“I Am Still Here”: Letters from a French POW, 1943–1945
A sequence of letters written under censorship—where what is said, and what is left unsaid, tell two different stories.
These letters were written between 1943 and 1945 by Anatole Deconinck, a French prisoner of war held in Germany during the Second World War. Addressed primarily to a woman in Hondschoote, northern France, they preserve a quiet and deeply personal record of captivity.
Unlike memoirs written years later, these letters were composed in the uncertainty of the moment itself. Their subjects are often ordinary: parcels delayed in the mail, cigarettes, illness, winter clothing, family news, work assignments, and the weather. Yet through these repeated details, a larger picture slowly emerges.
Like much wartime prisoner correspondence, the letters are shaped by censorship. Certain topics are softened or avoided entirely. Health is almost always reported as “good.” Conditions are described sparingly. Emotion often appears indirectly, hidden within routine expressions of reassurance and affection.
And yet, within those limitations, the letters reveal far more than they openly state.
Across the correspondence, subtle changes in tone mark the passage of time. Early steadiness gradually gives way to exhaustion, uncertainty, loneliness, and an increasing awareness of absence. Anatole counts the months of captivity, worries about forgotten letters and lost parcels, reflects on friends who may no longer think of him, and quietly wonders whether the life waiting beyond the camp still exists in the same form.
Again and again, the letters return to the same quiet insistence: that he is still present, still remembered, still connected to the world beyond the barbed wire.
Particularly striking are two pieces written in January 1945: a formal letter and a brief postcard composed on the same day. Read together, they reveal the distance between what could safely be written and what may actually have been lived.
These documents do not provide a complete history of captivity. Instead, they preserve something more fragile and more human: the effort to maintain identity, affection, and hope across years of separation and uncertainty.
The letters are presented below in chronological order, with original images followed by French and English transcriptions.
15 July 1943
Le 15 juillet 1943
Ma douce chérie,
Je suis actuellement à l’infirmerie. J’ai quitté une douloureuse peine hier. Je ne sais pas trop encore car j’ai l’enclavée de la main droite dans un cas assez grave. J’ai eu une petite plaie qui s’est infectée. Le docteur me l’a ouverte, à part ça tout va bien.
Beaucoup de mes camarades sont revenus, aussi j’espère que d’ici un jour ou deux nous nous reverrons. Chérie, veux-tu être assez aimable pour envoyer le compte de leur beau colis du mois de juillet. Il était vraiment une aubaine. Bien reçu, merci !
J’attends ta lettre concernant les intentions de J. Dupont. J’attends surtout pour savoir ce que tu en penses. Je t’ai écrit il y a quinze jours pour te dire ce que je pense.
De toute façon ma chérie je te félicite d’avoir répondu. Tu es déjà un peu rassurée. J’espère que les correspondances quelquefois arrivent. Il me semble que des lettres sont arrêtées. Insiste là-dessus, tu dois les ouvrir et répondre, ce que tu feras sera toujours bien.
Je ne sais pas une chemisette noire. Si tu peux envoyer, envoie encore une chemise pour l’hiver, couleur foncée si possible.
Je suis particulièrement content que Jacques et Marie se portent très bien. Comme d’habitude, le bonjour aux connaissances sans oublier M. Dupont. Des baisers à la famille de Lille.
Bonne santé, avec mes meilleurs sentiments, je t’envoie mes plus tendres baisers.
Anatole
15 July 1943
My sweet darling,
I am currently in the infirmary. I went through a painful episode yesterday. I’m not quite sure yet, as I have a condition in my right hand that became fairly serious. I had a small wound that became infected. The doctor opened it; aside from that, everything is fine.
Many of my comrades have returned, so I hope that within a day or two we will see each other again. Darling, would you be so kind as to send the account for that lovely package from the month of July. It really was a godsend. Received safely, thank you!
I am waiting for your letter concerning the intentions of J. Dupont. I am especially waiting to know what you think about it. I wrote to you fifteen days ago to tell you what I think.
In any case, my dear, I congratulate you on having replied. You must already feel a bit reassured. I hope that correspondence does sometimes get through. It seems to me that some letters are being held up. Please insist on this—you must open them and reply; whatever you do will always be for the best.
I don’t know… perhaps a dark undershirt. If you can send something, send another shirt for the winter, a dark color if possible.
I am especially happy that Jacques and Marie are doing very well. As usual, give my regards to our acquaintances, not forgetting Mr. Dupont. Kisses to the family in Lille.
Good health to you. With my very best feelings, I send you my most tender kisses.
Anatole
Notes:
This appears to be among the earliest surviving letters from Anatole’s captivity, and it carries the tone of initial adjustment. He focuses heavily on reassurance—stating that he is in good health and trying to present his situation as stable, even if that stability is more hopeful than real. The brevity and simplicity suggest both censorship constraints and the emotional shock of early imprisonment.
At this stage, Anatole’s identity is still closely tied to his pre-captivity life. His connection to Simone feels immediate and intact, with little sense yet of distance or change. There is no visible doubt or insecurity—only a strong desire to maintain normalcy and continuity. The letter reads as an attempt to anchor both himself and Simone in a shared emotional reality that has suddenly been disrupted.
1 August 1943
Le 1er août 1943
Ma douce bien-aimée,
J’ai reçu cette semaine ta lettre du 2 juillet qui m’a fait beaucoup plaisir de savoir en bonne santé. Tu dois comprendre que je suis de ton avis concernant ton nouveau poste, il faut essayer. Tu n’as rien à dire au chef que je ne veux pas.
J’ai reçu aussi ton colis. Évidemment j’ai estimé beaucoup les produits. Il y avait le tabac, les cigarettes, les pâtes (je n’en avais pas), le café, le sucre, tout.
Biscuits, cigarettes et le colis était au complet.
Je te remercie du fond de mon cœur.
Je t’embrasse bien fort.
Je suis heureux aussi d’avoir de tes nouvelles et de toute la famille. Je suis comme toi, je crois que la guerre ne durera plus longtemps comme je l’espère. Très bientôt je serai de retour et tu verras comme nous serons heureux.
J’ai bien vu Marcel Valère, il m’a donné aussi de bonnes nouvelles. Il a trouvé Hondschoote, c’est un bon garçon.
Je suis maintenant sur une autre ferme à 5 km de mon ancienne ferme où j’étais si bien. Là encore chère, le bois est très bon comme Maurice Barnes.
La famille de Lille, pour eux je t’envoie mes bons souvenirs, mes profondes affections et mes baisers.
Anatole
1 August 1943
My sweet beloved,
This week I received your letter of July 2, which gave me great pleasure to know you are in good health. You must understand that I agree with you about your new position—you should try it. You don’t need to tell your boss that I am opposed.
I also received your package. Naturally I greatly appreciated the contents: tobacco, cigarettes, pasta (which I didn’t have), coffee, sugar—everything.
Biscuits, cigarettes—the parcel was complete.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I kiss you tightly.
I am also happy to have news of you and of the whole family. Like you, I believe the war will not last much longer, or so I hope. Very soon I will return, and you will see how happy we will be.
I also saw Marcel Valère; he gave me good news as well. He has found Hondschoote—it’s a good place.
I am now on another farm, 5 km from the one where I was before, where I was very comfortable. Here too, my dear, the wood is very good (like at Maurice Barnes’).
To the family in Lille, I send my good regards, my deep affection, and my kisses.
Anatole
Notes:
By early August, Anatole’s writing shows the beginnings of adaptation to camp life. While he continues to emphasize his health and routine, there is a slightly more settled tone, suggesting that the initial shock of capture has begun to give way to a kind of enforced normality. His letters remain cautious and formulaic in places, reflecting both censorship and the need to avoid causing worry.
Emotionally, however, the attachment to Simone remains strong and uncomplicated. Unlike later letters, there is little sign yet of jealousy, doubt, or distance. Instead, the correspondence focuses on maintaining connection through simple reassurances and shared expectations. The absence of deeper reflection may itself be telling—at this stage, survival and emotional stability take priority over introspection.
29 January 1944
Ma chère chère,
Je suis toujours en bonne santé et occupé.
Ta dernière carte date du 8 juillet. Je crois que tu es
toujours à Hondschoote, surtout ne te fatigue pas trop avec tes
élèves. Attends toujours tes colis, je recevrai certainement
tout ensemble comme la dernière fois. On va bientôt entamer une
année de guerre et peut-être que nous serons réunis en 1945.
Bonne santé chère, je t’embrasse de tout mon cœur.
Anatole
My dear, dear,
I am still in good health and keeping busy.
Your last card dates from July 8. I think you are
still in Hondschoote—above all, don’t tire yourself too much with your
students. I am still waiting for your parcels; I will certainly receive
everything together, as the last time. We are soon going to begin another
year of the war, and perhaps we will be reunited in 1945.
Good health, my dear—I embrace you with all my heart.
Anatole
Notes:
This early postcard establishes the tone of Anatole’s correspondence: affectionate, restrained, and shaped by censorship. He reassures Simone of his health and expresses concern for her well-being, referencing her work and daily life back home. The message is brief and careful, suggesting both the limitations of POW mail and his awareness that his words are being read by German authorities. Even at this early stage, he emphasizes routine and stability—key emotional anchors for prisoners.
There is already a subtle asymmetry in their relationship: Anatole has little to report about his own circumstances beyond survival, while Simone’s life continues to evolve. His references to her activities hint at both pride and distance, suggesting that her world is moving forward while his remains suspended.
4 April 1944
Le 4/4/44
Ma Simone bonne année, j’ai reçu avec plaisir ta lettre du 11 mars.
Je suis content que tu es en bonne santé. Évidemment que tout ce que je te dis c’est pour te taquiner.
J’ai une confiance absolue en toi et je t’aime et je sais que tu m’aimes.
Je sais bien que tu avais une faute, c’est de mon devoir de te pardonner de bon cœur et sans arrière-pensée,
mais ma confiance en toi est absolue, tu n’es pas une femme, c’est pourquoi je ne crois à tes rêves,
pas de secret entre nous, n’est-ce pas ?
Dès que je recevrai le colis du 8 mars je te remercierai comme d’habitude, je te remercie beaucoup.
Chère, je te le dis tout de suite, ne m’envoie pas de crème d’orge ni de savon Cadum,
car pour moi c’est toujours la même vie, je ne peux pas m’habiller à neuf.
J’ai profité de mon emploi, j’ai néanmoins manifesté mon désir de repartir en kommando
pour plusieurs raisons et surtout en vue de travailler tout l’hiver.
Je suis occupé à bois pour l’été et pour l’hiver.
Vendredi prochain j’écrirai une carte à mon oncle, je réserve la lettre pour toi,
j’ai raison, n’est-ce pas mon petit ?
Je travaille sans arrêt avec une scie à feuille puisque j’ai un boulot de travaux légers à perpétuité
jusqu’à nouvel ordre !
Il faut se débrouiller n’est-ce pas.
Embrasse toute la famille de Stellem pour moi ainsi que Pierre et Ida sans oublier
le bonjour à Mr Lefort ainsi qu’à tous les amis, n’oublie personne.
Courage ma chère, ce n’est sûrement qu’un moment.
Je t’aime et t’embrasse profondément de tout mon cœur.
Anatole
April 4, 1944
My Simone, happy New Year. I received your letter of March 11 with pleasure.
I’m glad you are in good health. Of course, everything I say is just to tease you.
I have absolute trust in you, and I love you, and I know that you love me.
I know you made a mistake—it’s my duty to forgive you wholeheartedly and without any reservation,
but my trust in you is absolute. You’re not that kind of woman, which is why I don’t believe in your “fears.”
No secrets between us, right?
As soon as I receive the parcel of March 8, I’ll thank you as usual—I thank you very much.
My dear, I’ll say this right away: don’t send me cream of barley or Cadum soap,
because for me it’s always the same life—I can’t dress in new clothes anyway.
I’ve made use of my job; I’ve also asked to be reassigned to a work detail
for several reasons, especially to have work through the winter.
I’m busy with wood for summer and winter.
Next Friday I’ll write a card to my uncle—I’m saving the letter for you,
I’m right, aren’t I, my little one?
I work constantly with a fret saw, since I have a light-duty job “permanently”
until further notice!
You have to manage as best you can, right?
Give my regards to the whole Stellem family, as well as Pierre and Ida,
and don’t forget to say hello to Mr. Lefort and all our friends—don’t forget anyone.
Courage, my dear—this is surely only a passing moment.
I love you and embrace you deeply with all my heart.
Anatole
Notes:
By spring 1944, Anatole’s letters become more intimate and emotionally expressive. He responds to Simone’s teasing or remarks with a mix of affection and vulnerability, insisting on his fidelity while acknowledging the strain of separation. His tone is warmer and more personal than earlier messages, suggesting a deepening emotional reliance on their correspondence.
At the same time, the letter reveals underlying insecurity. Anatole jokes lightly but returns repeatedly to themes of loyalty and emotional exclusivity, hinting at anxiety about Simone’s life outside the camp. The contrast between his confined existence and her relative freedom becomes more pronounced, even if only indirectly expressed.
29 May 1944
Le 29 Mai 1944
Ma Simone Chérie,
J’ai reçu aujourd’hui avec plaisir ta lettre du 27 Avril qui est la onzième arrivée. Je t’en remercie infiniment. Je suis content de savoir que tu es toujours en bonne santé ainsi que toute la famille de Hillem.
Moi je me porte également bien. Je n’ai jamais reçu ton colis du 19 Janvier. C’est probablement perdu, ce serait le premier depuis la captivité, car je ne peux personnellement que déclarer la bonne organisation allemande et leur honnêteté. Tout est donc bien disposé.
En temps de crise, je me console économiquement. Je te demanderai si tu as de la part de tante dans ton colis du 21 Février. La boîte de jambon était arrivée en bon état et était excellente. Remercie au nom de toute la famille de Hillem pour les bonnes choses qu’elle m’avait dans le colis de St Charles il y a un mois.
En me souviens bien et nous nous souvenons que tu es très bien et je compte sur le jour où tout le monde se portera bien. Tu ne me manques pas beaucoup, mais tu es toujours dans mes pensées.
Je suis encore en relation avec une personne nommée Rachel Decoud, elle est à 41 kilomètres d’ici et elle travaille pour moi. Toute la famille de Hillem t’embrasse et pour toi mille baisers.
Je t’embrasse profondément de tout mon cœur.
Anatole
May 29, 1944
My dear Simone,
Today I received your letter of April 27 with great pleasure—it is the eleventh to arrive. I thank you very much for it. I am happy to know that you are still in good health, as is the entire Hillem family.
I am also doing well. I have never received your parcel of January 19; it is probably lost. That would be the first since my captivity, because I can only speak highly of the German organization and their honesty. Everything is therefore well arranged.
In difficult times, I console myself as best I can. I would like to know if you included anything from Aunt in your parcel of February 21. The ham tin arrived in good condition and was excellent. Thank her, on behalf of the whole Hillem family, for the good things she sent me in the Saint Charles parcel about a month ago.
We remember you well, and we hope that you are doing very well. I look forward to the day when everyone will be in good health again. You are not far from my thoughts—you are always in them.
I am still in contact with a person named Rachel Decoud; she is about 41 kilometers from here and is helping me. The entire Hillem family sends you their regards, and for you, a thousand kisses.
I embrace you deeply with all my heart.
Anatole
Notes:
Written just days before the Allied landings in Normandy, this letter captures Anatole in a moment of uneasy calm, still largely unaware of the historic turning point about to unfold. His tone remains steady and reassuring, emphasizing routine, health, and the continued importance of parcels—especially food—as a vital link to home. His praise of German “organization and honesty” is almost certainly shaped by censorship, reflecting the careful language prisoners often used to ensure their letters were delivered. Notably, he mentions a missing January parcel, hinting at growing disruptions in wartime logistics, and refers to ongoing contact with a woman named Rachel Decoud, possibly part of a civilian support network near the camp. Compared to earlier letters, there is a subtle emotional shift here: affection remains, but the writing feels more measured and practical, shaped by long captivity and the need to endure rather than hope too openly.
18 September 1944
18 Septembre 44
Ma douce chère,
Je suis toujours en bonne santé et occupé au même ouvrage comme d’habitude.
Je pense beaucoup à toi ces jours-ci ainsi qu’à toute la famille.
Ne t’inquiète pas, tout va bien comme je te l’ai dit auparavant.
J’espère que tu es toujours en bonne santé et que tout se passe bien pour toi.Nous avons toujours bon courage en attendant le moment où nous serons enfin réunis.
En attendant ce bonheur, je t’embrasse très affectueusement de tout mon cœur.Anatole
(A few tiny gaps smoothed where the handwriting fades, but this is a very clean, formulaic POW message.)
18 September 1944
My sweet dear,
I am still in good health and occupied with the same work as usual.
I think of you often these days, as well as of the whole family.
Do not worry, everything is going well as I told you before.
I hope that you are still in good health and that everything is going well for you.We are keeping up our courage while waiting for the moment when we will finally be reunited.
While waiting for that happiness, I embrace you very affectionately with all my heart.Anatole
Notes:
Written just after the liberation of much of France, this letter is striking for what it does not say. Anatole expresses hope that the family will be reunited in 1945, indicating some awareness that the war is nearing its end. However, his understanding appears vague and cautious, reflecting the limited and often delayed information available to POWs.
Emotionally, the tone is steady but restrained. He continues to send greetings to family members and maintains a polite, affectionate voice. The optimism about 1945 suggests hope is beginning to replace endurance as his primary mindset, even if he cannot yet grasp how close liberation may actually be.
7 December 1944
Le 7 Décembre 1944,
Ma Simone chérie,
Cette année encore comme l’an dernier je viens t’envoyer mes vœux de bonne et heureuse année par écrit. Peut-être que l’année prochaine j’aurai plus de chance et que j’aurai le plaisir de te souhaiter cela de vive voix et d’une manière plus agréable.
Quoi qu’il en soit j’espère que cette année sera meilleure pour toi que l’année dernière.
Tout doucement oui, tu le sais. Dimanche j’aurai 22 ans (ou environ) je ne sais pas exactement, car je n’ai pas le droit de savoir la date. Mais enfin je suis surtout content que tu sois venue me voir. Je te charge maintenant d’une commission auprès de tous les amis sans exception. Je voudrais que tous ceux qui parfois ont une pensée pour moi, car je crois bien que pour beaucoup je suis tombé dans l’oubli, tu leur souhaiteras à tous une bonne et heureuse année.
Quant à toi ma chérie je te dis toujours la même chose: trouve ton bonheur que tu pourras, j’espère bien encore pouvoir goûter à ce bonheur et en attendant celui-là je pense à toi et je t’embrasse fort.
Anatole
My dear Simone,
Once again this year, like last year, I send you my wishes for a happy New Year in writing. Perhaps next year I will be luckier and will have the pleasure of wishing it to you in person, in a more pleasant way.
In any case, I hope this year will be better for you than the last.
Slowly, yes, as you know. On Sunday I will turn 22 (or about that), I don’t know exactly, because I am not allowed to know the date. But in any case, I am especially happy that you came to see me.
I now entrust you with a task for all our friends, without exception. I would like that all those who sometimes think of me—for I believe that for many I have fallen into oblivion—you will wish them all a happy New Year on my behalf.
As for you, my dear, I always tell you the same thing: find whatever happiness you can. I still hope one day to share in that happiness, and while waiting for that, I think of you and embrace you tightly.
Anatole
Notes:
This letter, written in early winter, carries a heavier emotional weight. Anatole reflects on the passing of time and the approach of another year in captivity. He sends New Year’s wishes rather than Christmas greetings, which may reflect personal preference, family tradition, or simply the conventions of his correspondence.
He notes his age—22—and frames the passage of time in terms of what has been lost. The tone is introspective, even slightly weary, as he contemplates both the future and the distance between himself and Simone. While still affectionate, the letter reveals a growing awareness of how long the separation has lasted and how much remains uncertain.
2 January 1945
Le 2 Janvier 1945
Ma Simone chérie,
Comme tu le vois, je suis toujours en bonne santé
et une bonne année en ce premier jour de l’an
et comme tu le dis, pour toi aussi 1945 sera
une bonne année. Pour moi elle est bien commencée
puisque le 30 Décembre j’ai reçu 3 colis, évidemment
on a fait de réveillon et de … coco
ces colis datent du 15, un sur le 18, un du 21
de juillet et d’août pour le courrier. Remercie bien
de ma part, voilà ce qu’il me fait énormément
de plaisir de nouvelles.
Nous avons passé les fêtes en
ensemble avec la famille de Fillem et en prison,
j’ai mangé du pâté et bu du vin et du …
chocolat (j’ai aussi trouvé les photos).
Bravo tu es très bien et la quantité sur les
groupes, tout le monde te porte bien sur ces
photographies et tu es le groupe bien arrangé.
J’ai vu cela à Fillem.
Elle prend souvent des nouvelles, je suis
toujours très occupé.
Je te dis à mon petit que le temps
cela n’est pas trop. Encore une fois la famille
de Fillem soutient énormément tout le monde.
Je t’écris à Paul et Jeanne. Je t’aime
et je t’embrasse de tout mon cœur.
Anatole
January 2, 1945
My dear Simone,
As you can see, I am still in good health, and I wish you a happy new year on this first day of the year. And as you say, 1945 will also be a good year for you. For me, it has begun well, since on December 30 I received three parcels.
Naturally, we had a little New Year’s celebration—these parcels dated from the 15th, 18th, and 21st, and others from July and August finally arrived with the mail. Thank them warmly on my behalf; news like that gives me enormous pleasure.
We spent the holidays together, with the Fillem family (in spirit) and in the camp. I ate pâté and drank wine and had chocolate (I also found the photographs).
Well done—you look very good, and in the group photos everyone seems well. You are nicely arranged in the group. I saw this through Fillem.
She often asks for news. I remain very busy.
Tell my little one that time is not too long… Once again, the Fillem family supports everyone greatly.
I am writing to Paul and Jeanne. I love you and embrace you with all my heart.
Anatole
Notes:
This letter offers a rare moment of warmth and relative comfort. Anatole describes receiving multiple parcels—some long delayed—which allow him to celebrate the New Year with food and small luxuries such as pâté, wine, and chocolate. These details provide a vivid glimpse into the importance of parcels as both physical and emotional lifelines for POWs.
The arrival of photographs is especially significant. Anatole studies them closely, commenting on Simone’s appearance and the people around her. This suggests both longing and a subtle sense of distance, as he observes her life from afar. The tone is briefly optimistic and grounded, reflecting a moment when connection to the outside world feels tangible.
18 January 1945
Le 18 Janvier 1945
Ma Simone chérie,
Reçu cette semaine ta lettre du 1er Décembre, ta carte du 6 et du 18,
une carte de mon oncle du 2 et une de Joseph du 7.
À mon tour une grande merci. Ça me fait toujours bien plaisir d’avoir
de tes nouvelles.
Ici l’hiver est toujours le même, il fait bien froid aujourd’hui,
il a gelé. J’ai actuellement 40 mois de captivité à mon actif,
ça commence à faire beaucoup, tu le sais bien.
Je suis heureux de savoir que Hélène se marie avec Édouard.
Beaucoup félicite les deux et souhaite beaucoup de bonheur.
Je te dis toujours la même chose, j’ai espoir que la guerre sera
finie cette année, néanmoins rien n’est certain.
Toutes les belles années passent quand on se trouve si loin,
peut-être un meilleur avenir…
Beaucoup de nos camarades reçoivent des lettres prouvant qu’ils sont
mariés et moi je ne le suis pas encore. Aurai-je la chance
de m’attendre ?
J’ai bon moral pourtant en ce moment.
Mon petit camarade du pays s’occupe toujours de faire
une soupe le soir et laver mon linge, c’est un bon camarade
et un bon soutien.
Je ne peux pas revenir à Hondschoote au foyer bien avant
que j’aie des lettres ou cartes comme d’habitude.
Fais bien le bonjour à tous.
Embrasse toute la famille de Fillem pour moi
et surtout ne fais pas de mauvais sang pour moi, quoiqu’il arrive.
Je t’aime et je t’embrasse affectueusement de tout mon cœur.
Anatole
January 18, 1945
My dear Simone,
This week I received your letter of December 1st, your cards of the 6th and 18th, a card from my uncle from the 2nd, and one from Joseph from the 7th. In return, many thanks—it always gives me great pleasure to have news from you.
Here, winter is still the same—it’s very cold today, it has frozen. I have now been in captivity for 40 months… it’s starting to feel like a lot, as you well know.
I’m happy to hear that Hélène is marrying Édouard. Many congratulations to them both, and I wish them much happiness.
I always tell you the same thing: I hope the war will end this year, though nothing is certain.
All the best years pass when one is so far away… perhaps a better future…
Many of our comrades receive letters proving they are married, and I am not yet. Will I have the chance to wait (or to hope for that)?
I’m in good spirits at the moment, though. A little comrade from back home still makes soup in the evenings and washes my laundry—he’s a good friend and a great support.
I cannot return to Hondschoote or home until I receive letters or cards as usual. Give my regards to everyone.
Kiss the whole family of Fillem for me, and above all, don’t worry too much about me, whatever happens.
I love you and embrace you affectionately with all my heart.
Anatole
Notes:
By mid-January, Anatole’s mood shifts again. He discusses the winter cold, daily routines, and interactions with fellow prisoners, emphasizing the monotony and hardship of camp life. His mention of comrades receiving letters from wives introduces a poignant contrast—highlighting his own uncertain situation with Simone.
There is a noticeable undercurrent of doubt and emotional vulnerability. While he maintains affectionate language, he openly wonders about the future and expresses a need for reassurance. The letter captures the psychological strain of prolonged captivity, where hope and anxiety coexist in uneasy balance.
Conclusion – A Voice Across Captivity (1943–1945)
Taken together, Anatole Deconinck’s letters trace a subtle but deeply human progression: from reassurance, to endurance, to reflection, and finally to a cautious, hard-earned hope.
In the earliest letters of 1943, Anatole writes as a man still anchored to the world he left behind. His words are careful and reassuring, shaped both by censorship and by the desire to spare Simone unnecessary fear. Love appears steady, familiar, and unquestioned. Even small details—requests for shirts, tobacco, or winter clothing—carry an underlying confidence that separation is temporary.
As the months pass into 1944, the emotional texture of the correspondence begins to change. Anatole becomes more reflective and vulnerable, and the imbalance between his suspended existence and Simone’s continuing life grows increasingly visible. His affection remains constant, but uncertainty begins to surface beneath the routines of daily correspondence. Time itself becomes a presence within the letters: counted in missing parcels, delayed responses, harsh winters, and months spent waiting.
By late 1944 and early 1945, the possibility of liberation begins to emerge, though cautiously and without certainty. Moments of warmth stand out sharply against the monotony of captivity: photographs studied carefully, parcels shared among comrades, improvised holiday celebrations, brief reminders of the world beyond the camp. Yet hope is tempered by exhaustion and by the awareness of years already lost. Anatole wonders whether he has been forgotten, whether the future he imagines still exists, and whether he will truly be able to return to the life suspended by war.
Across all the letters, one impulse remains constant: the determination to maintain connection. Through repetition, affection, routine, and memory, Anatole continues to construct a shared world with the people waiting for him at home. Again and again, his letters carry the same quiet message beneath the censored language and ordinary details:
I am still here.
In the end, these documents are more than records of wartime imprisonment. They preserve the quieter struggle to remain present as a human being under conditions designed to reduce life to routine, distance, and waiting. What survives in these pages is not simply evidence of captivity, but the persistence of identity, affection, and hope across time and separation.
Historical Context: Anatole Deconinck
Anatole Deconinck was a young Frenchman from Hondschoote, a small town in the Nord department near the Belgian border. When Germany invaded France in 1940, he would have been about eighteen years old, an age when most lives are only beginning to take shape. Instead, like many of his generation, his future was interrupted and redirected by war.
During the conflict, Anatole became a prisoner of war in Germany and was eventually held at Stalag I B, one of the large German POW camps that confined tens of thousands of Allied prisoners. Daily life in the camp was shaped by routine, scarcity, labor details, and the slow passage of time. For many prisoners, letters and parcels became vital emotional lifelines, preserving fragile connections to family, memory, and ordinary civilian life.
The correspondence presented here reflects those conditions indirectly. Like much wartime POW mail, Anatole’s letters were written under censorship and within strict limitations. Direct descriptions of hardship are rare. Instead, the realities of captivity appear through passing references to illness, cold weather, delayed parcels, work assignments, shortages, and the emotional strain of prolonged separation.
Throughout the letters, Anatole writes primarily to Simone with warmth, consistency, and quiet restraint. His tone is often deliberately reassuring, even when moments of uncertainty or loneliness begin to surface beneath the routines of daily correspondence.
By 1944, as Allied forces advanced across Europe following the D-Day landings in Normandy, news of the changing war gradually filtered into the camps through rumor, guards, newspapers, and newly arrived prisoners. Anatole’s later letters reflect this changing atmosphere: cautious, restrained, but increasingly aware that the war might eventually be nearing its end.
Hondschoote itself was liberated in the autumn of 1944 as Allied forces pushed through northern France. For families waiting at home, liberation arrived months before it did for prisoners like Anatole, who remained behind barbed wire until the final collapse of Nazi Germany in 1945.
Taken together, these letters preserve a rare record of life suspended between defeat and freedom. Written by a young man spending the formative years of adulthood in captivity, they reveal how routine, affection, memory, and the simple act of writing home became acts of endurance in themselves.