Title: My Father’s Iron Cross: Field Post Letters from the Front
Author: Renate Becker & Helmut Becker-Wildenroth
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing LLC
ISBN: 978-1-64361-726-8
Pages: 196
Genre: Biography & Memoir, Historical
Reviewed by: Jason Lulos

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A soldier’s letters are a precious commodity, especially the further back one goes into history. They offer compelling personal insights; the soldier’s intimate perspective of war. In My Father’s Iron Cross, Renate Becker and Helmut Becker-Wildenroth have compiled their father’s letters, detailing his experiences in World War I. The authors provide historical background and footnotes to contextualize Fritz Becker’s experiences. But the real gems are the letters themselves. Through them, we come to know Fritz’s progression from young idealist to seasoned realist. Yet, for as much tragedy as Fritz faces, he consistently comes back to hope and faith, qualities that would win him the Iron Cross and give him the tools to carry on after the war.

Fritz Becker’s first letter comes from his station at Kevelear. His prose is marked by profound patriotism, pride, and optimism. In this letter, (to his parents and siblings) he selflessly offers comfort and encouragement to his family, humbly adding that he is a top soldier in his division and that they, therefore, need not worry. As Fritz travels from Germany, through Belgium, and to the front in northern France, his outlook changes. At the start, he is inspired. But the horrors of war with destroyed villages, corpses, mass graves, hunger, sleep deprivation, anxiety, etc., do take a toll on him and this is reflected in the progression of his letters.

While stationed in Douai, France, he tells of how his relationship with Adele (presumably romantic) ended in Kevelear. Although hurt, he relates it with a kind of reserved stoicism that speaks to the changes in his perspective. Marching farther into France, he comes to know the physical and mental exhaustion of trench warfare. However, while he has changed from an inspired young man to a more stoic realist of a soldier, he somehow manages to retain some of his initial hope and faith. Commenting on the strange duality of being faithful to God while being at war, he writes “One should hardly think that the same soldier, who trembles with fury towards the enemy, could pray so piously as a child. The same brown fists, which kill at the front, clasp piously the rosary. Who sees this, knows with certainty that such an army wins, and must win.”

The authors provide a German translation, photographs, and their father’s documents. I had only wished there were more of Fritz’s letters. However, we are lucky to have anything at all. These letters offer a poignant glimpse of his life in the trenches and his ongoing need to stay connected to his family. Fritz Becker eventually suffered a severe head wound which required nineteen months of rehabilitation. And despite residual physical and mental effects, he went on to have a successful career as a mechanical engineer and a teacher. His children compiled this book to honor their father but also to offer encouragement to veterans of all wars: that, like Fritz Becker, they can also go on to lead meaningful, prosperous lives. My Father’s Iron Cross: Field Post Letters from the Front is an interesting and informative book. I learned about the difficulties of daily life during this time period, as well as some of the hardships of war. It’s great to be reminded of a time when we were patriotic and wanted to serve our country and how our faith can help guide us. This book offers hope and inspiration within these pages.