This Week's Story: Musketeer Albert Fang

Our story this week comes from Brigitte Weber of Ettlingen-Spessart. Her uncle Albert Fang, born on January 7, 1897 in Spessart, fought on the Western Front during the Great War. Albert fought with the Infantry Regiment No. 111 and held the rank of Musketeer.

Musketeer Albert Fang, January 7, 1897 - October 20, 1917

This photo, sent home to his family, shows Albert with his fellow soldiers in front of their dugout. Albert is standing at the far left, marked by the X. The other X marks a friend of his also known to his family.
The soldiers have hung up a sign "Villa Gansrieme" outside the dugout, which is the name they have given to their trench home.






Albert fell at the Western Front in the tiny village of Laffaux, France, on October 20, 1917, at the age of 20.

Albert's memorial card.
Baden is predominantly Catholic. It was believed that soldiers had to suffer in Purgatory for their actions in war. The memorial cards were distributed in church after the mass, and contained a "Nachlassgebet" ("abatement" prayer), intended to reduce the number of days that the soldier had to spend in Purgatory for these actions.