Color key:

• [Panel numbers are in red.]
• Editorial comments are in green.
• Japanese kana/kanji text is in purple (viewing this requires that your browser has Japanese fonts installed, or you can activate Shodouka(©) to convert it to images for you).
• Romanized Japanese text is in blue italics.
• The translated English text is in the default color (usually black).

[Panel 1]

Carius runs toward a farmhouse as shells find their mark near a Tiger tank.

恐怖の文字だらけ ページ だぞ
Kyoufu no moji darake peeji da zo
  A page so covered with writing that it's terrifying!  [text above Panel 1]

SFX:
ズーン  ドカーン
Zu-n          doka-n
  (explosion)

農家２
Nouka 2
  Farmhouse 2

「あんたいつも砲弾を つれて来るなァ」
"Anta itsumo houdan o tsurete kuru naa"
  "You always bring shells along with you."

「ハヤクもどってー」
"Hayaku modottee"
  "Come back quickly!"  [above head of soldier in tank turret]

[Panel 2]

From within the farmhouse, Carius observes Russian troop movements while a soldier sitting nearby comments on our hero's aroma.

「キャタピラの音の他に、よくエンジンの音がきこえますぜ。  かけ声も」
"Kyatapira no oto no hoka ni, yoku enjin no oto ga kikoemasu ze.  Kakegoe mo"
  "Besides the sound of the caterpillar treads, the sound of the engine was audible.  Shouting, too."

SFX:
プーン
Pu-n
  (strong smell)  [above Carius's head]

「野砲も ひっぱりこんでいるな...」
"Yahou mo hipparikondeiru na..."
  "They're also dragging in field artillery..."

「戦車兵 ってくさい」
"Sensha-hei tte kusai"
  "Tank soldiers stink."

[Panel 3]

From above, we see the layout of the farm compound.

ドイツ人のカリウスには 小さすぎて 農家と おもえなかった。
Doitsu-jin no Kariusu niwa chiisasugite nouka to omoenakatta.
  To Carius the German, the farmhouse seemed too small.  [text above Panel 3]

エストニア  ナールヴァ地方  農家(小)の一例
Esutonia          Naaruva-chihou      Nouka (shou) no ichirei
  Estonia           Narva area               An example of a farmhouse (small)

線路まで７０M
Senro made 70 M
  70 meters to the railroad tracks  [arrow in upper left]

母屋
Omoya
  The main house

SFX:
ギーコギーコ  トントン  ガンガン
Gi-kogi-ko            tonton         gangan
  (sawing)              (hammering)

SFX:
トントン
Tonton
  (hammering)

トーチカ化 した室
Toochika-ka shita muro
  Cellar transformed into a tochka  [mound in upper left; tochka is a Russian word for a "pillbox," i.e., a small fortified structure protecting a machine-gun emplacement]

つぶれた家畜小屋、他に サウナ小屋 なんかもある
Tsubureta kachiku-goya, hoka ni sauna-goya nankamo aru
  A smashed livestock shed; there is also a sauna hut.  [text to left of Panel 3, with arrow to lumber pile]

SFX:
セッセッ
Sesse
  (working hard)  [soldiers carrying lumber]

凍った井戸
Kootta ido
  A frozen water well

迫撃砲弾のあと
Hakugekihou-dan no ato
  Impact of a mortar shell  [arrow to hole near the well]

SFX:
バッ
Ba
  (sound of small explosion)

納屋、本当は もっとでかい。この３倍くらい
Naya, hontou wa motto dekai.  Kono 3-bai kurai
  The barn; the actual one is bigger.  [To scale] approximately 3-fold [bigger than] this.

ふつうの迫撃砲弾では たいしてこわれない
Futsuu no hakugekihou-dan dewa taishite kowarenai
  Ordinary mortar shells can't destroy much  [arrow to hole in barn roof]

この間、歩兵達は 農家の中を 補強し、床下に 穴を 掘り、土の室を トーチカに し たりして、はたらいておったのだった。
Kono aida, hohei-tachi wa nouka no naka o hokyoushi, yukashita ni ana o hori, tsuchi no muro o toochika ni shitari shite, hataraite otta no datta.
  During this time, the infantrymen were working - reinforcing the interior of the farmhouse, digging holes under the floor, creating a tochka from the earthen cellar.

「あそんでねえよ」
"Asondenee yo"
  "We aren't playing!"

[Panel 4]

Pictured beneath an aerial view of their position, Carius makes suggestions to the infantry officer.

オストザック 前面の３拠点
Osutozakku zenmen no 3-kyoten
  3 positions in front of the "East Sack"

「せめて... 塹壕でも つくった方が...
"Semete... zangou demo tsukutta hou ga...
タコツボ だけでも」
Takotsubo dake demo"
  "At least you'd better make a trench...
  even only foxholes."

「判るけど、手いっぱいでさぁ
"Wakaru kedo, te ippaide saa
兵力は 足りねえし、土は 凍っているし、ムリです」
Heiryoku wa tarinee shi, tsuchi wa kootteiru shi, muri desu"
  "I understand, but we have our hands full.
  The troop strength is insufficient, the soil is frozen, it's impossible."

「ムリです」
"Muri desu"
  "It's impossible."

[Panel 5]

A German soldier vainly tries to dig a foxhole as it fills with water.

たしかに 泥炭の低湿地では すぐ水が わいて来たりした
Tashika ni deitan no teishitchi dewa sugu mizu ga waite kitari shita
  Certainly, in the low-lying swampy peat land, the water came out easily.

ロシア兵ならともかく ドイツ兵には 耐えがたかった
Roshia-hei nara tomokaku Doitsu-hei niwa taegatakatta
  It would be acceptable to the Russian soldiers, but for the German soldiers it was unbearable.

「トホ」
"Toho"
  "(sigh)"

[Panel 6]

Carius, in his Tiger tank, approaches a snow-covered hill at night.

「連隊長に かけあおう」
"Rentaichou ni kakeaou"
  "Let's talk it over with the regimental commander."

キンダーハイムの丘
Kindaahaimu no oka
  The hill of the Kinderheim

SFX:
ゴゴゴ
Gogogo
  (sound of tank advancing)

[Panel 7]

Buried deep in the side of a hill, Carius walks through an antechamber on his way to a briefing with Major Haase.

第６１歩兵 師団 ハーゼ 連隊 本部
Dai 61 hohei shidan Haaze rentai honbu
  61st Infantry Division, Haase regimental headquarters

「カリウスだ。  においでわかるぞ」
"Kariusu da.  Nioi de wakaru zo"
  "It's Carius.  I can tell from the smell."

丘の横腹に あけた穴
Oka no yokobara ni aketa ana
  A hole dug into the side of the hill

[Panel 8]

Major Haase informs Carius of their dire situation.

ハーゼ大佐
Haaze taisa
  Major Haase  [text underneath Panel 8]

[Note:  Carius's tank platoon was temporarily assigned to Colonel Wengler's 61st Infantry Division on 16 February 1944 in support of the infantrymen.  Major Haase was a battalion or regimental commander under Wengler.]

「戦車など そこら中で チョロチョロしとるワイ。  云わんでも わかっとる
カラッケツだ。  なし。  ナイの。  どこもかしこも ヤバイのだ！」
"Sensha nado sokorajuu de chorochoro shitoru wai.  Iwandemo wakattoru
Karakketsuda.  Nashi.  Nai no.  Dokomo kashikomo yabai no da!"
  "Tanks are moving around everywhere.  I know that.
  No need to say anything.  No meaning.  Nothing.  We have nothing.  Everywhere is dangerous!"

ナイ    ムリ      大貧
Nai           Muri           Daibin
  Nothing   Impossible   Poor

[Panel 9]

Major Haase and Carius are pictured standing on a map of the battlefield, which illustrates the movements of the Russian forces.  The situation doesn't look good.

ロシア軍が ドイツ側のうす~い戦線のどこを 突破しようと 狙っているかが 争点だった。
Roshia-gun ga Doitsu-gawa no usu~i sensen no doko o toppa shiyou to neratteiru ka ga souten datta.
  At what place the Russian army was planning to break through the thin German front was the point at issue.

「特に この突出部が ヤバイのだ。  ものすごく ヤバイ」
"Toku ni kono tosshutsubu ga yabai no da.  Monosugoku yabai"
  "Especially this protrusion point is dangerous.  Staggeringly dangerous."

「おまえの所は まだマシだ」
"Omae no toko wa mada mashi da."
  "Your position is still better."

「 ぼくは こっちから 来ると おもう」
"Boku wa kotchi kara kuru to omou"
  "I think they will come from here."

「二つの師団のつぎ目だし」
"Futatsu no shidan no tsugi-me da shi"
  "Because this is the dividing line of two divisions."

オストザック (東の袋)             ロシア軍が 土手を おさえていた
Osutozakku (higashi no fukuro)   Roshia-gun ga dote o osaeteita
  Ostsack ("East Sack")                 The Russian army controlled the bunker  [large arrow on left side of protrusion point]

ドイツ軍 突出部
Doitsu-gun tosshutsubu
  The protrusion point of the German army

SFX:
タタタタ  ズズーン  ターン  ズーン
Tatatata       zuzu-n          ta-n         zu-n
  (shooting)

ヴェストザック (西の袋)      ロシア軍 橋頭堡
Vesutozakku (nishi no fukuro)   Roshia-gun kyoutouho
  Westsack ("West Sack")           The Russian army's bridgehead  [large arrow on right side of protrusion point]

別の師団の戦区        ここは 戦車が 入れないので 大丈夫
Betsu no shidan no senku   Koko wa sensha ga hairenai node daijoubu
  Another division's sector    The tanks can't enter here, so it is all right  [text on left side of Panel 9, above the diagonal dashed line]

カリウスの受持区 (虎２輌)
Kariusu no ukemochi-ku (tora 2-ryou)
  The sector controlled by Carius (2 Tigers)  [area below the large arrow coming down from Ostsack, and above the Kinderheim hill]

戦車 通行可
Sensha tsuukou ka
  Passable for tanks  [pink text box above the Kinderheim hill]

街道
Kaidou
  Highway  [runs diagonally across lower left corner]

[Note:  Here, "highway" refers to the German army's Rollbahn, or improved road for advances by armored units.]

キンダーハイム  連隊本部
Kindaahaimu          Rentaihonbu
  Kinderheim           The regimental headquarters  [hill on bottom left]

ゲーリング 小隊 受持区 (虎４~３輌)
Geeringu shoutai ukemochi-ku (tora 4~3-ryou)
  The sector controlled by the Goering platoon (3-4 Tigers)  [bottom right]

[Note:  Sergeant First Class Goering commanded another tank platoon in the 2nd Company.]

この土手は ドイツ軍が おさえていた
Kono dote wa Doitsu-gun ga osaeteita
  The German army controlled this bunker  [small arrow to railroad tracks at center right]

[Panel 10]

The German forces lay low in foxholes and trenches as Russian artillery fire begins to fall.

ハーゼ 連隊の主力は 東と西の間に つき出た 低い丘で がんばっていた。
Haaze rentai no shuryoku wa higashi to nishi no aida ni tsukideta hikui oka de ganbatteita.
  The main force of Haase's regiment was doing their best [to hold out] at the low hill sticking out between east and west.

二個大隊.....  でも、実質は 一個中隊 ほどで
Niko daitai.....  demo, jisshitsu wa ikko chuutai hodo de
  Two battalions.....  but in reality they were only one company.

ココは 穴が 掘れた！！
Koko wa ana ga horeta!!
  Here the holes were diggable!!  [text below Panel 10]

[Panel 11]

Our beleaguered hero Otto Carius stands toe to toe against an angry Major Haase.

カリウスは しつこい男だ
Kariusu wa shitsukou otoko da
  Carius is a stubborn man.

毎晩のように 出かけていった。
Maiban no youni dekakete itta.
  Every night he went out there.

「せめて タコツボを 掘るように」
"Semete takotsubo o horu youni"
  "At least try digging foxholes."

クドクド
Kudokudo
  (repeatedly)

「だから 手が ないの！  貧乏なの！！  せめてあと 一個中隊が ほしい...
"Dakara te ga nai no!  Binbou na no!!  Semete ato ikko chuurai ga hoshii...
ワカラン 男だな。  お前のとこは しずかだろうが」
Wakaran otoko da na.  Omae no toko wa shizuka darou ga"
  "So we don't have enough hands!  We are poor!!  We need at least one more squadron...
  You are a man who doesn't understand.  Your position must be quiet, but..."

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