From: Letter from Villa Ischuhu, Brazil
13 February 1927

Dear Brother!

We enjoyed the letter and the pictures very much. Tears were shed when we heard about father’s death. However, we can rejoice in seeing him again, if we do not neglect to be true to the Lord.

Life here in Brazil is bearable. One can also obtain property here. I could buy property without a building for 1,000 milreis.* Land can also be bought. It takes a tremendous amount of work to clear the trees off the forestland; but it is good land.

You write that you have many bad harvests, which we do not have over here. Different things are planted here, like black beans, potatoes, rice and all kinds of fruit.

There is no shortage of rain here. There is a lot of forestland, and therefore also opportunities to make money. I work on road construction and earn 7 milreis per day. My oldest son, Otto, 19 years old, has a monthly income of 100 milreis and free meals; he works in a store. Arthur gets 30 milreis per week. He is a carpenter apprentice. Nathalia has a monthly income of 30 milreis and Emma 15 milreis. Mother with the two youngest takes care of the household.

The area we live in now is a new settlement. Many Germans from Bessarabia live here. There is a German church and school in the city. On Christmas we received gifts at church, proof that here too, is Christian love. One hears a great deal about hatred and envy from Bessarabia.

In Paris several have died since we left from there, like our neighbor August Kühn. My in-laws were still alive when we left. But since then, we have not heard anything from them.

We are much better off over here than in Bessarabia. We dress well. We have also bought a sewing machine for 200 milreis from our earnings.

I would not have left Bessarabia, had I not hoped to join you all. But now I gather from your letters that you too live scattered from each other.

Our plan is to sell our land in Bessarabia and to buy some here. We did not like it on the coffee plantations, but here it is better.

(*Editor: This letter from Mrs.Daniel Neubauer in Missoula, Montana for the purpose of being published in Der Staats-Anzeiger is not signed.)

*Milreis - Brazilian currency, the dollar value of which at that time is not known.

From: Brazil

Dear Staats-Anzeiger!

Yesterday, I received Editions #44 and #45 of the valued paper. Therefore, I will prepare a report for departure from this corner again. Our friends in Bessarabia, Russia and North America will surely be happy to read something from here.

The loafers, as the well-to-do farmers in Bessarabia call the poor, were very much repudiated there. One usually would say; “If he would work he would also have something to eat.” This may apply to many but not to everyone. There are many families that did not become poor because of idleness, but through bad accidents and failed harvests instead.

Of course, the real loafers are not welcomed with open arms anywhere. That’s the way it is here too in the much disliked Brazil. With the exceptions of Sundays, holidays or sickness no one can stay home and away from work. After 6 a. m. the coffee plantation manager inspects the living quarters of the workers. If he finds anyone at home then he asks for the reason. Of course, the person questioned will have all kinds of excuses. The manager continues his route without saying much. When payday comes along and the bell rings for picking up the earned money, then the loafer that stayed at home and away from work is first in line. But how surprised he acts when he doesn’t receive the full month’s wages. Every employee is fined 5 milreis (Brazilian currency) for every day he stays home from work. Only a very few here will let it come to that, because everybody needs the money. With these procedures and without any harsh words, Brazil teaches loafers to work. This is a very good way to keep loafers working.

For a long time I have not heard anything from my friends in North America. I don’t know the reason for their silence. Everybody should be able to find a few minutes to write a few lines to friends. Hopefully, everyone will write me soon, especially my brother-in-law Joseph Kupfer. I want to roughly nudge him in the ribs so that he will get going with writing. I have not heard from him in two years. Also my colleague Johannes Keller, son of Joseph in Vibank has grown lazy in writing lately. If you are not a reader of the Staats-Anzeiger then hurry up and become one. (*Editor: He is a reader.)

On 21 December 1926, I received a letter from my grandmother Marianna Foeth in Kandel, Soviet Russia. She wrote that she was still healthy but that she could not work anymore because of her old age. She had also mentioned that she always receives the Staats-Anzeiger to read from Mr. Ludwig Stroh. I sincerely thank Mr. Stroh for his act of kindness.

I want to inform Mr. K. Lacher in Orrin, North Dakota that my deceased father’s name was Wendelin and my grandfather’s name was Michael.

On 28 November, I mailed a letter to you, which I hope you did receive.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any information to give to Mr. Johannes Weber in Wing, North Dakota in reference to his inquiry in Edition #36 of the esteemed paper. I cannot give him any news about the location of his friends. I also have replied to your inquiry by letter.

In the editorship’s mailbox I noticed that Mathias Nagel in Strasburg, North Dakota has paid the Staats-Anzeiger for 1 year for Michael Winter.

On 23 November 1926, my sister Maria Eva Foeth married Timotheus Winter.

Mr. Michael Nagel in Shields, North Dakota asks me to please forward his address to his Uncle Christoph Nagel and his other friends. Unfortunately, I cannot oblige at this time because your uncle did relocate to the state Rio Grande do Sul on 17 November. I am expecting a letter from him any day. As soon as he sends me his address, I will relay it to you. Mr. Nagel I am happy that you like to read my reports.

On 24 December, I also received a letter from my mother-in-law Christina Sahli from Larga, Bessarabia. In the letter she asks me to do my best to obtain entry permits to Brazil for my brother-in-law Johannes Nagel and Uncle Jakob Kunantz, because they are badly off in the “Banat”. I can do that but I do not encourage anyone to come, nor do I advise anybody to stay there. (*Editor: Such matter is best accomplished by mail.)

We sincerely thank my Uncle Jakob Schwahn in Berwick, North Dakota for the $6 he did submit for us to the editor Mr. Brandt. My mother is also grateful for the $5. I also sincerely thank Uncle Ludwig Foeth in Aberdeen, South Dakota, Mr. Hirning in Wing, North Dakota and the gentlemen Jakob Boegele or Voegele (the name was hard to read) in Glen Ullin, North Dakota, Joseph Voeller in Spokane, Washington and Daniel Lacher in Aberdeen, South Dakota for the donations. Mr. Lacher, I found your address in the Staats-Anzeiger and following the instructions of your friend Anton Schaetl or Schaell (the name is hard to read) I did send you a letter.

Joseph Foeth

From: Fairmount, Canada
19 March 1927

Dear Staats-Anzeiger!

Since I noticed on the yellow strip with the address on it that my newspaper payment is due, I want to send the money right away for another year. (*Editor: We received $3.50. The calendar was sent. Thank you and we are greeting you.)

We greet Uncle Anton Gedak and his wife heartily and we thank them for the nice and interesting reports from the old homeland, which we have not yet forgotten. Uncle Anton, please also say hello to our other siblings Martha Wingenbach and Margaretha Koch for us. All of us are still healthy.

On 16 March, we had such a raging snowstorm that we could hardly get out of the door. The snowstorm lasted 3 days.

In closing, we greet all readers as well as the editor Mr. Brandt.

Michael Wagner and
Mrs. Wagner, nee Plotzki