From: Krasna, Bessarabia
12 September 1912

Because I often heard that farmers also write in the newspaper, I too experimented and wrote to the Staats-Anzeiger in America on the 25 July and wanted to hear if I would be accepted. Then I waited and waited and thought that my article had been accepted, but to no avail. Then suddenly on the 5 September, I heard a conversation in the village that there was an article written by a farmer in the Staats-Anzeiger. That’s when I immediately went to those in the village who read the Staats-Anzeiger, wanting to find out if that was the article, which I had written. Right on, when I got to someone who subscribed to the paper and after perusing it a little, I found my article. Great, I thought, that the editor accepted me. Now no one of the rich and educated, who used to write and still write often in the paper about the poor farmers, will get away from me. Now I want to show those how it feels when one writes about somebody in the paper.

Before, and even now, when a poor little farmer made a mistake and had a little bit too much to drink in “Anschakrak” (Tarutino), he should have known that he would be in the newspaper. That angered me often, even if it did not concern me. Then I thought if I could do as I want, then you educated and rich will no longer let your pen take a walk through the paper so severely. But it is good that the editorship found my write-up okay and has accepted me. Now let any of them be heard from one more time in a subtle way!

I often thought that it could not go on like this; the time has come when the farmers can also voice their opinion in the newspaper. Now you educated and rich should write it behind your ears (take note) and know that a lot can also be written about you.

I mean to say that when you had read my previous article you opened your eyes wide and thought that now you will have to stiffen my ears. When my previous writing was read in the village, I noted that the ones the article pertained to searched and inquired about whom among the farmers could have written it. They accused some men who did not even know a thing about it. It would be better if you would have inquired about yourselves and searched for reform. That would be smarter and ensure that the truth about you wouldn’t be mentioned again. I don’t write any lies as many have often written. In my previous articles I have written about many things, but hardly everything that should be written.

If I had written everything, and you also would know that I had written it, and all of it was true, what would someone tell me then? I write reluctantly about everything that is happening, but if one takes a closer look at the matter then one cannot deal with the emotion. One should not cope with this emotion by keeping it locked up in one’s mind. Think about it. There are over 300 students in our village and over half are turned back by the Russian teacher. It has been like this for a several years, and then always involving the children of the poor – is that just? If I only could write in Russian, then I would inform the “Duma” (Russian Parliament) about this mess. I know for sure that then this disorder would not last very long. Everybody has to admit that things are with us like they are with two horses that do not pull. One wants to move this way and the other in the opposite direction, that’s how the poor children are cheated out of school one winter after the other. There are sufficient benches in the school and enough space, but there is no one who would teach the children. There are two teachers here, a German and a Russian, who intend to take in some of the children, but until it is their turn, winter will have passed and the few children will not have learned anything.

When autumn arrives, then the two will start council meetings about which children will be accepted and these council meetings go on until winter has passed. If just once somebody from higher up would appear unannounced, and help those two with their council meetings about which children they can accept without offending the rich, then I am certain that things would come about differently. The village administration also could sometimes help these council holders a little with their council meetings; maybe then a few more children would be accepted. But for that the village officials have no time. They have to check who from among the poor is sitting in the tavern. But when they see one of the rich in the bar, then it does not account for anything, even if such individual is drunk.

In all villages there is a concern for the betterment of schools, like it used to be. However, in Krasna things proceed like crabs in the water, once backwards and one time forward. Today we have 12 September and now we hear that soon the community is supposed to meet about the school issue. Maybe then the community will decide what should happen with the school. Perhaps the community will come to an agreement that one school should be built near the “Hierler” and one school in the “Wasserlacheeck” (Waterpuddle Corner). Once that is decided, then the school requirement is met. Then only one problem remains: Where to get the teachers; further, which one to assign to the lower and which one to the higher school. I know that once the schools are built, and the teachers have arrived, then there will be altercations again. That’s when the upper class wants the more intelligent teacher, just like the lower class. By the time the altercation is settled, winter will have passed again. Yet we have hope, even if it will take a little longer to catch up with the “Anschakrak” (Tarutino) school. I cannot express the concern shown in Krasna about the school. That’s why it should not take much longer to get started. Now I want to see and hear how things will develop. Once the work on the project has started, then I will write an article again.

Since the educated ones always write about the weather in the newspaper, I must also report that the weather is good; weather that would be opportune to haul construction rocks to the school building sites.

Now I thank you, Mr. Editor for accepting me in your newspaper and I think that you will also accept this article, and greet all readers of the Staats-Anzeiger.

A Farmer

From: Krasna, Bessarabia
15 September 1912

Dear Staats-Anzeiger!

Herewith I inform the editorship that I intend to leave Krasna in four weeks and establish a new home in the county of Kischinev. Since I cannot as yet announce a new address, I ask the editorship submissively to hold back editions of the newspaper until I can forward my new address. The editions mailed to Krasna in the meantime before you receive this article, I should still receive in Krasna. Should other editions yet arrive here after my move and I don’t receive them, then maybe the editorship could be so kind as to send those again, so that I can read all editions of the paper. (*Editor: Everything will be arranged as wished and any missing numbers will be provided subsequently. Wish you a lot of luck in the new home!)

Although I probably will not receive the Staats-Anzeiger for about four to six weeks because of the relocation, I will not interrupt my corresponding totally, despite the fact that I will be hardly able to report much to the reader circle. Nonetheless, the most important events will be reported to the Staats-Anzeiger. I also would love to comply with the editorship’s plan and send in my biography along with pictures, but I have to postpone this because of the relocation, and leave the start to other correspondents. If I were not presently so busy, I would muster all energy so that for Christmas we already could receive the dear paper beautifully decorated with the pictures of the correspondents and fellow workers.

I am hoping that other coworkers aggressively pursue this project, so that finally we will have the pictures of all correspondents to look at and remember them. (*Editor: The other gentlemen correspondents also seem to be too occupied because no one as yet has reacted to our stimulus. Such a project apparently cannot be undertaken during the summer and fall, but most likely during the winter. Most of the coworkers are farmers and are too busy at the present time. However, we happily look forward toward further developments.)

In closing, heartfelt greetings to my children in Morton County, North Dakota, Ignatz Gross and Eduard Richter and their wives. I would like to ask them to please stop writing letters for now until I send my new address to the Staats-Anzeiger. Further, a greeting also in all directions to the entire reader’s circle of the dear paper.

Respectfully,
Romuald Dirk.

From: Krasna, Bessarabia
4 October 1912

Dear Staats-Anzeiger!

I should have written a long time ago. I am sure you are all waiting with bated breath. (*Publisher: Glad to see you taking up the pen, thanks much!) It is already October 4, and although the weather is not as mild as in June and July, we have high winds and have already had a bit of frost. The leaves have fallen and the trees are bare; the swan and stork have left us. The sparrow looks for warmer abodes come evening. People are heating their homes already and winter approaches with giant steps. People are still busy picking corn. The winter seeding is completed and the early fruit is well.

Fall and winter brings many weddings. Recently wed were Ignatz Wutschig [Wuitschik] and Salome Leinz; widower Peter Ternes and widow Helena Rühl [Riehl]. More will follow shortly.

My brothers-in-law Joseph and Peter in America and many of the readers from this area are eager to hear what is going on.

Greetings to our mother and the brothers-in-law in the New World! Would be nice to see a report from them and learn that they are all well.

The Staats-Anzeiger is offering new bonuses for prepaid readers, so may I respectfully request a copy of the Regensburg Virgin Mary calendar? (*Publisher: Will be mailed promptly.)

I would also like to hear from my brother-in-law Barnabas Steiert. Is he a reader? (*Publisher: Cannot say, since we do not have an address to look up. Should he be a reader, he will let us know.)

The evenings are getting longer, so it is nice when one has the Staats-Anzeiger as a companion. Even then the longest evening is too short to take it all in. The Staats-Anzeiger is entertaining and educational!

Greetings to all readers of this publication, and to all friends and relatives all over the world!

Sincerely,
Melchior M. Weber

From: Mott, Hettinger County, ND
19 October 1912

Today I decided to write to the Staats-Anzeiger again! I sent in a lot of letters last year, but the waste bin must have been hungry, for I never saw any of them in print. Now that publisher Brandt is in charge again, I will try again. (*Publisher: See, the waste paper basket has tamed down a bit, so keep writing!) I am a bit behind in payments, but I am also paying for my brother's subscription in Rumania, Ludwig Drescher. (*Publisher: All is in order now. You are paid up through October 1913 and the brother to 1 January 1914. As you indicated, we sent the wall maps to your brother in Rumania and you are entitled to a bonus as well. So please indicate what you would prefer, the wall maps or the calendar?)

We have finished threshing in our neck of the woods, but in other parts of the region people are still behind due to weather. I am finished and managed to get 1,700 bushels of wheat and 600 bushels of oats from the seeding of 90 acres.

My buddy, F.J. Schmidt, is at the doctor's in Bismarck since he has been ill for a few years. We feel for him and his family.

Mr. Gottlieb Bregenzert also suffered a great misfortune recently. He and one of his children traveled to Mott. There was a loaded rifle on the wagon. The horse shied for some reason, the rifle went off and the bullet hit the driver in the arm. His arm could not be saved and had to be amputated. I took his children and the horses home from Mott for him.

Greetings to all readers of Staats-Anzeiger!

Sincerely,
Anton Drescher