions of fragrant firs, rosy glimmers, and wild blueberries. Then on to praise of his fellow soldier; clear-headed, daring, robust, joyful, strong, gregarious, and tireless. I do hope this does not portend an imminent tragedy. Can you even imagine the Estonian guard, bringing their wives? While there may be a certain comfort, it seems the danger and distraction would outweigh any benefit. "Theoretically two friendly divisions were in contact... At any rate, Don't count on them, and be ready... to close off a sector 40km wide... with six handfuls of men." It seems the odds are never in their favor.
(DIR) Post #B5u0LX4L1XGIHc1iIy by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-02T23:55:25.206682Z
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FACE TO FACEHappy Saturday @ShowMeYourLibrary I find myself torn on the Estonian guardsman question. On the one hand of course I wouldn't want my loved ones to be anywhere near situations like these. But on the other side of the coin, I'm sure when it feels like the end of the world, having them even just slightly beyond arms reach would be unbearable when the end can be both swift and sudden. "Our soldiers stole crouching through the ripe wheat, drying in the burning afternoon."
(DIR) Post #B605thVqMltNEqlPxA by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-05T22:31:44.634983Z
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THE MILL OF PATSKAGood afternoon, Mr. @Flak88 Leon's description of "The minutes before hand-to-hand battle" are quite chilling.The imagery of the giant Russian officer, calm and fearless, before he fell, stirs a bit of respect, enemy or no. Then the commander of Leon's brother company, hanging on to his anti-tank gun and fighting the enemy for the last twenty minutes as his life slowly drained away. These men were incredible. "...the average life of an officer at the front was three months."Last section Leon was told that while reinforcements were planned, he should not count on them, and be ready. So it is no surprise that they never came. And while a note of congratulations would be cited in the General's report to headquarters, I imagine everyone would have preferred to keep the few measly tanks they had at the beginning of the battle.
(DIR) Post #B60DHvr5OLboLnCXMO by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-05T23:53:48.235855Z
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THE MILL OF PATSKALady @ShowMeYourLibrary good afternoon to you. I noted that line too, can't imagine what it feels like to know you are about to be fighting for your life at arms length. A sobering perk of living in a civilized society I suppose. "My soldiers were hidden...as still and silent as deadwood." Tragically poetic that bit. The giant was certainly a reminder that the enemy has champions of his own, it's not only the good guys who can accomplish wonders. I remember a similar statistic when watching Europa, simply staggering. Those SS officers really do seem to be as close to superhuman as you can get, accomplishing amazing feats for comrade and country until their very end. I certainly hope that all those silver foxes were adept at evading grubby Soviet paws.
(DIR) Post #B6CRQGZ80Nt29dBlom by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-11T21:29:26.184321Z
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KAMBJAGood afternoon, Mr. @Flak88 I took three major impressions from this section.The panic that sent the Estonians fleeing through the streets herding, carrying, pushing their farm animals along with them, even to the point of injury to escape the terror of the "civilized, democratic, Soviets". Their fear so clearly justified at the arrival of the Soviet aircraft that indiscriminately gunned down men, women, children, and animals. Yet, "Everyone preferred the exodus and machine-gun fire to Soviet enslavement."In spite of the wounds caused by (these) exploding bullets, morale remained high. Brave men, smiling around the butts of bloody cigarettes, held to their lips by their fellow soldiers, as Leon made his way among them, decorating them "right on the ground where they fell".Leon's eagerness to remain with his soldiers in spite of Himmler's stern warning to General Wagner that he would be held personally responsible for Leon's safety. Leon, not to be deterred, waited until morning to sneak off in his little Volkswagen. "I was on a collision course with them without knowing it."
(DIR) Post #B6CeegVfdmoA4qmFOq by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-11T23:39:30.825124Z
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KAMBJAGood afternoon @ShowMeYourLibrary.How do these men do so much with so little. Assaulting the enemy, looking after eachother, doing their best to protect innocent civilians...all on 10min blocks of sleep. The idea of these innocent families fleeing savage hoards of Turks and Mongols is just heartbreaking. It must have felt like the end of the world to them because it was. Machinegunning innocents from the sky, but we are expected to believe they were the good guys. A laughable position to hold today. "The Communists had to be stopped. They stopped them." Really shows the power of fighting for a cause that a man believes in vs. for just a piece of cloth that flaps in the wind. It sure wouldn't be Leon without ending on yet another ominous foreboding statement. No wonder you like him so much😜
(DIR) Post #B6CmocWI85caEQJfKy by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-12T01:29:10.663617Z
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LEMNASTIGood evening Mr. @Flak88. ...and a morning never to be forgotten. Flying into the face of chaos Leon, "leading by accident", turns everyone around in an instant with his daring strategy. An immediate counter-attack, honors without delay, and the element of surprise. The Soviets respond like playground bullies when the quiet kid has had enough. Oh! look at the pretty cannon... no artillery. But wait! found some.Imagine General Wagner's surprise to be informed of the situation, by the man who was supposed to be safe under his protection. (Leon: we need tanks and planes, now! Wagner: we need time, hold on!) The same conversation again and again. Leon returns to the fight with an almost divine sense of faith that he will not fall that day. His bravery glaringly contrasted against the fate of the Estonian officer whose courage had been spent. Then, just when all seemed lost, Stukas! and burning, flipping, retreating enemy tanks. Followed by the greatest of honors."Thus ended a casual drive on the highway from Estonia to Latvia." Yes sir, I do luv me some Leon.
(DIR) Post #B6CsYk2yyVj6fWQ27s by Flak88@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-12T02:32:27.469882Z
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LEMNASTIGood Evening Lady of the Library.An exquisite summary so I'll only add what little I can. All the hardships of war we have seen so far and now a new one joins the list, storing extra clips of ammo in one's boots. Those poor little Belgian beans must have suffered so.A field gun left but with no shells to fire, the tragedies just don't stop do they?The Estonian's fate was poetic indeed, had he been checking in on his men instead of cowering behind a greater man's toes he may have survived the day.(Rudel's story is also very good, not near as brutal as Leon's thankfully)
(DIR) Post #B6EkhFnyNBnoACrl1k by ShowMeYourLibrary@nicecrew.digital
2026-05-13T00:14:51.566098Z
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Will you kindly take the lead on this next section, sir?