From: Emmental, Bessarabia
12 September 1920
About 3 months ago a man told me the following story.
Once we drove a ship across the Caspian Sea and while we were still far away from the shore, we saw a small boat with 3 fishermen on it. Our captain, who is a Tartar, stopped our ship when we were close to them and motioned to the poor fishermen to come closer. All 3 of them were Armenians.
They rowed their little boat, which was full of fish, closer and our captain took as many fish as he wanted. Then he asked them what they wanted for the fish. They answered that they wanted 20 rubles. The captain then said; “I don’t have any money, but I can give you something that is worth more than all the money in the world. I am able to dunk you and let you drown, but I am going to spare you. Isn’t life worth more than all the money in the world?” The poor fishermen had no idea that this inhumane captain was serious. They stood on their little boat and begged for the money. Suddenly the captain shouted for everyone on the ship to hear; “Get out of the way or I will run over you!” With these words he had his ship move forward and the fishermen plunged into the water. After their suppliant begging, he once again stopped and we pulled the fishermen out of the water. They were barely alive. However their little boat with the fish had sunk. When we arrived on land, the fishermen immediately reported the captain to the police. Whatever happened to him I don’t know, since the following day I took the train to Bessarabia. After this story, I asked the man where he had come from. He said from the other side of the sea. I asked him what city he came from and he answered that he forgot the name of the city. Was it maybe Daschgent, I asked him. Yes, he said that is the name of the city. Then I asked him who he had visited in the city of Baku. (He had mentioned that they had stopped in Baku.) What tavern or what place had you been in while in Baku? I could already tell that the whole story was one stinking lie. I know the city of Baku very well, since I served there as a soldier in my 15th year. He could only answer more questions while stuttering and I knew that he knew nothing about Baku. I then told him right to his face that all of what he had told me was a lie. That he didn’t know the city and that he had never seen the Caspian Sea. After that he turned and was on his way grumbling.
You see dear readers, he was one of those people who often write their reports in the paper and want to be important with their dumb stories. On top of that they want to get the paper for free.
We the readers don’t always know if the reports are true or false. But we read them because the newspaper costs money. (*Editor: As far as we know such false reports have never appeared in the Staats-Anzeiger.)
In read in Issue #75 in my report, that the editorship will send me the paper free of charge if I correspond diligently. I would like that very much, but because of that I will not write more and not less. When I find out something new and I have time, then I will write, but if I don’t know anything new then I will have nothing to report. I will not write untruths even if you send me 20 newspapers. If I get the paper for free in exchange for my few and simple reports, I would be happy and honored, and I would strive to report all news. Now winter is coming and one would have time to write. If I don’t get the paper free of charge, my brother Joseph in Canada will be happy to pay for me. (*Editor: Indeed your brother Jos. M. Kopp in Elardee, Saskatchewan, Canada paid for the paper for you, but it will expire on the 24th of this month.)
Further, I have to report that the newspaper now arrives very regularly. It doesn’t arrive in the order of the numbered editions, but we do get them all. Beginning with #90, I received them all but not in order. For example, I received #104 and 4, then 7 and 2 and today I received 8, 9 and 92. But one has to be satisfied and for my part I am.
I also received letters from my brother Joseph in Canada. First came the letter from 15 July and 2 weeks later the one dated 13 June arrived.
I also read the letter from Germany in #9 of the Staats-Anzeiger written by Johannes Kaiser. I don’t want to write much about him, but my brother had asked me already what a Bolshevist really is. Dear brother and dear readers, this man is a true Bolshevist. I only wish that God calls him into heaven before he crosses the Russian border once again. He wouldn’t be welcomed by anyone except bandits and communists. (*Editor: We are very afraid that also the Mr. Correspondent can’t give reliable information about what a Bolshevist really represents. The opinions and reports about them overseas as well as in this country are far apart. One thing is clear though not all Bolshevists are thieves and murderers as they have been described. It is unthinkable that such people could stay in the government for years. We are leaning towards the opinion, that thieves and murderers brought the name Bolshevist into dishonor and discredit.)
Zachaeus Miller from the original Rumania is staying with us. He is the brother of Mathias Miller in Canada. He wants to buy 4 draught-horses. The weather is just like we want it to be and we are already seeding. Everything else is the same.
Our people from Emmental who are living in America should write more often. We would really like that.
I am closing now and I am greeting everyone.
Zachaeus Kopp
From: St. Paul, Minnesota
9 October 1920
Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!
For some time I had in mind to respond to the warm words addressed to me by “A Farmer” in the Staats-Anzeiger. But I was hindered in writing by a badly swollen right forefinger. Now I can pursue my activities again without any problems.
I have lived and worked in the city of St Paul for almost two months. St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota and is located at the Mississippi River. As of the last census it has 250,000 inhabitants. Among these are 10,000 Germans. German social clubs have been well established here. This became clearly evident during the groundbreaking ceremony of the “German House” on 26 September this year.
The below listed lodges and clubs placed their association certificates in sequence into a designated capsule. The capsule then was cemented into the foundation. The lodges of the “Hermanns-Söhne” (sons of Hermann) Nos.16, 30, 36 and 45, the lodges of the “Hermann-Schwestern” (Hermann-sisters) Nos. 8, 10, and 16, the Kriegerverein, Bayernverein, Sachsenverein, Badenserverein, Concordia, Spassvogelklub, Deutschböhmen, Bruderbund, Kaiser Franz Joseph Militärverein, Oesterreich-Ungarischer Militärverein and Plattdütscher Vereen. Every delegate with three hammer blows confirmed his affiliation to the German culture of the city.
A wonderful September day favored the elevated festivity, which should be mentioned first, and had taken an impressive course and surely presents a monument for further development and rebirth of German culture in St. Paul. A large crowd filled the street, which for the duration of the festivity was off limits to wagon traffic and was in effect until the end of the exalting festivity. The construction site was beautifully decorated with green leaves and American and German flags. The men’s choirs effectively sang the nicest and wonderful sounding German songs. Mayor Hodgson gave an exceptional speech, which received a lot of applause. In a remarkable way he gave credit to the German culture as part of the city’s past and future life.
Voluntary contributions from German clubs and private donors are being used to build the “Deutsche Haus”. The building will be two stories high with a full basement. It will serve as a place where clubs will hold conventions, as well as for concerts and theater performances. It is pleasing that the German populace unites in such a way in order to uphold the German culture. “We want to be a united people of brothers, never to separate in distress and danger.”
But dear “A Farmer” everything that glitters is not golden, when you say that the German Americans are so eager not to lose anything of their culture. Unfortunately there are many people who disavow their German heritage and say, “I don’t know that person.”
The war and its hysteria have also estranged many a German man from his land of birth or ancestry. It is absolutely ridiculous when people make biting remarks about the correspondent “A Farmer” in Bessarabia. As far as I know he never mentioned anyone by name in his reports. And yet there are people who wear that neat little coat, which has to fit exquisitely so that they are being recognized. Then somebody even writes that the
“A Farmer” never submits anything intelligent. With that the applicable correspondent most likely wants to praise himself. And beating your own drum stinks! However, I am of the opinion that “A Farmer’s” correspondences are very intelligent. They always contain spiced-up humor and along with that serious and true words. “Oh, if there were no hate by the gods, then mankind could become prosperous! If there were no envy among the people, oh, it would be wonderful on earth!”
I want to inform Alexius Wingenbach in Brisbane, North Dakota that I am still residing in Minnesota and that I like it here a lot better than in North Dakota – even though there are less roasted rabbits here!
I greet my old parents in Krasna, friends and acquaintances among the readers.
Cyrillus Haag