From: Malcoci, Dobrudscha
10 January 1920
Dear Brother and Sister-in-law!
We have hard times behind us. You will hardly believe it when I write this to you. But God has helped us once again, so that we will experience a New Year.
In the year 1918, we had a totally bad harvest; consequently we had nothing to eat and also no fodder for our cattle and horses. Besides, we still had to do the compulsory labor for the Bulgarians. One had no rest day or night. The Bulgarians totally worked the people’s horses to death. Our mother lost 4 horses in 1918 so that she and Martin together have only 2 horses left. Before the war I owned 4 horses. One of them died before the mobilization and one of them was taken away from me by the Bulgarians. Then the best ones were gone. The third one, the Bulgarians drove to death so that I had to shoot it when I came home. I was absent for almost 2 years. That’s how I remained with one horse. The Bulgarians had also stolen the cow. But it came back sick a few days later and died shortly after. My wife had to sell a 2-year-old heifer, since we were not allowed to keep more than one cow. The Bulgarian Military Administration took the rest.
On top of that, the high cost of living came about. The harvest had failed. I received 4 kilos of barley and about 20 kilos of Welsh corn. We received no wheat. Right after my return I had to buy everything. In the fall, the price for Welsh corn was 30 francs per 20 kilos, but in spring it was already 90 to100 francs. There was also no feed available for the horses, so that one was not able to plow anything. For one hectare of plowing, one paid up to 300 francs. Most people had only green reed to feed their horses.
Furthermore, there was a lack of the necessary seed. Last year we planted nothing but rape and Welsh corn. What luck that the harvest turned out good! Food items are a little cheaper now, but everything else one has to buy has gotten much more expensive.
The small types of horses, the way we used to have them here in Malcoci, are costing now 4,000 to 5,000 francs per horse. The Russian horses, of which there are a few more, are costing 15,000 to 20,000 francs for a pair. Cattle are 2,000 to 3,000 francs a head. The increase in the cost of living is not only in Rumania but also all over Europe.
By the way, we are all still healthy. Brother Anton and Brother Michael are in Germany. As of yet we have not heard from them. Brother Martin is still in the military. He has to report back to the service on 15 January. He is already in his 9th year of service.
So far the winter has not been severe here. Although we are in the middle of January we have spring like weather.
The following people died in the war: Martin Joseph Brand, Michael Greg. Eret, Johannes A. Drescher, Wendelin Jottartin, Anton Michael Frank, Anton Weitemann, Franz J. Eret, Georg P. Baumstark, Jakob Andrew Hoffart, Anton Joh. Aspeleiter, Anton Greg. Mack, Anton Fried. Mack, Jakob J. Baumstark, Johannes Mich. Hoffart, Heinrich Tuchscherer, Jordan Kraftel and Eduard Baumstark.
The following families immigrated to Germany: Jakob Kiefer, Franz Bobolofski, Andreas Angert, Georg Weitemann, Franz Drescher, Joseph J. Klein, Joseph Kost, Peter Hoffart, Anton Frank, Konrad Frank, August Schweitz, Raimuns Schweitz, Anton J. Gugert, Margaretha A. Drescher, Wilhelm Angert, and Ignatz Bobolofski. Besides these, 36 unmarried boys went along to Germany. Also many men went to Bulgaria while their families are still in Rumania.
Brother-in-law Adam Brendel, Peter Baumstark, Jakob W. Eret, Jakob A. Eret, Michael Brendel, Franz J. M. Hoffart, Heinrich Mack, Michael F. Eret, Jordan Schmidt, Johannes A. Drescher stayed home during the war and when the Rumanians returned they left for Bulgaria.
Heartfelt greetings from all of us.
Joseph and Ottilie K. Klein
(*Editor: The above letter was mailed to us by Mr. Franz K. Klein in Colgan, North Dakota for publication in Der Staats-Anzeiger.)