The Project Gutenberg EBook of Four Weeks in the Trenches, by Fritz Kreisler

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Title: Four Weeks in the Trenches
The War Story of a Violinist

Author: Fritz Kreisler

Release Date: February 6, 2004 [EBook #10967]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR WEEKS IN THE TRENCHES ***

FOUR WEEKS IN THE TRENCHES

by Fritz Kreisler

To My Dear Wife Harriet

The Best Friend Add Stanchest Comrade In All Circumstances Of
Life I Dedicate This Little Book

In Humble Token Of Everlasting Gratitude And Devotion

Preface

This brief record of the fighting on the Eastern front in the great war
is the outcome of a fortunate meeting.

The writer chanced to be dining with Mr. Kreisler soon after his
arrival in this country, after his dismissal from the hospital where he
recovered from his wound. For nearly two hours he listened, thrilled
and moved, to the great violinist's modest, vivid narrative of his
experiences and adventures. It seemed in the highest degree
desirable that the American public should have an opportunity of
reading this narrative from the pen of one in whose art so many of
us take a profound interest. It also was apparent that since so little
of an authentic nature had been heard from the Russo-Austrian field
of warfare, this story would prove an important contribution to the
contemporary history of the war.

After much persuasion, Mr. Kreisler reluctantly acceded to the
suggestion that he write out his personal memories of the war for
publication. He has completed his narrative in the midst of grave
difficulties, writing it piecemeal in hotels and railway trains in the
course of a concert tour through the country. It is offered by the
publishers to the public with confidence that it will be found one of
the most absorbing and informing narratives of the war that has yet
appeared.

F. G.

Four Weeks In The Trenches

I

In trying to recall my impressions during my short war duty as an
officer in the Austrian Army, I find that my recollections of this period
are very uneven and confused. Some of the experiences stand out
with absolute clearn