From: Larga, Bessarabia
29 March 1920

Esteemed Staats-Anzeiger!

The time of transition between winter and spring brought us only a little news; but what it brought us was not good. At this time of the year, the farmer normally looks forward to the day when he can begin with his fieldwork. This year it was 18 March (New Styls) when the farmer was able to start.

The weather is great. Only there is a shortage of land for the German farmers here in our region. The cattle, the seed and all that is needed are on hand but no land.

The noblemen lost their land, which was divided among those that had none. The farmers who had previously leased and worked 50 to 100 dessjatin (1 dessjatin = 2.5 acres) of land now do not have enough to make a go of it. The farmer who previously did not have any land was allotted 10 dessjatin (25 acres). That is by far too little for such farmers. Now the farmer sits there with his 6 to 8 horses, 6 to 8 cows and stares up at the blue sky. I believe that it cannot remain this way or else the state will suffer great losses. What good does it do the state when someone, who up until now did not have any land and now has 10 dessjatin, but can only tend to 1 dessjatin while the rest is not being worked and only grows thorns and thistles? However, we will leave this up to the future. I would like to report on what recently had happened here. On 20 March, the farmer Stephan Kosak and his wife set out on their way to Kischinev. With them was a child of 1½ years and the 16-year old son of his sister. Since it was already late in the day, they could not complete the 45 werst (1 werst = .66 miles) to the city. They spent the night in the village of Tschinschery whose residents were Russians. The village is located 12 werst from Kischinev.

The following morning they continued their trip. When they had driven about half the distance they met 3 rough looking characters that were walking on the road ahead of them. They did not get out of the way. Mr. Kosak had to move to the side in order to pass them. Just when he was next to these guys they jumped toward the horses and ordered Mr. Kosak and his wife off the wagon. When these two refused to do so, they pulled out revolvers and fired on Mr. Kosak and his wife killing them both. The boy jumped off the wagon when he saw the murders and ran away. Several other travelers approached from behind, but they also had to flee since they did not have any weapons. The murderers tossed the bodies off the wagon and drove with it toward the city not noticing the small child that was covered up and sleeping in the rear of the wagon. When they finally noticed the child, they threw it off the wagon next to the road. The child stayed alive. Only the side, which it had fallen on, was bruised.

There is no trace of these robbers and murderers. Such incidents are not rare here and did not surprise anyone. During the duration of the war they took away all firearms from the German farmers and so the robbers have nothing to be afraid of. Even now weapons are being taken away from the farmers whenever they are found. Just recently, Ludwig Mack was sued over a shotgun, which was taken away from him immediately. Besides that he will be severely punished. (*Editor: That is the new freedom now in Rumania?)

If we would not have the greyhounds, then we would already have more rabbits than prairie dogs. The greyhounds however catch them by the dozens.

Recently, several of my visitors had asked me if the passenger traffic across the ocean was still the same as it was prior to the war, and if today people from Europe still immigrate to America. I could not answer them. But I told them that the Staats-Anzeiger probably would publish some information about it. (*Editor: Of course the passenger traffic on the ocean nowadays is not the same as before the war and it will not change during the next years. Still, proportionally there are quite a few immigrants from Europe arriving here in America. The journey however costs a lot of money and is compounded with great difficulties. People who are eager to emigrate would be better off to wait with the journey until the conditions improve.)

Today the gentlemen Johannes Bulach, the mayor and Martin Mattern the secretary visited from the community Balmas. Mr. Bulach asked me to relay a greeting from him to Joseph Gauer in Ipswich, South Dakota. In 1918, Mr. Bulach had visited Mr. Gauer’s parents Valentin and Brigitta Gauer in Kandel. Although the father was already 100 years old, he still was contently puffing on his pipe.

I greet my children Ignatz Gross and Eduard Richter and their families.

Romuald Dirk

From: Colonsay, Saskatchewan, Canada
19 April 1920

Worthy Staats-Anzeiger!

I am enclosing the amount of $3.50 and ask the editor to send the Staats-Anzeiger for one year to my brother Leonhard Plotzki in Emmental, Bessarabia. I had promised to order the paper for the person who would write me first and my brother was the first. Now he should report more often from the old homeland over there to the Staats-Anzeiger.

I am greeting all relatives and friends.

John Plotzki