Page:Diary of a Prisoner in World War I by Josef Šrámek.pdf/72



After the medical test, we moved to the healthy camp, and I went to Sinai, to the tent of Feldwebel Roubík.

We have nothing to do. The days are long, and so we dwell on politics for a long time. Fresh news arrives every day but no one knows where it's from. We call it latrinenbefehle  yet we like listening to it. As we have been left without any news from our home for more than 6 months now and cannot talk to the Italians much, we fabricate, combine, and distribute these rumors!

Someone from Real brought us the news that F.J.I. (Emperor Franz Joseph I) ordered Italy to release us immediately to neutral countries—the Swiss or the Americans. Reportedly he also said Austria will pay nothing for us. Someone else heard from the freiwillige  that the Italians will bring us to Italy to work in factories as civilians.

A piece of news arrives every day—it's always guaranteed!

We all write home every day but wait for replies in vain. Only a few lucky ones get money by postal order. We are well provided with underwear, uniforms, and shoes. Each of us has 2 good blankets, a cape, and 2 sets of