From: Abramo, Argentina
10 September 1929
Dear Staats-Anzeiger!
Today I would like to report to the dear newspaper everything that has happened here since my last correspondence, although it is not anything pleasant for us. First, I want to write about the demise of our dearly beloved father. He was born on 26 April 1869 in Sarata, Bessarabia. There he was also baptized, confirmed and married his wife Katharina, nee Haas from Teplitz on 26 July1895. She is now mourning for him. The marriage was blessed with 10 children. At a tender young age, two of the children preceded their father in death. The deceased had immigrated with his family to Argentina in 1905 and settled near Hiazinta-Arauz. From here he moved to Villa-Alba and 3 years later to the “Tschakra” near Abramo. In February this year, he got sick with stomach cancer. He died on 23 August at 1:00PM. He left a deeply grieving wife, 8 children, 4 sons-in-law, 21 grandchildren, 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Two of his brothers live in the United States while one brother and two sisters are still in Sarata, Bessarabia. He was 60 years, 3 months and 8 days old. May he rest in peace! He was buried in the cemetery of Bernasconi on 24 August.
There was another death, that of Mrs. Martha Bueschel, nee Haupt. She became sick with pneumonia and was taken to the hospital in Bahia Blanca on 15 August and died there on 17August. She left a husband and 9 children. The youngest child was 10 days old.
The third death occurred when Johann Haier died of pneumonia on 27August. His funeral was on 29 August in Villa-Alba. He left his wife, 14 children and 20 grandchildren. He had reached the age of 65 years and 23 days.
The fourth person that died was Heinrich Schoenhoff, the brother-in-law of the undersigned. Heinrich died on 8 September and was buried on 10 September. He left his sick wife, a baby daughter, his mother and 8 siblings, and also many friends and relatives. The deceased had reached an age of 26 years, 11 months and 22 days. The wife’s condition is worrisome, but we hope that she will improve. It was heart-rending to witness this misery, considering that the sick wife couldn’t even attend the funeral.
The fifth death was Rudolf Meske, the oldest son of Friedrich Meske. Rudolf died on 10 September and had to be buried the same day because the doctors declared that Rudolf had died of a contagious disease. May he rest peacefully in the soft ground!
Yes, death is a diligent harvester! My opinion is that the enormous drought is to blame for all these deaths. It is apparent that the wrath of God rests heavily upon us. Instead of mankind mending its way, it continues to get worse.
The weather is the same, namely dry.
I am taking the opportunity to let my uncle know that I have informed all relatives by letter about the death of our dear father. By now they should have received the letters.
Respectfully,
Karl Blatter
From: Isabella, Brazil
19 September 1929
Dear Staats-Anzeiger!
I want to take the opportunity to thank the correspondents Mr. Anton Gedak for his reports, as well as Isidor Leinz and Mr. F. Strohmaier. We can tell from the reports what big changes have occurred during the last 4 years since we immigrated from Krasna to South America.
We wish the new immigrants in Canada, namely Peter Soehn, Gabriel Volk and Ignatz Ihli lots of luck in their new homeland. We want Ignatz Ihli to know that one of their daughter’s children died. She and Markus Soehn are visiting with us right now. We had picked them up at the railroad station and they stayed at our house for three days.
We are done with the coffee harvest. We yielded 616 sacks and hope to get 3 milreis per sack. Now the hoeing starts and taking the piles apart. As soon as we are done with that job, we have to plant corn, rice and beans etc.
The readers probably want to know what kind of machines we use for our work. It is very simple. We use a plow, a hoe, a sickle and a flail. The flail is our threshing machine. The coffee grows on trees and doesn’t require machinery.
This is to inform our friend Joseph Fenrich in Canada that we received his letter dated 11 August on 12 September and we answered him right away.
Where are the gentlemen Lorenz and Markus Fenrich? We haven’t heard from them for a long time even though we sent them a letter with pictures.
We would like to greet Mr. Remigius Paul from Edmund Soehn, brother of Markus Soehn. He and his family arrived here healthy and they are staying with us.
This is to inform the gentlemen Nikolaus and Peter Harsche that their brother Egidius had died recently.
I am greeting the editor Mr. Brandt and the fellow readers.
Alexius Fenrich
From: Fox Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada
7 October 1929
Dear Staats-Anzeiger!
I want to send greetings to my good friend Christian Klaus in Leipzig, Bessarabia via the Staats-Anzeiger. He used to be the secretary in Krasna for a long time.The two of us and also Xaverius Becker had always been good friends and had good times duck hunting. Would our friend Johann Bender be so kind and relay the greetings. Greetings also to him from us, Anton A. (formerly Peter) Soehn. We would like to hear more from our friends and we will write more often to them.
I greet all readers of the paper.
Anton A. Soehn