From: Krasna, Bessarabia
3 July 1912
As a resident of Krasna, I often have had the opportunity to read reports from other readers in the paper about how our fellow countrymen were faring in the far away America, but recently, actually a whole month, there is dead silence. It seems as if the people from North Dakota, South Dakota and Canada, and all inhabitants living in the New World have fallen in disgrace with the editorship of the Staats-Anzeiger. All the readers of this paper patiently wait for the Staats-Anzeiger every week to find out something about their friends, who they will probably never see again. For four weeks now we have not heard anything from them. I have already contacted correspondents here in Krasna and asked them to once again write to the editorship to find out what the cause of this change might be and which we don’t like. Since nobody wants to write, I’ll have to inquire myself. (*Editor: Dear friend, the explanation is a very simple matter. During the move from Devils Lake to Bismarck several hundred correspondences were lost, although these had been carefully packed. During the transportation of the writer's desk, which contained the correspondences, some roughnecks or vandals must have had their hands in the game, because the desk arrived here almost completely destroyed. Not only correspondences but also important business letters were lost this way. This should explain the matter. By the way, we now are receiving sufficient correspondences again, sometimes more, sometimes less. After all, during this time people are very busy with harvesting and threshing, so that the reports arrive here less often. But soon they will arrive again in such quantities so that the editorship will hardly be able to master them all, having to work day and night at the writer’s desk, but you must keep on writing vigorously. We assure that all your reports will be published. We publish all reports in the order they were received. The procedures here are the same as in a gristmill, first come first served. No correspondence will have a preference. We do not discriminate in this matter. We equally like all of them and equally welcome them.) The newspaper must have been short on space since for a time no reports from the Dakota, Canada and so on appeared anymore. (The reason for this was already mentioned above.)
If Editions #48 and #49 hadn’t had some correspondences again from our farmer friends, then it soon would have become doubtful for us. But now thank God, these have found acceptance again, because we read with a deep interest all these reports from America and Canada. The founder of the Staats-Anzeiger through its publication has established an invaluable source of information. This applies to all of North America, Canada, yes, for the whole world, including the immigrants from Russia and those who were left in the old homeland. Many a friendship or old acquaintance between us and those on the other side of the ocean would have been forgotten and buried were it not for the Staats-Anzeiger. These reports from here and there form the bond, which through the Staats-Anzeiger keeps us together, yes, ties us together intimately. And that is very nice! I know that here like in America and other countries there are many, many readers of this newspaper who in their lifetime would not have read a newspaper, nor would have subscribed to one, had the Staats-Anzeiger not been published which took place more than 6 years ago. It rekindled old friendships that had grown cold. Today the Staats-Anzeiger through its kindness and acceptance of correspondences and through a genuine leadership, at least as long as the editor Mr. F.L. Brandt… (Text missing)
I have often looked through the paper thinking that perhaps in my eagerness I had missed the right page, but there wasn’t anything to be found. Not too long ago the paper would bring hundreds of articles on a weekly basis written by our friends and relatives in America and Canada. The paper in general was coveted. On Sundays people would carry the Staats-Anzeiger around and then passed from one individual to the next. Among all the papers, the Staats-Anzeiger was preferred. But now the people are in a sad mood. When the paper arrives here then the first question is, “Isn’t there anything reported yet by our friends in America in the Staats-Anzeiger?” As soon as the Staats-Anzeiger will bring good news again, it is up to 8 pages again, and like previously will offer nice prizes. I know that within 3 months it will gain many new readers and become as popular as it used to be. (*Editor: All of this has been offered to our friends for quite some time and the newspaper will be made more interesting than ever before. Also appealing prizes will be offered again.)
Indeed, I would have a lot to report from here. For instance how the priest and the deacon fared when they were invited to attend the blessing of the organ. Then how once an individual from Krasna came from Tarutino in minus 7 degree weather with horses and a wagon driving across the cemetery and its surrounding wall without knowing how he made it across.
But I have to postpone the report up to a time when I see more reports again in the Staats-Anzeiger from our friends and acquaintances. Then I shall commence. (*Editor: Well then we ask you to commence.) For now I send a friendly greeting to the editorship and the readers of the dear newspaper.
An Individual from Krasna
From: Krasna, Bessarabia
12 July 1912
Thank God the worthy paper has survived the problems after the move and now is able to fulfill its difficult mission once again. I have corresponded a lot lately but when I noticed that the editorship of the Staats-Anzeiger was in a bad situation and possibly overwhelmed with reports I decided not to be in the way of any necessary correspondences. I was going to wait until everything was in good order again. (*Editor: Your correspondences dear friend, are just as important as those from others and we are asking not to worry about us. Write… (Text missing)
Today the Staats-Anzeiger has become through its friendly obliging, through acceptance of correspondences, through solid leadership at least as long as the Editor F.L. Brandt himself had the reign, just like he does now, very familiar and much loved by us. Its part of the family and one can hardly be without the Staats-Anzeiger. We will never forget it. (*Editor: Many thanks to the Mr. Correspondent for this acknowledgement.) That is why dear friends and acquaintances, German brothers all over the world, do not waste any time but keep sending more and more reports to the Staats-Anzeiger about health conditions, expectations of the harvest and everything else of interest.
Now dear colleague Anton Jochim in Harvey, North Dakota, are you still alive? I have already asked questions repeatedly through the paper, but I have not heard anything. (*Editor: Mr. Anton Jochim lives in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada right now. Since then there have been answers to your questions as you may have noticed.)
I also have two brothers-in-law in the new world, namely Georg Mastio and Jakob Marthaller, who report way too little to the Staats-Anzeiger. Hopefully, my writing will cause them to correspond more eagerly.
I am heartily greeting my sons-in-law Ignatz Gross and Eduard Richter and their wives, as well as all friends and acquaintances and all readers of the dear paper.
Romuald Dirk