▁train ▁cons cript s ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁After ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Cont inu ation ▁War , ▁which ▁p itted ▁Germany ▁and ▁Finland ▁against ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁K lass ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁company ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁ 1 1 ▁First ▁Company ▁in ▁the ▁K iest ink i ▁sector ▁near ▁U ht ua . ▁The ▁inf antry ▁regiment ▁was ▁sub ordinate ▁to ▁the ▁German ▁Army ▁of ▁Norway , ▁and ▁K lass ▁had ▁daily ▁ex changes ▁with ▁German ▁and ▁Aust rian ▁soldiers . ▁Once , ▁a ▁commander ▁of ▁a ▁German ▁division , ▁Colonel ▁Pil gr im , ▁paid ▁a ▁surprise ▁visit ▁to ▁K lass ' s ▁command ▁position ▁to ▁compl iment ▁him ▁on ▁his ▁work ▁and ▁asked ▁if ▁he ▁was ▁from ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁region , ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁acc ent ▁when ▁speaking ▁German . ▁K lass ▁answered ▁that ▁his ▁native ▁language ▁was ▁Y idd ish ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁Jewish , ▁to ▁which ▁Pil gr im ▁respond ed ▁by ▁standing ▁up ▁and ▁saying , ▁" I ▁have ▁nothing ▁personal ▁against ▁you ▁as ▁a ▁Jew ", ▁doing ▁the ▁Hitler ▁sal ute ▁and ▁leaving ▁the ▁tent . ▁ ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁nom ination ▁ ▁North ▁of ▁the ▁K iest ink i ▁region , ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁had ▁fort ified ▁a ▁hill ▁which ▁German ▁troops ▁were ▁planning ▁to ▁assault . ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁this , ▁Finn ish ▁art illery ▁sh elled ▁the ▁hill , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁bar