From: Emmental, Bessarabia
1 December 1911

Dear Publisher!

I promised to continue writing throughout the winter months and so I am keeping the promise.

Our weather is cold and windy. Last week we had two days of snow flurries. We ended up with 3 arschin (1 arschin = 28 inches) of snow. Within a few days, most of it had melted off again, and in places there was no snow left at all.

Our sled track lasted only a few days. Now we contend with a mix of snow and mud, not good for sled or wagon. I wanted to travel to Krasna, but decided against it.

I also have a riddle for the readers: When Noah sent his dove out, was it a boy or girl dove?

I sent a photo to my friend Pius Kopp in Richardton, North Dakota and am still waiting for an answer as to whether or not he received it. Perhaps one of the readers could let me know and whether he recognized me?

Am also looking for the address of Peter Krensel [Krenzel]. It would be nice if a reader would know his whereabouts? His son Sigmund is a reader of the paper. He could perhaps let me know, or has he grown too lazy to write?

Greetings to my cousin Jakob Kopp. I need his address as well. He once promised to write, but that was THREE years ago!

Heartfelt greetings to my old mother and the brothers in Maple Creek, Sask., Canada. My brother Joseph promised to send photos and I am waiting for them. I wish all of you a Happy New Year and the very best. Time to close, greetings to all readers.

Zachäus Kopp,
Son of Martin

From: Emmental, Bessarabia
5 December 1911

Throughout fall the weather was warm and in November we had snow for three days with an average cold temperature. Quite a bit of snow came down which because of the warm weather, melted into the ground little by little, leaving behind an almost impassable road. Christmas is knocking on the door, and almost everyone needs to do a lot of driving, which is impossible because of the impassable roads.

During the Christmas Season on St John’s Day, it is a tradition for servants who do not want to remain in their old assignments to change jobs. However, if the weather stays as is, then it will be difficult for them. Many farmers are anxiously waiting for frost to make roads passable so that they can fetch farmhands and maids. But they must wait patiently, even if they have to remain without service personnel.

Because there are only fourteen days left in the old year and I cannot possibly let the old year dwindle away without sending a good luck wish to my friends across the big water. My dearest and I will write and hope that our message will arrive on time.

Lots of luck for the New Year, dear sons-in-law Ignatz Gross with wife and child; Eduard Richter with wife and child; brother Jakob Dirk and family; nephew Lorenz Dirk and relatives in Morton County; and nephews Lorenz Fenrich, Joseph Fenrich and Johannes Fenrich in Canada along with their families; nephew Des. [Dosiderius] Wagner and family in Canada; Anton Dirk with family; Markus Fenrich in Emmons County with family; brother-in-law Jakob Marthaller and family in Balmas; my dear good old colleague Anton Jochim and wife, the whole reader’s circle and the valued editorship of Der Staats-Anzeiger!

Thank heaven that we all made it through the Old Year in good health and happiness. May the New Year also flow along as joyfully. May heaven bestow its blessing on you and allow you with this new segment of our lives to embark on a new fortunate course, filled with health and a serene and peaceful heart. Preserve for me, dear friends, your love, which is of great value to my heart. Rest assured that my love for you is steadfast for the rest of my life.

I especially wish, dear friends, that in the course of the New Year, we become closer friends through the esteemed Staats-Anzeiger by reading and writing in it, and make each other happy. I intend to write you more some other time. For today only the repeated assurance that I will remain your sincere friend for the rest of my life.

Romuald Dirk

From: Flasher, North Dakota
December 1911

We have had cold weather now since Christmas, and last week there were a number of storms.

E.E. Schellhart, one of our neighbors had separated from his wife a few years back, as they no longer got along, but he kept their 10-year-old boy. Mr. Schellhart died recently. He was in his seventies and his wife in her sixties.

The old man took the boy visiting the neighbors one morning. When the old man wanted to leave, the boy begged to be allowed to stay another hour, so the old man left.

Later, when the boy made his way home, he found the old man, dead in the snow. He must have suffered a heart attack a half-mile from his home.

Greetings,
Johannes Kuntz

From: Brisbane, Morton County, ND
27 December 1911

I am taking this opportunity to write and also visit with Anton Gedak in Krasna, South Russia. It was a great joy to read his news in Issue #20 of this publication.

We mailed several letters to Krasna and have not received answers, but we are reasonably sure that not all of them have died. So please, you folks, write. Tell us what the wine gardens look like and what happened to my mother’s power of attorney to get the process cleared? I want to know whether you won your case, or not. Do you need more money?

It has been quite some time since we have left Russia and there is still no answer. Grethe, let us know. Our address here is: Philipp Erker, Brisbane, North Dakota, USA.

Telesof Blotzki needs the address… (…Text missing…)

Philipp Erker

From: Haynes, Adams County, ND
8 January 1912

I wish to write a few lines to the Staats-Anzeiger. It is my first attempt and I am sure it will need a bit of polish.

Our harvest was virtually nothing and the animal feed does not look much better. There is no straw and no hay. We also do not know about the seed, whether the county will get some or not.

The weather is nice, once one sits in the warm room and looks out the window.

My father-in-law received a letter from my cousin Valentin Herrschaft in Krasna, Russia. He writes that the newspaper does not get there regularly and that he is still waiting for his scissors. (*Publisher: The issues are mailed every week and the scissors were also mailed.)

Greetings to my brother Peter in Emmons County and cousin Valentin in Krasna, South Russia as well as the readers.

Thomas Eli [Ehli],
Son of F. Eli [Ehli]