From: Krasna, Bessarabia
21 November 1929

Dear Friends!

The evenings and nights are starting to get really long again. It is late fall, but as yet we have not had any night frost to record. On the morning of 6 November, we had a little hoarfrost, but during the day it is still nice and warm. From 8-17 of November we had rainy weather almost every day. Only very little winter wheat was planted. First, the rain came too late, and then most people had no seed. As a result of so much rain and warm weather the young seedlings developed well. It is a real joy to look at the splendid display of winter seeds that get nicer every day. Hopefully, winter is still far away.

As mentioned, the evenings are already really long, and many a person would like to spend the time reading a good newspaper. Of course, that’s where the Staats-Anzeiger is decisively in first place and is read by quite a few families in our village. Yet, many are waiting with ardent desire for their friends in America to order this nice newspaper for them. Therefore, dear friends across the big pond fulfill their wish and order the Staats-Anzeiger for them from the Editor Mr. Brandt. For some time now, the paper arrives here punctually. You could not give them a greater joy. From #92 down to #33 not a single edition for me was lost.

Almost every morning now, one can hear the squealing of pigs being butchered. And then, of course, sausages are eagerly produced. But unfortunately, the sausage has to be eaten dry this winter because we have a prohibition, not in the sense as you have in your praised America, where you are being told what you should eat and drink. We are just missing our own wine. But whoever has money can buy such in any amount, as well as schnapps and beer. One could get over the wine, but many do not have hogs or piglets to butcher and pigs are very expensive here. For piglets, 5 to 6 weeks old, one pays 400 to 500 lei. For hogs at 350 to 500 pounds one pays 15 lei per live pound. So therefore poor people cannot buy such.

Joseph Neumann and Rochus Fenrich, son of Mathias, each bought a tractor early in fall for an astonishing sum of 220,000 lei, of which each made a 25,000 lei down payment. The rest they were supposed to pay off with monthly payments. But after three weeks of operation the tractors quit running. Joseph Neumann returned his to the dealer and lost his down payment, while Rochus Fenrich demands his down payment back from the dealer and for the time being holds on to the tractor. I will report later on how this matter will turn out.

The 85-year-old Domasius Wagner, who currently is poverty-stricken, begs for help from his sons, Jakob Wagner in Linden, N. D., Kordinian Wagner near Shields, N. D., Reumund Wagner near Fox Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada, and son-in-law Vinzens Erker near Grosswerder, Saskatchewan, Canada. The old man is completely impoverished, and his son who supported him died years ago. His daughter-in-law now says that she does not owe him anything. Now, dear friends, do not forget your old father in need. Just remember what you owe your parents. He has already sent you four letters, but he remained without an answer. Hurry and do not delay, lest it will be too late.

Once again, I have to turn to the honorable correspondent Friederich Reich in Strassburg, Soviet Russia, with the request to please give us some information about how the chaplain Theobald Kopp is doing. News about him has arrived here that he wants to come to Krasna to visit his parents and siblings. His parents are very worried because they have not heard anything from their son since then. All people in the village were delighted when they heard that Father Kopp wanted to come to Krasna. Therefore, please Mr. Reich give us some information.

The health status among the people in general is satisfactory. There is always someone sick in such a large colony as Krasna, but no contagious diseases are noted. The weather is also just too nice now to become ill.

My friend Anton A. Söhn in Fox Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada please be informed that I have read your correspondence from 7 and 13 October in the Staats-Anzeiger. I was happy to read that you like it in Canada and wish you and your family good health. You wrote in your report that here you had to run from one fool to another. Many had the impression that was meant for the gentlemen administrators at city hall.

I am informing you, dear friend, your old mother has left her second husband, Johannes Leinz, on 13 November. She is now with her son-in-law Joseph Söhn. The request for divorce was submitted to court. However, it will take a long time until a decision is reached. You are aware of how such things progress for us. It seems that Joseph Kopp, son of Martin, is really lazy in writing because for the longest time I have not heard from him. Where are Barnabas and Aurora Steiert? Please Joseph, write soon! Where does my friend Markus Weber remain with his reports from Siberia, Soviet Russia? All their kin here are still healthy. Joseph Föth in Brazil apparently fell asleep, since he does not let anything be heard of him.

I greet the gentlemen Alexius Fenrich and Heinrich Ternes in Brazil and thank them very much for their reports. Please write more about Brazil.

Where does Phillip Söhn live?

Since my last report the following have died: On 12 November, Martin Weber, Sr. (Drummer Martin), 82 years old, left behind his wife Theresia.

On 20 November, Rosalia Schulkowsky nee Engel, 68 years old, left behind her spouse Heinrich Schulkowsky.

For Mr. E. J. Haag, assistant editor of the Staats-Anzeiger, the news that his mother and siblings are still well.

With a hello,
Anton Gedak