From: Krasna, Bessarabia
2 December 1930
Esteemed Staats Anzeiger!
I cannot readily grasp and define the subject I want to write about today. Therefore, I want to begin with an Arabian saga.
When God had created the world he gathered all living creatures to assign each one of them a lifetime to live. Of course, man, the crown of all creation, was first in line and God said to him, “Look, everything I created I made because of you and for you. You shall reign over it all and shall live 30 years.”
The man was sad about that, cried and said, “Lord, why shall I live only 30 years? You made me so popular and elevated me and created so much, which I would like to enjoy much longer. Up to 20 years I am a child, do not understand the meaning of life and am still subject to care; as an adult then, really only ten short years remain for me to live.”
“If you are discontented,” said God, “stand aside.”
After the man, it was the donkey’s turn, and God said to him, “I made you to carry man’s burden; with a stick he shall guide you and urge you on, and your food shall be weeds and stalks of broom straw your whole life. You shall bear mockery because of your long ears. Your short memory will not allow you to think about your hardship. You shall live 40 years.”
The donkey wept also and said, “Lord have mercy on me, you have given me such miserable fate and designated 40 years for me to live. Half of that is enough; take 20 years away from me.”
“Lord,” shouted the man, “grant his wish and give me the remaining 20 years!”
“Very well,” said God, “you shall have them!”
Next after the donkey was the dog, and God said to him, “I created you to be the guardian of man and his belongings. Day and night you shall have no rest and be hungry all the time, and you shall live 40 years.”
The dog cried also and said, “Lord have pity on me and take away 20 years from me. How shall I endure 40 years of living without rest, constantly tormented by hunger?”
“Lord,” shouted the man, “grant him his wish and give me the remaining 20 years!”
“Right,” spoke the Lord, “You shall have them.”
After the dog, the monkey was next. God said to him, “I made you similar to men, but never shall you be an equal; already as a youth your cheeks are hollowed, and your whole being shall be funny and spur the laughter of man every time he sees you your whole life long. You shall live 40 years.”
The monkey also cried and begged him to take away 20 years, for 20 years would be enough to endure mockery.
The man was completely enthused with the prospect that as things were going, he could extend his life to eternity and shouted, “Lord, Lord, grant him his wish and give me the remaining 20 years!”
“Right,” said God, “You shall have them, but that’s it.” He pushed his Eve towards him and said, “Now go on and enjoy life.”
Adam jumped for joy about his successful bartering and disappeared into the shrubs with his better half.
The shrubs and bushes with long broad leaves stood there with indescribable splendor on the virgin earth, swaying in the wind and touching endearingly the soft meadow of grass and flowers. The sun shone wonderfully bright; high up in the sky two larks warbled with joy; not far off the quail joined in. On a swaying shrub a nightingale perched and for the first time sang her enchanting song.
Adam could not hold back any longer, he passionately hugged Eve and planted his first kiss on her glowing cheek.
Inspired by the nightingale’s song, the most beautiful male voice ever heard started to sing for the first time:
“How great and good are you, O God,
How everlasting and beautiful are your works,
I want to thank you ever more,
And praise your power and might.
Even more enchanting than your great, golden sun is Eve’s look.
Her sweet voice fulfills my happiness, my salvation and bliss.”
Then Eve lifted her voice and began to sing as pure as an angel:
“Adam, Adam, like me
Much dearer yet you are;
The world without you
What would it mean to me!”
The larks descended and perched on the shrub next to the nightingale. Eve sat in the grass, and Adam’s curly head rested in Eve’s lap. Eve heard the lark tell the nightingale, “Dear sister, quite beautiful is your voice and delightful your song, but the way the woman’s song came from the heart and goes to the heart cannot be described.”
Right then a hushed pride sneaked into Eve’s heart and her second song could not equal her first.
Two weeks had passed. God already longed for the human couple, for since that day he had not seen them anymore. God walked leisurely on the new earth. He was happy with his creation and thought, “Everything turned out well.”
Then he heard from some distance, Eve’s soft crying and Adam’s angry voice, “Come!” He stopped in anticipation of things to come. “Come along!” screamed Adam once more and dragged the crying Eve from behind the bush.
Seeing God he shouted, “Here, Lord, I return Eve to you. I do not want her any more. You can keep her. If I want this, she wants that, if I want that, she wants this.”
“Right, Right,” said God soothingly, “you can leave her here and be on your way.”
Adam disappeared with one leap into the bushes as Eve watched with teary eyes. God placed his fatherly hand on her head and said, “Do not cry, he will come back soon.”
Already the next day as Eve was seated at God’s feet holding a wreath of flowers in her hands, Adam appeared out of the bushes. He did not dare to come closer.
God called out to him, “Adam, voice your wish!”
Adam came closer, with his eyes fixed on Eve he said bashfully, “Forgive me, Lord, don’t you want to give her back to me?”
God said, “Did you not assert to never want her back again?”
“I realize, Lord,” said Adam, “with her you have bestowed upon me a weed which causes my life to be difficult at times, but now I hate life without her. Give her back to me.”
God said, “Take her, enjoy her and have more patience. Live with her as best you can. May she be your support while being your burden, your longing and repose, and do not dare to ever bring her back.”
In a shy and quiet manner Eve had listened in. Now she jumped up and at once put the wreath on Adam’s head and kissed him. While they were departing she talked to him continuously, “My dear, my sweetheart, my darling, it is true, I offended you very much, but I did not mean to. But now you shall live! I will be around you gentle as a lamb and kind as a bird. Never again will I cause such terrible anger to reflect in your lovely eyes.”
God smiled as he saw them walking away and thought, “This Eve turned out to be just like I wished. This is how I wanted her to be, so that she will not make this man’s life unbearable. Today, sweet as honey, soft as butter, love itself. Tomorrow, bitter as bile, hard as rock, dark and impenetrable as night, bottomless and mysterious as the ocean floor. Dear Adam, variety has been provided!”
My youngest one stands before me. His eyes full of joy, sparkling and clear, his lips and cheeks exuberantly red, full of youthful daring. He would like to jump up the walls for joy.
Involuntary, I make a comparison with him and me, a 53-year-old one, in conjunction with the above written parable.
I have to agree with its meaning and conclusion, which is as follows:
Man’s life is really nice and pleasing up to his 30th year. After that, those years designated for the donkey come about: Full of trouble, grief, work, and sorrow in how and from where to obtain the necessities for a growing family.
Several heavy blows, comparable to the stick that urges and guides the donkey, rarely fail to occur. Woe then, if Eve does not prove herself with her task and becomes more of a burden than a support, and the contrasts in the dispositions are difficult to bring into harmony. The person in question then really needs the donkey’s patience in order to endure it all.
Likewise, more or less, are the years of human life from 30 to 50 as described? After you turn 50, the children mostly are on their own, received part of their parent’s property and most often are in a position to be independent.
The life of the elders by that time has taken a turn one way or another and to tinker with it will help only a little.
Then the years of watching and unrest for the children’s fate set in. One accepts one’s life the way it is. However, for the children’s sake one would like to be helpful and with all the fervor of the heart shape a better destiny for them. A misfortune for the children often hits home harder than one’s own.
This is how it continues up into the seventies. The cheeks are usually already hollow, the strength is gone, the mind has hardly anything to show, and yes, the childish behavior is not too far away. Often one becomes the mockery of the imprudent youth, and so on.
Now that I got this far with my writing, I feel the need to have that little, lively urchin with me again. I call him in, put him in front of me and want to truly realize his spiritual perception. But that does not happen easily. He wields his arms, jumps around, laughs, screams and bombards me with all kinds of comical and funny questions, makes me laugh, and I chase him out.
Through my mind race thoughts about my past life with all its’ zigzags of overwhelming grief in the earlier years, moderate luck, one’s own wrong doing, misunderstood goodwill, and whatever else. All the ups and downs of life are called.
Dear little one, I am thinking, although, thank God, my life so far has not as yet been bad, I do have a good reason to wish you a more fortunate life. Every father has probably the same wish for his child, although one should harmonize with the poet:
> He, who demands less, wins a lot.
Many hopes bring many deceptions;
Lots of striving brings lots of quarreling;
Lots of love brings lots of suffering.
A little eventful life, however, always seems to me like soup with too little salt and spices.
Our weather in general is still too dry. Several weeks ago we had downpours, which brought 2 to 3 inches of moisture. After that some winter grain was planted. The weather is still sunny and pleasant without frost. Yet the growing of the seeds progresses only slowly. It is just too late in the year, the nights are long and the days short.
The state of health is satisfactory in Krasna. However, in some of the surrounding villages there seem to be cases of typhoid and scarlet fever.
Melchior Söhn, son of Mathias, with family and Maximilian Dirk, son of Johannes, with family are thinking about immigrating to Brazil in the next few days. The widow Gertruda Menges cannot go along. She needs the authority to document her property and without that, of course, nobody will buy it. Without money you cannot make it to Brazil.
Edition #30 and #31 of the Staats Anzeiger got lost some how, which I regret very much.
With many greetings and heartfelt wishes for the New Year.
Respectfully,
Isidor Leinz
From: Porto Filis, Brazil
9 December 1930
Esteemed Staats Anzeiger!
First of all, I would like to report that your worthy newspaper arrives here very much on time. It always brings us lots of news from all parts of the world.
The Germans in Sao Paulo who would like to come here should be told that only those people who have enough money have a chance to successfully buy a little land.
There are no possibilities here to make a profit, since all are beginners, and the colony was founded just a few years ago.
Whoever has at least 1,000 Reis has a chance to get ahead. It is easy around here to acquire a homestead after a few years, if only one has a little something to get started, for the land is cheap and fertile. Here one does not bother with grain growing. It is not marketable, since the nearest railroad station is pretty far away. People around here resort more to breeding hogs and growing tobacco.
On Sunday, brother-in-law Anton, Uncle Kaspar Weber and I made a trip visiting friends nearby, who settled here two to three years ago. Our first stop was at Christoph Nagel’s. We found him and his family in good health. They gave us a nice reception.
After a good noon meal, Mr. Nagel showed us his estate. He has 32 hogs, four of which he is fattening. The yard is full of chickens, ducks, and other poultry.
Furthermore, he owns two cows and one horse. He has everything a landlord needs to operate such an establishment.
From there we continued on to Korbinian Winter. He too owns his land and has built a nice home.
Isidor Krenzel also achieved something and is fully satisfied with his new country. He thanks God that he is here.
In closing, we greet our parents and siblings in Emmental, Beassarabia. We await a letter in the Staats Anzeiger from brother-in-law Anton. We have not had any news from the old country and would be happy to read a lengthy report from there in the Staats Anzeiger.
Regards also to Anna Moldenhauer in Canada, and ask that she show a sign of herself in this important newspaper.
Now, we wish all our friends and readers, also the esteemed editorial staff, a Happy New Year.
Anselmus Wagner