From: Montebello, Brazil
6 December 1929

Esteemed Staats-Anzeiger!

We now have Advent, which reminds us that we are approaching Christmas. That is why I now want to wish the editor, Mr. Brandt, and all readers and friends a Merry Christmas and much luck and good health in the New Year.

As one reads, winter is leading a strong regiment in North America at the present time. Contrary to that, a big heat dominates here, because we have high summer. Almost daily, heavy rains come down, which we need very much for our plants to thrive. We already have new Welsh corn and ripe watermelons.

There is strong complaining going on in Brazil about the low prices for products. The day laborers also are being paid badly, that is 5 milreis per day. (Editor: For one milreis, we here receive $.09.)

For rice in the past, we paid 10 to11 milreis per roba (32 pounds), for Welsh corn 7 to 8 milreis, and for coffee 40 to 46 milreis per roba, but now only 10 to 12 milreis per roba for coffee, and for rice 4 to 5 milreis. Before laborers received 8 to 10 milreis per day. But when one comes to the city, merchants demand high prices for their wares. It cannot continue like this much longer. One worries that a revolution may start. The workers are dissatisfied and can no longer survive with such hunger wages. Our employer is a millionaire, but could not pay our wages for six months, because almost all banks are closed and coffee has no market. One newspaper reports that the United States wants to lend our government $50,000,000. Maybe then the conditions will improve.

I found out through the Staats-Anzeiger that my godfather Jakob Kopp and his wife Ottilia arrived happily in Canada from Emmental, Bessarabia. I send them a kind hello. Now Jakob, shouldn’t you be a reader of the Staats-Anzeiger? So, order the newspaper at once. Then you will hear from us more often.

The health condition in general is satisfactory. Still severely ill is Wendelin Paul, who came from Krasna, Bessarabia. He suffers from a bad chest disease and his end is near.

With a greeting,
Anselmo and Martha Wagner