Behind Metz, in front of Paris at Verdun

Thank you very much for your last two cards dated 21st and 24th. The post arrives very irregularly. I received the card dated 24th eight days before the other one. I also received several parcels of sweets. Thank you very much for those. A cavalry division has been outside Paris for about eight days. I almost believe that Lothar is lucky enough to be there. He will have experienced more than I have, since I am sitting here in front of Verdun. The Crown Prince's army is closing in on Verdun from the north, and we have to wait until it surrenders. Verdun is not under siege, but only surrounded. The fortifications are too formidable and would therefore require enormous amounts of ammunition and human lives if one wanted to storm them. Possession of Verdun would not bring us any corresponding advantages. It is just a pity that we are tied up here and will probably end the war here. The battle for Verdun is very difficult and claims a number of lives every day. Yesterday, eight officers from the 7th Grenadiers were killed in an attack.