From: Krasna, Bessarabia
26 February 1920

Dear Brother!

We are letting you know that we are still healthy. Hopefully, this letter finds you in good health too. There was an illness here. We all suffered from it, but it was soon over. Usually the sickness lasted only 8 days, but mother was bedridden for about 3 weeks.

How are your farmers in America doing? Do they have villages and churches in the villages, or is everyone living on their land?

Over here in the area of Cherson, things are sad. Many people have fled from there and have come here to Bessarabia. The Bolshevists have taken everything away from them, murdering and beating people to death. The priests Nolt and Schönfeld as well as nine men have come to Krasna. They then had to report to Ackerman and now one is hearing that they have been taken back across the ice to Owidiopol.

Here everything is still going well. The Rumanians have been protecting us so far. Most of the time we are content, but not all the time. As yet, one cannot write about everything. Since you are planning on coming you can find out about everything yourself.

Perhaps you can send me newspapers from there, so that one has something to read. The way we hear it, there is supposed to be a sickness in America from which many people are dying. Since the beginning of the year, fourteen people have died here, but mostly old people.

In closing, we all send you a greeting and expect an answer soon.

Isidor and Rosina Haag

This letter was send to us by Mr. Cyrilus Haag in Strasburg, North Dakota to be printed in Der Staats-Anzeiger.

From: Larga, Bessarabia
13 March 1920

Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!

Although I had just sent a report to the paper four days ago, I again would like to write something. If you take the Staats-Anzeiger into your hand, you cannot help but respond in writing to the news that you find in it.

I read something in the editor’s mailbox from Isidor Hinz in Brisbane, North Dakota. This gentleman lives in Morton County where my son-in-law Ignatz Gross also lives. I would like to ask Mr. Hinz to please let me know what my children are doing and if he meets with them often. Maybe he can also mention whether Ignatz Gross is a reader of this newspaper. (*Editor: Mr. Ignatz Gross is a reader of this paper. Recently he wrote a report, which you should have found in the Staats-Anzeiger, if you have received that edition already.)

If I am not mistaken, Mr. Hinz was one of my students, if he is the son of Joseph Hinz. Should my children in Brisbane and Raleigh no longer be alive, or have moved, then perhaps Mr. Hinz could inform me about it.

I would also like to know the whereabouts of my brother Jakob Dirk, my nephew Lorenz Dirk, my nephew Peter Januscheitis and my cousin Anton Dirk. (*Editor: Your children still reside at the same place as before. Peter Januscheitis is also still in Brisbane. From the other relatives and friends you most likely will hear something soon.)

Recently, I had the opportunity to drive to Kainari with the inspector, Mr. Stetchow, of Bendery County. When he switched conveyances in Larga, he invited me to ride along and give him company. At his destination he had to conduct an official inspection. We had a pleasant discussion on the way. After an hour we arrived in Emmental, where the conveyance was switched again. From here Hironimus Nagel was the driver, giving us further transportation. After I had picked up my mail we drove back right away. In route, we started talking about the newspaper and America. That’s when Mr. Nagel told me that he too had friends in the New World, namely Melchior, Dionisius and Romanus Brückner. He asked me to please send his sincere greetings in my next report to these three gentlemen. He also told me that before the war, he had received over a long time the Staats-Anzeiger as a present from Melchior Brückner. He would like very much if now, after the war, Melchior could bring him that joy again. Should Melchior not be able to do so, then maybe Dionisius or Raimund could do so.

This year Hironimus Nagel is building a new house, only small in structure. It will have one living room and kitchen, and under the same roof a small stable. The project will cost him16,000 rubles.

I am relaying a greeting from Joseph Kopp in Canada to his brother Zachäus Kopp.

I send a friendly hello to Joseph Menges in Elardee, Saskatchewan, Canada. I noticed in the paper that you are also a reader. Now I greet all the other people from Krasna.

Respectfully,
Romuald Dirk

From: Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada
29 March 1920

Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!

I have already read quite a number of reports and letters from the old homeland Bessarabia in the Staats-Anzeiger. Since I have not received an answer to my questions by letter, I would like to try through the Staats-Anzeiger, if some of my relatives over there will let themselves be heard from.

I would like to ask the readers of the paper in Emmental to show these lines to my mother if she is still alive. I still have several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law in the old homeland. The brothers-in-law are Joseph Miller Jr.and Antonius Engel. The sisters-in-law are Elisabetha, nee Seifert and Paulina Marianna Riefer, nee Engel.

The health conditions here are fairly good. My father and two brothers are still healthy . The weather is not the best, since it is still cold and the farmers are being kept from their fieldwork because of it. Everyone here is hoping for a good harvest, since this spring there is enough moisture in the ground. In the past years this was lacking.

I have been receiving the paper now regularly since 5 March, but I have not yet received the prize. (*Editor: Your newspaper is going to Elardee, Saskatchewan, and the calendar has also been sent there. That has to be the correct post office; otherwise you would not get the newspaper into your hands.)

With a friendly greeting, Joseph Hittel

From: Strasburg, Emmons County, ND
5 April 1920

Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!

Enclosed I am sending a letter from my brother Isidor Haag, which you may publish in your paper if you find the letter appropriate.

Since my brother wants a newspaper from America, I am asking the editor to send him the Staats-Anzeiger. I have written to him referring to this and want to greet him once again. Enclosed is a check in the amount of $3.50.

I am thinking of leaving the United States in the month of May and returning to the old homeland. I have been repeatedly asked by my parents to do so. I hope we will remain friends.

A greeting to Mr.Gutsche, whom I still know personally from Ackkerman when I was a clerk at Woinsky Ratschalnik.

With a friendly greeting.
Cyrilus Haag