From: Krasna, Bessarabia,
5 January 1914

Indeed, only a few days have passed since I forwarded my last correspondence to the newspaper. I intended to let the pen rest a few days. However, the wife and I accepted an invitation by Mr. Mathias Müller and wife in Emmental for New Year’s.

There I met with many friends and acquaintances, who implored me with questions on the whereabouts of their brothers, brothers-in-law, and so on, in America, and if the Staats-Anzeiger would know where they all are. One thing led to the other. One is of the opinion here that the Staats-Anzeiger knows where all people live. (*Editor: We no longer search for addresses, unless the required fee is forwarded with each request. One should read the mailbox. The requests to find addresses and forward greetings have increased to a point that we had to forcefully order a stop, for these are not things of common interest.) I had promised the people that I would turn to the Staats-Anzeiger with the request for help. I hope that the editor will grant us this favor.

There is, first off, Barbara Gross nee Plotzky, who is looking for her brother Johannes Plotzky who supposedly resides in Allan, Saskatchewan, Canada. If he is not a reader of this paper, then maybe other readers would be so kind as to draw his attention to these lines.

The current Mrs. Jakob Gross, whose first husband was the deceased Michael Mässner from Beresina, Bessarabia, would like to inform her children in the new world that their paternal assets are part of the orphanage treasury in Klöstiz. The children of this woman are Michael Mässner who is assumed to live in Kulm, N.D.; Gottlieb Mässner lives in Argentina, South America. The addresses of the other sons, Friederich and Jakob Mässner are unknown to their mother. She asks her children to please withdraw the assets, which have been with the orphanage treasury for years. She also asks for letters directly to her, or as news through the Staats-Anzeiger. Letters are to be addressed to Jakob Gross, Emmental, Post Office Kainari, Bender County, Bessarabia. One of the Mässner gentlemen may even be a reader of the paper. If not, then it is high time to join the Staats-Anzeiger family, the paper that is read around the whole world.

At Mr. Mathias Müller’s New Year’s party there was much talk about the Staats-Anzeiger, of which I happened to have a copy at hand. Everyone read it. In #21, the correspondence of Mr. Ludwig Schmalz in Beiseker Alta, Canada was also read. He reported that the spring-loaded shears as a prize for Mr. Karl Ternes was lost. Karl Ternes is the uncle of Mathias and Klara Müller from Emmental, and the brother of Ludwig Ternes, who is the father of Mrs. Mathias Müller.

At the party the well being of Mr. Ludwig Schmalz and Mr. Karl Ternes and their wives was toasted along with extended best wishes.

Before Mr. Mathias Müller leaves Russia, he would be very happy to hear from his Uncle Karl Ternes one more time. Mr. Müller is all set, and departs Emmental on 15 February for Canada to establish a new home.

Well, as I said, I promised the people I would forward all of this to the Staats-Anzeiger.

For years now we have not had as much snow as we have this winter. In late fall it didn’t want to rain nor snow. Time passed until about Christmas, and that’s when we received snow, enough for sleigh-rides. A blizzard rages today, January 5. One cannot leave the house and is astonished at how the snowdrifts pile up in the yard. One has to wait and see what tomorrow will bring. It could very well be that this report will be late in getting to the post office. I am deeply worried that in a few days one will receive the bad news about all the damage this blizzard has caused. Let’s hope that no lives were lost.

Yesterday, at the Post Office Kainari, I received Editions #22 and #23 of the Staats-Anzeiger. It again brought us welcome news from the new world and reports about Christmas and New Year’s festivities.

The essays of my dear colleague, Mr. Anton Jochim, always especially impress me. Sorry, old colleague, that your wish to personally wish me luck did not come true. However, let’s not give up all hope for seeing each other in this world, for there is a possibility of that for as long as we live. If I had a dollar for every time your name and that of the Staats-Anzeiger was mentioned among company, then it would have been possible for me to visit the new world a long time ago. We want to hope for the best and look toward the future with a content heart. I do have children in North Dakota. Once I have as many sons there as daughters, maybe then I can tell the unjust Russia “good bye”.

Injustices may dominate all over, however only in smaller proportions. If only one looks at the injustices of court proceedings in Russia, then one is tempted to believe that there is no God in heaven anymore. However, when injustice has exceeded its’ course, then the almighty and righteous judge shall give his judgment. One could write endlessly about this topic.

I was cordially happy to get to know Mr. Peter Gabriel through a picture in the Staats-Anzeiger Christmas edition. Right on, Mr. Gabriel. If all correspondents would follow our example, then soon a nice group picture could be put together.

Greetings to all my children in Morton County, North Dakota and to all readers of this paper.

Romuald Dirk

From: Krasna, Bessarabia,
7 January 1914

Dear Staats-Anzeiger!

Since Christmas we have had winter weather with moderate temperatures and a lot of snow.

Now, dear Americans, I want to show you with a few words that the world is exaggerating when it speaks ill of us Russians saying that we lack prudence, skill, and the like.

One of our great hunters this day realized that roast rabbit with sauerkraut for New Year’s would be more palatable than bacon and kraut. Like all of us Russians, so our hunter, with the peculiarity short in thinking and quick in action. Shouldering the shotgun, he hurried off to the nearby forest. Here he hid somewhat in the bushes and waited with a hunter’s patience for his New Year’s feast, a rabbit. Soon indeed a rabbit approaches, sits up and looks at the snowed-in figure, not really knowing what it was. “Aha,” thinks the hunter, “you shall be very palatable for us,” and aimed the shotgun. “Click!” goes the trigger, but everything remains quite. “Misfire!” gnashed the hunter and cocks the trigger a second time. ”Click!” it goes again. The rabbit however, seemed bored, for it fared the hunter “good bye.” Enraged, the hunter blew into the shotgun barrel and so it became evident, the shotgun was not loaded!

Greetings to my brothers Nikolaus, Gottlieb, Phillip and Joseph, and sisters Katharina and Eva, and brother-in-law in Hague, North Dakota. I especially ask brother Gottlieb to let something be known about himself. Also, our old neighbor Georg Wingenbach should once again show a sign of life.

With greetings to the entire reader’s circle.

Johannes Leinz

From: Brisbane, Morton County, ND
3 February 1914

The other day I was reading a correspondence in the paper signed by Heinrich Gimbel from Hazelton, N.D., in which was written about a girl who sued a man for $1,500.

Supposedly, he laid a hand on her. (Editor: But Mr. Gimbel had not written this correspondence, which had already been reported, and therefore we have to cross out any further statements here.)

We celebrated a candle light mass at Phillip Zahner’s among friends and acquaintances.

I greet all my uncles Winter in Krasna, South Russia, who I herewith invite to order the Staats-Anzeiger. The paper only costs 4 rubles for the whole year and is easily worth tenfold. We all like to read the correspondence by Mr. Romuald Dirk. Valentin Herrschaft also had a very good piece in the paper, namely the Golden A B C. But I believe that for the Jew who stole the 49,000 rubles this A B C is a thorn in the eyes. He thinks he made a deal.

Greetings to all fellow readers and especially to all people in Krasna.

Maximilian Winter,
Son of Mathias