From: Oekonomie Makarofka, Bessarabia
15 May 1912
Even though I have very little time available today, I have to quickly inform the honorable editorship of the paper that I feel like a migrating bird lately. On 1 May, totally unexpected I was called upon to take over the job as administrator at the Oekonomie Makarofka (Russo). Since I could not turn down this special offer I got on my way without taking my family and took over the offered position on 8 May. I would have never expected in all my life to get so lucky, but also a blind chicken finds a piece of grain sometimes.
The Oekonomie (economic farm) belongs to the deceased nobleman Russo and is now in the lease holding management of Mr. Michael Gross. Despite it only consisting of 2,000 dessjatin (1 dessjatin = 2½ acres) the job should be a hard one, because there are so many small and large departments in the Oekonomie which require my full attention. For example, there is a garden the size of 40 dessjatin with different kinds of fruit trees next to the courtyard. There are also 2 farms on the property where horses, cattle sheep etc. are kept, and all of that needs to be taken care of. Yes, there are people here to do this. For example, there are 4 people on horseback giving orders to the many workers, but they always have to be supervised if you want everything going smoothly. Indeed I have only been working here for a week, but I don’t know if I will be able to handle it, since I am no longer a youngster. Whether I will be able to drive around in a wagon on bumpy roads for many hours daily only the future will tell.
But it doesn’t matter whether it lasts for a long or a short time, I am asking the editorship to make sure that the paper is quickly sent here and not to be upset to change my address again and again. When I received Issue #39 of the paper, I asked the postmaster in Taraklia to forward the next issue and he did promise to do that, but I think with many promises it happens just like with many correspondences, they are thrown into the waste- paper basket. Hoping and waiting turns some people into fools. I am asking the editorship to change my address as shown. Province Bessarabia, Sarata County, Station Sgurzig, Oekonomie Makarofka, Mr. Administrator Romuald Dirk. I am also asking my children as well as my friends and acquaintances to address all correspondences to me to the above address. (*Editor: We already made the address change last week as reported. We congratulate you on your new job and we wish you much luck and contentment in your new workplace.) Letters to my wife and children should be addressed to Province Bessarabia, Bender County, Post Office Taraklia. They are going to stay there at least until late fall. In my next correspondence I want to describe my journey here, and also write about the whole Oekonomie in more detail.
While I am still writing this short report the telephone is ringing. It is available to me, next to my desk, for personal use and for the purpose of the Oekonomie.
I have to close now since I am sitting on coals. It is 1 o’clock in the afternoon and I have to go to the field to supervise the workers.
I am sending a heartfelt greeting to the editorship and my fellow readers.
Respectfully,
Romuald Dirk
From: Krasna, Bessarabia
16 May 1912
Special Correspondence
Stolanus Wingenbach, I read an article written by you in Issue #42 and I was happy that you hadn’t forgotten your mother language. I thank you dear Stolanus for your greeting, and I greet you tenfold in return.
You and our other people from Krasna living in America would like to know my name. However, I cannot tell you because they would lock me up at once. You know very well, Stolanus, they will immediately throw anyone in jail that speaks the truth in Krasna.
I would have subscribed to this nice newspaper a long time ago, so that I would not have to run around to those who read the paper to find out what has been written. I was already contemplating how I could do that, but it is not possible in any way. I was thinking to order the paper under a different name, but they will do anything in Krasna just to earn a “red smock.” If I would do that, then the one who found out about it would be all over town within an hour saying, “Now I have the one who is the ‘A Farmer’ in the newspaper!” Then the bailiff would appear right away, screaming, “You are to report to the town hall immediately!” Before I would even arrive there, the lord mayor would be clattering with his boots behind his desk for over an hour because it was taking so long for me to arrive.
I write only the truth in my articles. But I know, if I should happen to be in the mayor’s office, he would ask me if I was in my right mind, “Fellow, I found out that you are the writer who signs off in the newspaper with ‘A Farmer’. How dare you write such lies about the village?” If I would then reply, “Lord Mayor, did I write lies anywhere?” He would then scream at me, “Shut up fellow and don’t talk back or I will punish you for that too – Bailiff, take this guy and lock him up for two terms!”
I have thought about this matter in detail and came to the conclusion that the publisher has enough readers even without me and I will continue as before. (*Editor: Of course, if it is this bad over there, then we would not want to expose you. It would be heartbreaking for us if you should end up in trouble because of sticking to the truth in this paper with stories about the conditions over there. We give you this assurance - as long as you stick to the truth, you can count on our assistance no matter what the case may be!)
Whenever I find out that one or the other received a new edition of the Der Staats-Anzeiger, then I’ll go there and ask if he has received the latest edition of the Staats-Anzeiger yet? When he answers yes, then I’ll ask if he found anything in it about who the “A Farmer” is. I’ll flatter him until I have read everything.
Now my dear Stolanus, I am running out of time. We are in the midst of hoeing and weeding the cornfields. Once we have finished, then I will write you more about how things are going in Krasna.
Also a hello to Niklos [Nikolaus] Kahl!
A Farmer
From: Karamurat, Dobrudscha
2 June 1912
Since I am also a reader of this delightful newspaper, I should be permitted to write some news article from here for the readership.
We have a tradition here that calls for three church elders to be used in the church; namely, one at the main altar, one in the boys’ section, and one in the girls’ area. It came about that the one who supervised the boys had a bitter argument with the priest and quit his assignment. So it happened, that Joseph Schäfer, who watched over the girls, one time spanked several boys for misbehaving. Because Schäfer was not put in charge of the boys, several of them became enraged and decided to get even with him. Exactly!
Hardly eight days had passed, when around 9 o’clock in the dark, the good old Joseph Schäfer left the tavern and headed home. When he got to the street where I live, somebody suddenly jumped into the street from my Uncle Joseph Bolitschky’s place and with a stick badly beat up our good old Joseph Schäfer. Since I am my uncle’s neighbor, I of course heard the commotion in the street and ran outside. I found my good old church elder lying in the street crying in pain, “O God my side; O God my side!” The villain apparently hurt him badly in the side. I picked him up, and then two boys came along who promised to take him to his home. The police were notified immediately, who conducted an investigation at the spot of the crime. Since it occurred on the street where I live and my neighbor Joseph Bolitschky has grown boys, they arrested the oldest son Martin and took him along.
Since Joseph Schäfer could not identify the attacker because of darkness, they tried forcefully to interrogate the boy. The police beat the boy. He was supposed to admit that he was the perpetrator, or that he knew who the attacker was, but to no avail.
When the boy’s father realized that his innocent son was beaten, he went to a lawyer who finally succeeded in freeing Martin. To date, there has not yet been found a trace of the attacker.
The woman Marianna Söhn passed into eternity on Ascension Day. She left behind her husband, Mr. Joseph Söhn, and six children.
This year our mayor is Johannes J. Ruscheinsky.
I greet all my friends and buddies, especially Blasius Müller, Michael Müller, Ignatz Martin, Heinrich Schell, Anton and Egidius Goetz, all the Baumgärtners, and also all readers of the Staats-Anzeiger.
Romanus Bogalofsky
From: Brisbane, Morton County, ND
11 June 1912
I am in America for over a year now, but have not had a newspaper in the house. Recently, I visited my sister when Phillip asked me if I also read the Staats-Anzeiger. When I said no, he gave me his copy. The longer I read it, the more I liked it, because one can find news items in it from old friends and acquaintances in Russia, Canada, and America. (*Editor: We are sending you the paper starting with this edition.)
My daughter has been sick for quite some time. I already have asked the doctor for advice, but it seems she has not improved. I will wait for a few more days, and if she does not get better I will take her to Bismarck.
A greeting to friends and relatives and to the editorship.
Johannes Both