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]

In the foreground, German soldiers lie amongst the debris of a farmhouse (Ruin 1); the remains of another farmhouse (Ruin 2) are visible in the distance.

廃虚２からも ロシア兵が 陣地を 補強する物音が きこえていた。
Haikyo 2 kara mo Roshia-hei ga jinchi o hokyou suru mono-oto ga kikoete ita.
  Also, they heard sounds from Ruin 2 (indicating that) the Russian soldiers were reinforcing their position.

SFX:
ゴソゴソ  ゴソ
Gosogoso     goso
  (rustling)

SFX:
ザク
Zaku
  (shoveling)

[Panel 2]

German soldiers fan out along a snow-covered path.  They hurriedly begin the difficult task of digging foxholes in the frozen ground.

更に ２５名の歩兵が かき集められ、一寸 はなれた小道ぞいに 急造の戦線を つくった。
Sarani 25-mei no hohei ga kakiatsumerare, chotto hanareta komichizoi ni kyuuzou no sensen o tsukutta.
  25 more infantrymen were gathered up, and hurriedly formed into a front line along a path a little apart from (Ruin 1).

「フェー  さむいぞ  これは...」
"Fuee           Samui zo     Kore wa..."
  "Woo...  It's cold!  This is..."

[Panel 3]

Russian soldiers look up from a map of the battlefield to question their commanding officer, who at the moment is busy communing with a bottle of vodka.

SFX:
ククク
Kukuku
  (gnashing of teeth)

「今晩もう一回やりましょうか？ 明朝とか...」
"Konban mou ikkai yarimashou ka?  Myouchou toka..."
  "Shall we do it one more time tonight?  Or tomorrow morning...?"

[Panel 4]

The bottle flies as the Russian commander rants and raves.  His troops take a more pragmatic approach.

「クソー  カリウスめ  ヒットラーのマゴめ  おのれ  ブタヤロー  殺せ
"Kusou        Kariusu me      Hittoraa no mago me      Onore      Butayarou      Korose
ブタ  ブタ  ファシスト  ヘソのくさいブタ」
Buta     Buta    Fashisuto        Heso no kusai buta"
  "Shit.  Damned Carius.  Damned grandson of Hitler.  Damn you.  Damned pig.  Kill him.  Pig.  Pig.  Fascist.  Stinking belly-button pig."

「とにかく用意しとこう」
"Tonikaku youi shitokou"
  "Let's prepare anyway."

「そうですね」
"Sou desu ne"
  "Let's do so."

[Panel 5]

Russian troops lend a hand as a Russian tank attempts to tow another tank across the railroad tracks.

ロシア兵は 夜どおし働いた。
Roshia-hei wa yodooshi hataraita.
  The Russian soldiers worked all night.

「シーー」
"Shiii"
  "Shhh"

[Panel 6]

Three Tiger tanks head off in the direction of a wooden building.  Chopsticks, a bowl of rice with fish, and a tea pot are pictured in a small panel to the right.  However, most likely there weren't many good Japanese restaurants in rural Estonia in early 1944. ^_^

夜１０時、歩兵に まかせてネグラへ もどった。
Yoru 10-ji, hohei ni makasete negura e modotta.
  At 10 o'clock at night, (Carius) left everything to the infantrymen and went back to roost.

補給タイムだ。
Hokyuu taimu da.
  Time for resupply.

SFX:
ガラガラガラ  ゴゴゴ   キャラキャラ
Garagaragara     gogogo      kyarakyara
  (sounds of tanks)

[Panel 7]

German soldiers jump from their supply truck and tearfully greet Carius as he stands by his Tiger tank.

補給隊員は 大よろこび
Hokyuu-taiin wa ooyorokobi
  The supply team was overjoyed.

「ヤッター」
"Yattaa"
  "We did it!"

「はなしきかせて」
"Hanashi kikasete"
  "Let us hear the story."

「スゲェ」
"Sugee"
  "You're great."

SFX:
ワイワイ
Waiwai
  (clamorously)

[Panel 8]

The German supply team swarms around Carius's Tiger tank.  Ordnance is loaded, diesel fuel is pumped, and even the barrel of the 88mm cannon gets a cleaning.

SFX:
ワイワイ
Waiwai
  (clamorously)

「ホイ」
"Hoi"
  "Here you go."

SFX:
ワッハハハハ  ハハハ・・
Wa-hahahaha      hahaha..
  (laughter)

「ソレッ」
"Sore"
  (shout)

みんなクタクタのはずなのに、勝ちいくさの時は ハイに なって元気そのものだ
Minna kutakuta no hazu nanoni, kachi-ikusa no toki wa hai ni natte genki sono mono da
  Although everybody is supposed to be exhausted, when they win the battle, they are on an emotional high and are energetic themselves.

寒さも こたえない
Samusa mo kotoenai
  They were not affected even by the severe cold.

[Panel 9]

Kerscher attacks his meal as Carius hesitates, breaking out into a cold sweat.  What could be troubling our hero?  Read on.

そして本日 はじめてのめし
Soshite honjitsu hajimete no meshi
  And the first meal today

ケルシャーのいつも変らない食欲が うらやましい
Kerushaa no itsumo kawaranai shokuyoku ga urayamashii
  (Carius) envied Kerscher's usual constant appetite.

またまた フォン・シラーの件で ゴタゴタが あったが、不愉快なので 省略する。
Matamata fon Shiraa no ken de gotagota ga atta ga, fuyukai nanode shouryaku suru.
  Again, trouble with regard to von Schiller occurred, but since it's unpleasant, I'll omit it.

[Note:  See the note on Page 5.3, Panel 5, concerning the "unpleasantness" with von Schiller.]

[Panel 10]

Carius walks alone across the frozen tundra as a distant explosion breaks the silence.

SFX:
ドーン  ヒュウウウ
Do-n        hyuuuu
  (sounds of an explosion and an incoming shell)

乗員を 休ませたかったので キンダーハイムへ 歩いて行った。
Jouin o yasumasetakatta node Kindaahaimu e aruite itta.
  Because (Carius) wanted to let the (tank) crew rest, he walked to the Kinderheim.

[Panel 11]

Major Haase (his back to the reader) issues a command to a soldier.  Carius (rolling his eyes?) tries to spare the poor soldier a cold walk on the tundra.

ハーゼと 反撃について 克明に 打合せた。
Haaze to hangeki ni tsuite kokumei ni uchiawaseta.
  With Haase, he diligently planned a counterattack.

廃虚２と３を 奪い返さなければ ならない。
Haikyo 2 to 3 o ubaikaesanakereba naranai.
  They have to recapture Ruins 2 and 3.

「オイ  少尉を 送ってやれ」
"Oi          Shoui o okutte yare"
  "Hey.  Escort the second lieutenant back."

「ハッ」
"Ha"
  "Yessir."

「イイデス  なれた道だし...」
"Ii desu           Nareta michi da shi..."
  "It's OK, it's a familiar path..."

[Panel 12]

Standing next to a Tiger tank, Carius and another tank commander (Kerscher?) confer over a map by flashlight with the young infantry second lieutenant and two other German infantrymen.

１２時すぎ 歩兵の指揮官と 打合せを すませた。
12-ji sugi hohei no shikikan to uchiawase o sumaseta.
  A little after 12 o'clock, he finished up the arrangements with the infantry commander.

攻撃発起は 午前５時
Kougeki-hokki wa gozen 5-ji
  The projected (time) of the attack is 5 AM.

[Panel 13]

An aerial map of the battlefield illustrates the positions of the railroad tracks and crossing (running horizontally across the top of the panel), the three farmhouse ruins (spaced horizontally across the middle of the panel), the position of Gruber's tank (middle right of the panel, near Ruin 1), and the positions of Carius's and Kerscher's tanks (drawn at the bottom of the panel).

カリウスと ケルシャーは 歩兵８名づつと共に 攻撃。
Kariusu to Kerushaa wa hohei 8-mei zutsu to tomoni kougeki.
  Carius and Kerscher will attack, each with 8 infantrymen.

地理に うといグルーバーは １で 援護射撃を 行う。
Sari ni utoi Guruubaa wa 1 de engo-shageki o okonau.
  Gruber, who is unacquainted with the geographical features, will provide covering fire.

東の袋
Higashi no fukuro
  "East Sack"

グルーバー
Guruubaa
  Gruber

廃虚１   廃虚２   廃虚３   戦車の残骸
Haikyo 1   Haikyo 2    Haikyo 3    Sensha no zangai
  Ruin 1     Ruin 2        Ruin 3        Wreckage of tanks

ケルシャー  カリウス
Kerushaa        Kariusu
  Kerscher       Carius

[Panel 14]

Carius and a crew member catch a little shuteye inside the cold confines of a Tiger tank in winter.  Brrrrrr!!

２時間ほど眠ることが 出来た。
2-jikan hodo nemuru koto ga dekita.
  They could sleep for about 2 hours.

氷のような虎の中、せまいイスも 気に するゆとりも なく、ねた。
Koori no youna tora no naka, semai isu mo ki ni suru yutori mo naku, neta.
  They slept without concern about the small chairs in the icy cold Tiger.

• Go to Page 5.5

• Back to Otto Carius English Translation Page