Jim’s Introductory Comments
If you remember where Boldewyn’s entries ended in the previous installment, you will see that this account picks up about seven weeks after that one ended. From the way this account opens, it seems obvious that Boldewyn wrote about his experiences during those seven weeks. However, we do not possess that portion of his diary, nor are we aware of its present existence.
As you read this segment, it will be evident that the editor who published Boldewyn’s diary in 1965 in Germany added his/her own commentary in a variety of places. It appears that at times the editor may have been summarizing what Boldewyn wrote, and at other times was explaining something Boldewyn stated. Most of the time it is not difficult to distinguish who wrote what.
What I especially appreciate about this portion of the diary is that it includes the only two references Boldewyn makes to God. The first is in the opening paragraph, where Boldewyn gives the Lord the credit for restored health. The second reference is in the fifth paragraph, where Boldewyn speaks of Him as the all-knowing Providence. I do not have any reason to assume that Boldewyn was a genuine believer in and follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ. The paucity of references to Him leads me to believe otherwise. However, living in a time when the sovereign providence of God is so frequently denied, ignored or used as a reason to hate Him, I am grateful to be reminded of a time when God’s existence, sovereignty and involvement in life was the prevailing view.
It is this portion of Boldewyn’s diary in which he tells us of a major change in his circumstances, as he and his fellow German-speaking soldiers are taken prisoner by the army in which they were serving—seemingly without cause! Two comments may be helpful in understanding what is taking place here.
First, you will notice that Boldewyn makes it clear that the soldiers who were taken prisoner were the “Hollanders” (paragraph 3), the “Dutch” (paragraph 4). We are seeing here some of the tension that existed between certain nationalities—in this case, between the French and the German/Dutch. This does not necessarily mean Boldewyn and at least some of his companions were of Dutch descent. Rather, they were Germans living in Ostfriesland, which for a few years had been pronounced part of the Dutch kingdom in the French Empire.
However, there is more to the situation than mere nationalistic tensions. Notice in the fourth paragraph that Boldewyn mentions he and his fellows were considered to be untrustworthy cantonists. It is possible to understand this to be speaking colloquially of them as “loose cannons,” which is what that phrase came to mean. However, there seems to be much more involved here, especially when we take the historical circumstances into account. The key here is the word “cantonist,” which in 1813 referred to men who were conscripted into the Prussian army. Boldewyn writes this section of his diary in December of 1813. Four months earlier, Prussia had joined the Allies to fight against Napoleon and the French. Only one month previous, there had been a general rebellion against Napoleon and French rule in Amsterdam, which is in close proximity to Ostfriesland.
Add to these details the fact that in the previous year many thousands of non-French conscripted soldiers in Napoleon’s army had deserted or even gone over to fight with the Allies. When all this is considered, it is not too surprising to us that the French soldiers turned on their German and Dutch fellows—although it certainly surprised Boldewyn and company!
So here is the next portion of his diary:
Boldewyn’s Account
So they (the horses) were brought to the watch, and we had to climb them, unarmed, for the last time. Six armed guardsmen took us to our general in Offenbach. We had to dismount, hand over our coat sack and hand over the horses to the Frenchman. Then we had to walk to Frankweiler, an hour and a half above Landau, where we came under the remnant of the 3rd Squadron. Frankweiler is a village surrounded by high mountains. Here I met my old comrade Tammena again. On the second day after my arrival, I became very ill, so that I almost had to go to the hospital and stay behind. But we stayed here for a few days, and because the Lord soon restored me, I was carried on a cart.
On 10 December, the squad received orders to march to Tours, the following day Weissenburg was passed. Here Odens was robbed of all clothes (probably the civilian clothes). On the 12th of December we came to Hagenau and on the 13th to Zabern. The following day we were in Saarburg (in the district of Trier). From here we were sent to Lorquin, where we had a rest day. In the towns mentioned from Frankwieler to Lorquin, there was an infectious disease in which many people died, in Zabern alone within six weeks more than three hundred inhabitants.
One day after the break, on 16 December, the troop came to Blamont, a small town, and on the 17th to Luneville, a large and beautiful town. On the evening of that day the guardsmen had been ordered: “to appear quite clean for reveille, because we were to pass before the supreme revue. But what became of the revue? When we arrived, we were taken to the riding-school. Then, when the guardsmen occupied the doors with other guards, we did not know what that meant, but things were going to get worse, with a detachment of carabiniers, gallant men with loaded carbines, and so on. We were horrified. And what happened? We Hollanders were summoned and pronounced prisoner. Now we were lost. We were taken prisoner by the carabiniers after we had given up our cloaks, and in the prison we were assigned a small chamber where we could lie down, on a small bundle of straw, two and two, without being able to cover ourselves, as we were without our horse blankets and cloaks. Life was miserable.
On 19 December, the Dutch, believed to be untrustworthy cantonists, were transported to Nancy by gendarmerie and carabiniers. The prison there was a kind of tower, in which were all sorts of rogues and rogues. The city of Nancy is the most beautiful of all the cities we have seen in France. The streets are well built. Especially nice is the Napoleon Square. The houses are all the same height. It is said that they were all built and sold by a former prince in the same way. There are four fountains on the square, one on each corner. In Nancy a lot of trading is done. The shops are very nice.
On 20 December, the squad of prisoners arrived at Pont-a-Mousson. A military escort immediately brought the Hollanders into prison. The chronicler complains: “You could hardly buy bread and cheese for money.” In Metz, where the prisoners stayed from the 21st to the 25th, they were sent to military prison under the escort of a carabinier. Here Odens spent the saddest time of his life. In the chronicle, we read: “Here we were directed to a room where they usually put their dead. The chamber had bars at the front and had only one window to the outside, and that was even without glass! It was so cold that one of our comrades froze his feet. We only got a little straw to lie down on. We could not buy anything but bread and a herring. In the other cells were housed all sorts of rogues. They shouted to us: “Comrade, comrade!” Vermin were so strongly present that we did not know how we should protect ourselves against them. It was almost in despair. However, Providence, who knows everything, soon brought about a change.
On 25 December, the prisoners were returned to their previous prison in Pont-a-Mousson, and on the 26th to Nancy, again to their previous prison there. On 27 December they came to Velize and were housed in the local prison, on the 28th to Charmest, a small town in a mountainous area. “Because the mayor of this city also had a son under the honor guard, he did not want us to be taken to the prison. He vouched for us and gave us a chamber in the castle master, and we were given the freedom to go to the city.”
On the 29th we went to Epinal, to the prison there. On the 30th, to Mericourt in the barracks. On the 31st, to Neuchateau, a big city, where we all stayed in a hostel. Here we were guarded by the National Guard, who made sure we could celebrate New Year’s Eve.
© 2019 by James A. Odens