 In the end, however, Stramm was, according to Patrick Bridgwater, "unable to accept the alibi of a higher duty to literature," and left the letter unsigned.After returning to his company following a week's journey, Stramm found that they had been reduced to only 25 men.It was the time of a Russian counteroffensive led by General Aleksei Brusilov and Stramm, with the remnants of his company, were involved in, "the giant-battle for Brest-Litovsk", which fell to Stramm's regiment on August 25, 1915.