From: Larga, Bessarabia
20 January 1920

Esteemed Staats-Anzeiger!

Today I received two editions of the Staats-Anzeiger again. I found a lot in them, which without the Staats-Anzeiger we wouldn’t know.

I am somewhat perplexed that many reports from Russia came through to the Staats-Anzeiger during the years of 1918 and 1919, because the mail service had come to a complete halt. (*Editor: It was a miracle that some did get through.) Not only letters arrived at the Staats-Anzeiger, but also a lot of them came here from relatives and friends over there. The nine editions of the Staats-Anzeiger that I have received stirred up quite an excitement among the farmers here. It seemed as if America had sent several boxes of gold and silver.

The interest in news from the New World is very high here, just like one is interested over there in news from the old homeland.

Well, I again want to present something to the readers and friends over there. As you can see many of the relatives and friends stayed alive. Should I succeed I will also do a favor for a reader unknown to me, Mr. Michael Tarnasky. New Sarata and Leowo are located not far from here. I will probably succeed in relaying the greeting, which Mr.Tarnasky had sent in the Staats-Anzeiger to his brother-in-law Johannes Helber.

During the war, many of our people resided in New Sarata. The Russian war scattered the farmers into all corners and ends of the country. Individuals who have not experienced the war can’t imagine the situation. Even after the war there was no end to it. The Germans had to protect the Russian and Moldavian noblemen from Russian thieves, who destroyed the estates of these noblemen. When the word “swoboda” (freedom) appeared, the fate of the noblemen and their belongings was sealed. The Russians and Moldavians who did not have any horses would just go to the estates and carry off on their backs as much as they could. You can imagine what the ones with horses and oxen did.

We Germans observed this pilfering and pondered about how all of this would end. Before the war these estates had a nice appearance, just like small towns. Now you could see nothing but collapsed walls and burned out wood. Horses, cattle, sheep, grain, farming implements, as well as all the other belongings had disappeared. The royal forests, which were also owned by the noblemen, were thinned out more each day.

If the Rumanian government had not forced an end to this madness then Russians and Moldavians would carry their names preceded with a “von” today. The government applied very strong measures and all stolen goods had to be returned to their places of origin. The Germans welcomed this decree with the hope that now the poor Germans that did not own any land would be able to obtain their own place. But this decree is proceeding very slowly. A large number of Germans without any land and home still today are without a place they can call their own. They have to go from one place to the next looking for a piece of land that they possibly could lease. They have to pay up to 500 rubles per year for renting a house. Wherever you look, the farmer, the source of subsistence, always ends up on the short end of the stick. But in the end he will receive his land anyway beginning already this year.

Up until now the weather here is still mild with a little frost and snow. One worries already that this year the ice cellars will be without ice. The distance to our post office is 13 werst (1 werst = .66 miles), but the road is so bad that we rarely can drive to pick up the mail. If the roads were more passable then you would get a lot more news from here.

I have read that my friends Elias Nagel and his wife from Strasburg had dropped by the Staats-Anzeiger on 8 November upon their return from a trip to Canada. Their friends in Emmental would be very happy if they at least would get a letter from them.

The son of Mathias Nagel, Albertus, lost his right leg in the war. He now walks with a peg leg.

My neighbor Anton Masin searches through the Staats-Anzeiger every day. He is looking for a sign of life of his brother Michael Masin in America. So far his search has been in vain. Perhaps one of the readers could forward the address of Michael Masin to the Staats-Anzeiger.

Respectfully,
Romuald Dirk

From: Marshall, Dunn County, ND
12 February 1920

Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!

Since I cannot get any information from my relatives in the old homeland, I would like to turn to Mr. Anton Gedak in Krasna through these means. Would he please be so kind and report something about my parents, Ludwig and Marianna Krenzel, as to whether they are still alive. I have not heard anything from them in five years.

If they are still alive, I would like to have the Staats-Anzeiger sent to them. If they have any needs, I will help them with everything that I am able. How are Isidor and Susanna Krenzel doing in Krasna?

I am greeting all relatives who are still alive.

I remain,
Florian Krenzel

From: Raleigh, Grant County, ND
19 February 1920

Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!

I am always happy when I find the many reports in the Staats-Anzeiger, especially the report by my friend “A Farmer”, who luckily came back in one piece from the war.

Here one had to register from age 18 to age 45, but not many were drafted of the people from Krasna. Only three were gone, Kaspar Bonakofsky, son of Gottlieb, Aloisius Erker, son of Philipp and Salomon Wingenbach, son of Joseph. The latter died in the military.

You may have heard already that we are still at war here. The farmers are on one side, the people with money on the other side. We farmers won a victory and now dominate the field. At the present time we also govern.

You will probably think it has to be good here! Indeed it is so good, that soon one cannot smoke a cigar anymore! We are no longer acquainted with wine, liquor and beer. Nothing at all! You know very well that one fool makes many fools! And on top of that we adopted the right for women to vote, so that women are equal to men in politics. Now you should see how our women study politics. They are so eager about studying that they forget how to cook and bake. I would be agreeable with the women running the government and the men the household for four years. At least then one would find out how the thing works.

During the last four years, the following people died: Jakob Kopp, Peter Miller (Deise Peter), Josefka Bonakofski, Johannes Loth, Sarah Braun, Simon Kopp, Margaretha Hintz, Dofilia Kuntz, Mathias Minter, Martin Erker, Justin Erker and Margaretha Kopp.

Last year our parish of St. Gertrud built a residence for priests at a cost of $4,245. Now we have our priest right here.

Max Erker