As already mentioned elsewhere, agriculture was the backbone of the Bessarabian economy. In Krasna some colonists had become wealthy men, as well, but they rarely invested in trades and firms to process agricultural products. Like most well-to-do Bessarabian Germans, they still tried to suppply their sons with land of their own. This became increasingly more difficult to do.

The Krasna population in 1940 before the resettlement was still mostly comprised of farmers. In the end there were 380 farms and 61 others who still owned their land as well as 56 farm families on leased land. Additionally there were 67 heads of household employed in agriculture. Of the 61 others, 58 were independent tradesmen and three with higher qualifications. ¹⁾ In 1936 Father Schumacher lamented that among the 3,000 souls there one could not find a single barber. Farmers cut their own hair and shaved their beards. There were no doctors or lawyers. Tradesmen and workmen were not especially respected. “All that counts is land!” ²⁾

The gradually developing segments of local trade, the craftsmen, merchants and tradesmen had to focus on the needs and demands of farming.

Note: There was no regular industry in Krasna, but there were in other villages, like a plow factory and a mill operation in Alt-Arzis. Hugo Häfner’s publication “Handel, Gewerbe und Industrie in Bessarabien” (Trade, Occupations and Industry) published in the Homeland Calendar of the Germans from Bessarabia in 1980, page 66 provides an excellent insight. The same publication also contains a good article about wagon making, which was important to the farmers.

Initially, each colonist was mainly a farmer and his own handyman, since equipment and buildings needed service and repairs. The community report of 1848 (See also 10, Documents, Reports, Facts) lauds the accomplishments of the housewives. They spun, knitted and sewed. A colonist wife made linen and single colored cloth for home use. When clothing factories were established around 1870, cloth making lost importance, but blankets and comforters were still home produced. Krasna women also knitted and embroidered until the Resettlement; they were accomplished embroiderers. Wall hangings with proverbs embroidered on them and clothing, blankets, handkerchiefs, etc., were all artfully embellished this way.

Russian colonist laws provisioning that handymen were a necessity to steppe cultivation noted in the colonist laws that the “agriculturally oriented handymen and craftsmen” would be recognized as colonists. Accordingly, these artisans came to Bessarabia with the farmers. These included the blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters, tailors and stone masons.

The report of the Bessarabian clerk referring to foreign settlers of 1825, dated January 29, 1826, ³⁾ shows no independent craftsmen for Krasna. Like the farmers, they had also received 60 desjatines of land and may have plied their trade only in the winter months after the farm work was done. A composition of the colonies of 1831 show that Krasna had a smith, two shoemakers and 2 millers. ⁴⁾

Colonist law dictated: Each colony shall have a smithy. The smith shall have sufficient materials on hand and be able to support the village needs. It has to be ascertained that the smith and other workmen do not charge excessive prices for their work but be content with the established pricing guidelines.

The existing inheritance sequences on the farm made it necessary for the children not inheriting land to find sources of income elsewhere. (See 4.2, Land Ownership and Inheritance Law in Bessarabia) The trades were such an option. Decades went by before an ever so small professional differentiation was made.

If a person desired to leave the colony to find work elsewhere or learn a trade, he needed a permit. There are still two Krasna documents in existence, one, giving permission to a Susan Shtekl (Hittel?) to spend three months in Odessa and one permitting Gotlieb Beitel (Hittel?) to stay in Kishinev for five months to find work there. (1834) ⁵⁾

According to Paul Rath ⁶⁾ it was possible to learn a trade in Odessa until 1871. It is not known if Krasna people took advantage of this, but we know that a native of Krasna, Martin Dirk, graduated from a carpentry school in the colony of Josephstal near Odessa. ⁷⁾

Krasna had several tradesmen already 1850/1860, but an exact figure is not known. Obviously not all of them could find enough work in the village because people leaving Krasna for Karamurat in 1874 also had a number of tradesmen among them. Florian Müller ⁸⁾) reports that all the tradesmen of Karamurat were from Krasna. In 1912, Krasna had 14 smiths, 8 wheelwrights, 3 carpenters, and 2 tailors, 8 shoemakers and 2 painters. ⁹⁾

Tradesmen were hired mostly for new acquisitions. The thrifty Krasna people did not have many of them and therefore many of the craftsmen also farmed or helped the larger farmers seasonally in the summer months.

The structure of existing trade operations shows that even in the 1930's a pure farm village like Krasna only supported trades related to the farm industry, supporting farm activities and their households.

Considering these conditions the trades were well represented in Krasna as the development shows from 1921 on.

• According to an American newspaper ¹⁰⁾ Krasna in 1921 had aready a mutlitude of tradesmen: smiths, wagon builders, shoemakers, carpenters, painters, coopers and others, and they could make a run down and dilapidated wagon and restore it to look just like off the assemby line again.
• In 1928 Krasna had ¹¹⁾ 8 smiths, 6 wheel wrights, 4 carpenters, 4 tailors, 4 shoemakers, 2 painters, 2 gardeners, 1 butcher, 1 cooper and 1 stovemaker.
• Around 1940, according to Ernst Schäfer, ¹²⁾ who based his information on writings by Melchior Koch and Alex Hein, Krasna had the following tradesmen: 15 smiths, 8 wheel wrights, 6 carpenters, 7 tailors, 7 shoemakers, 4 painters, 4 saddle makers, 4 butchers, 4 coopers and 1 gablemaker.
  See also 7.11, Tradesmen and Merchants of Krasna 1940.
  Wagon and barrel making need to be mentioned here.

Wagon making in Bessarabia had a new progress when iron axles came into use around 1850. A colonist wagon was light weight, carried great loads and was also a commodity sought after by the Russian and Rumanian military.

Image 58: A Bessarabian Wagon at Market

Image 59: Model of a Bessarabian Wagon in the Heimat¬museum of the Germans from Bessarabia
The Bessarabian Association of Rheinland-Pfalz owns a well-preserved wagon of this kind. (Rhineland Palatinate) It is used in displays and often as a backdrop for films and photographs.

The craftsmen from Krasna were able to sell their wagons for a good price.

• Rudolf Weiß ¹³⁾ notes: Bessarabian German wagons were especially sought after. In Russian times they went as far away as the Caucasus. Centers of wagon building were Teplitz, Alt-Posttal, Wittenberg and Krasna.
• Florian Müller writes: ¹⁴⁾ The workmanship of Krasna was especially known about and appreciated, especially the wagons with their distinctive sound.

The wheelwright trade lost some importance at the start of the 20th century and during World War I it came almost to a standstill. It recovered a little in the middle of the 1920's, but never achieved its former status again. The Russian backcountry as a market was now gone.

The cooper trade began to prosper in Krasna around 1930. The barrels were sought after from over 80 kilometers away and people came from Emmental to Krasna for the barrels. ¹⁵⁾

Image 60: The Workshop of Carpenter Ernst (Father Schumacher in the Center).
He Did All the Woodwork in the Krasna Home (doors, etc.)

One has to note that the trades went into a rennaiscance at the end of the 1930's. Introduction of new techniques and products made the trades a necessity electricity and central water supply, the sanitary area and the use of engines, just to mention a few. Because of the Resettlement of 1940 Krasna tradesmen could not fully use the new opportunities.

From early on mills played a major role to supply the colonists. Therefore, mills were also the first major commercial enterprises founded by the colonists. Most mills, be they grain or oil mills were usually German owned and operated throughout the time of the colonization of the Bessarabian Germans. Flour was a main staple and commodity for the Bessarabian kitchen. Soon after the founding of the colonies the handmills were no longer able to supply the need. It is no great surprise to note that Krasna established mills early on. According to an old document ¹⁶⁾, in 1827 there was a grinding mill in Krasna (operated with horses), a water mill and a wind mill, but it is not sure where exactly these mills were located.

For the construction and operation of mills, the colonial law prescribed: …all water mills on colonist assigned land, regardless who bult them, are the property of the colonist community which owns all the pertinent land. Each colonist may establish windmills on his property. People desiring to build windmills on community land have to get the permission of the entire community and pay an annual fee not to exceed 60 kopecks.

According to a map dated 1897, there were windmills above and below Krasna at the turn of the century. Conrad Keller ¹⁷⁾ noted that in 1912 Krasna had a windmill and a steam mill. Acording to Alois Leinz ¹⁸⁾ the steam mill was built in 1895 by Gottlieb Leinz and Hieronymus Ternes, he also reports a few interesting details regarding this mill.

Steam mills initially operated on straw, which was an extensive procedure. Alois Leinz writes: For mill operations there were constantly 2-3 ox carts on the road, operated by Krasna farmers, and farmers from surrounding villages, hauling straw on large Harbi wagons to supply the insatiable demand of the heating equipment.

In 1924/1925 the mill received a diesel engine as reported in the Dakota Rundschau: A motor was installed in the mill. It no longer operates on straw as in earlier times. The mill operators are Rochus Ternes, Korbinian Leinz, Franz Dirk, Isidor Leinz, Alexius Riehl, Josef Steimann, Josef Ternes, Georg Schreiber and the children of Karl Leinz. These were the descendants of the original mill founders.

The motor had been a problem for the owners from the beginning. It already began at its arrival, as Alois Leinz writes: The individual motor parts were hauled from the Beresina train station to Krasna on specially designed transports in the winter of 1925. The road was rutted and there had to be eight horses hitched for each segment of the transport. The monster already slid back when the small bridge just before Krasna was reached and caused an imbalance and it and the wagon ended up in the water. It took a lot of effort to right the contraption again.

This mishap also dirtied the engine so much that it had to be taken apart and cleaned. All considered, this motor cost more than 1.5 million lei. When the mill was finally put into operation after a long downtime, the motor proved to be unreliable and required constant repairs. At times the mill was inoperational for days on end. This and the increasing tax burden made the owners consider a sale of the mill.

On April 17, 1931, the Dakota Rundschau reports from Krasna: Recently the mill owners sold the mill to the Jew Kain Sissmann for 1 million lei, a sum he has to pay over a period of 2 years. The gentlemen certainly took a loss here, since the motor alone cost 1.5 million lei, not counting the building and the mill.

The buyer made his down payment but since he did not make the consecutive installments, the mill reverted to the owner. It was then sold to Jakob Ensslin of Alt-Posttal and Emil Kräenbring of Tarutino. See the article: The Mill of Krasna (die Mühle in Krasna by Alois Leinz) Paul Rath ¹⁹⁾) writes about the mills in Rumanian times: Under the Rumanian government the mills had a rough existence and taxes were hard to bear. A lot of technical difficulties came into play. This also affected the mill of Krasna and was one of the reasons for its sale.

A list of Krasna professions for 1940 shows for Krasna two millers and an oil maker.
Krasna had two windmills in 1940, a grain and oil mill as well as an oil mill. The oil mill processed mainly rapeseed and the wild growing plant called “Hedrich” to produce oil.
For names of the operators, See 7.11, Service Providers and Business Owners of Krasna (as of 1940)
For location of the mills See 3.1, The village of Krasna, its Location and Appearance.

In the 19th century mostly beef was raised for meat production but a new development started after the turn of the century. Until 1918, milk was used and processed on the farm. Now the milk industry became important and for it dairies were needed. The first dairy of Krasna was founded in 1925 by the Peoples’ Bank (Volksbank). This dairy had to close after a few years. A report in the Dakota Rundschau dated May 1, 1931 shows that it reported a loss of 12,500 lei for 1930.

Private dairies replaced it. According to a newspaper article ²⁰⁾ from 1930, Albertus Riehl and Simon Volk operated a dairy and Scheel Moise from Paris operated another one on the farm of Ludwig Braun. 1940 lists two dairies owned by Julius Ternes and Melchior Dirk. Details about the operation and distribution network could not be established.

Krasna had brickworks since the 1920's for roofing (cement) tiles. Local sand, clay and cement imported from Braila, Rumania, were used. According to the Dakota Rundschau, Markus Ternes and Valerian Furch operated the business. Another one was operated by Isidor Leinz, Johannes Herrschaft, Franz Dirk and Korbinian Leinz. Both groups of owners are also listed in the occupational review of 1928.
Farmers still produced their Batzen or clay tiles for home use or purchased them in tile factories in other colonies.
See also 3.6, Building and Heating Materials

Trade was handled by merchants of other nationalities in Krasna as in other settlements of Bessarabia. The villages had no stores or such. The farmers themselves transported the grain into the city, sold it at market and made the necessary purchases for the household there. All other items they had at home. They lived modestly and needed no extravagances. Even in later years, necessary items were brought back from the towns of Odessa, Akkerman or Kilia.

Additionally, the regularly scheduled markets of Tarutino, Arzis and Sarata were an important supply source for the colonies. Krasna was and remained in the sphere of Tarutino and its market. Money was scarce in the 19th century and a lot of bartering went on at market. There, the colonist traded his wares for things he needed. Most of the merchants in the first decades were Russians, Greeks and Hungarians, who brought their wares to the Bessarabian markets and returned home with colonist-produced goods.

From the beginning of the second half of the 19th century a growing number of merchants arrived, carrying their wares from village to village in the spring and the fall, supplying the people with necessities (street vendors). This form of merchandising remained important and mainly the Jewish people sold daily necessities right off their wagons. Russian merchants offered fish, salt and fruit. Moldavians sold petroleum for the lamps, supplies for horse care, materials for horse harnesses and axel grease for wagons. On the other hand, Jews also went from village to village and bought eggs and other groceries from the farmers, raw leather, feathers, etc. to sell in town.

Soon some traveling merchants opened stores and Schnaps counters in the villages on leased property. All of these stores, no matter how tiny, were operated by non Germans, mostly Jews. The village did not require stores as such. Most necessary items the farmers brought back from the markets in Tarutino, Arzis, Odessa or Akkerman when they sold their grain in those places. (See above) According to Father Keller, Krasna in 1912 had three general stores and three wine merchants.

In Rumanian times more Germans owned stores. In 1928 there were 2 stores ad in 1939 Krasna had several stores aside from the community store. See also 7.11, Service Providers and Business Owners in Krasna as of 1940

The community store opened during World War I and belonged to the Peoples’ Bank, Concordia. (See below) Contrary to association stores in many other colonies, Krasna people could have their own stores in spite of some rough times. The store was at the corner of Main Street and Lafkeweg.

The store had a multiple function. On one hand the citizens could purchase needed items in the village and on the other hand the profits of the enterprise were put to use for other common use purposes. During the critical years of the 1920's, they were a useful support for the Germans. After annexation to Rumania the store could no longer operate, as before. It had to be converted into a so-called collective. It was then called “Cooperativa Concordia Com. Krasna” and it was a branch of the association bank supervised by their president and board.

We know some of the store managers by name.

• September 1928 ²¹⁾ Cashier, Joseph, son of Peter Hilsendeger of Baden;
• Salespersons: Joseph Michael Braun of Strassburg, Johannes Josef Müller of Krasna; purchaser: Markus Ternes.
• 1929 ²²⁾: The store was leased to Nikolaus Kelsch from Banat with a lease fee of 3% of the sales.
• After Nikolaus Kelsch resigned in May of 1930, ²³⁾ the store was managed by Joseph Braun, who was paid 2.5 % of the sales.
• According to a report of the Dakota Rundschau dated May 1, 1931, the store had a net profit of 84.000 lei. Joseph Braun was re-elected as business manager.
• In March of 1931 Respizius Krams and Lazarus Volk were elected as supervisors.

The German colonies never had many bars and taverns. In the first decades mostly Jews operated small restaurants. There was no need to open a tavern. People had their own wine at home and shared it gladly when company came to visit. Krasna had no actual taverns but in 1939 there were 2 stores selling drinks, as well.
See also 7.11, Service Providers and Business Owners in Krasna (as of 1940)

As already noted elsewhere, in the first decades the colonists took their grain to Odessa, later to Akkerman or Ismail, since their was no market for it at home. In the first decades of the colony, mostly Greeks handled the grain trade in the port cities. The Jews gradually replaced the Greeks in 1860-1870 and they visited the German villages to buy the grain. After the rail line opened in 1914, it was possible to take the grain to the train station in Beresina. In 1910, grain and livestock trade was fully in Jewish hands. This changed later, when the German farm association came into being.
Next to the grain trade, livestock and farm implements were important. For instance Ternes & Langbarth sold farm wagons, implements and horses. They came to the markets in Tarutino and Arzis. Shortly before the Resettlement Krasna had 19 German horse, wagon and grain merchants.
For the names see also 7.11, Service Providers and Business Owners in Krasna (as of 1940)

From around 1913 local farms and individuals could handle money affairs in the local association bank. (See also 4.7, Monetary and Banking Services) It was founded 1912-1913 as a small credit association based on the Russian association system. Association banks were state controlled. They had to base their operations in accordance with the association statutes of the government and only members could bank there. In order to become a member one had to own a certain amount of the association and be responsible for bank activities. The established liability level of the bank was also its operational limit and the limit to which it could carry foreign money as well.
A member applying for a loan needed a person with good credit to vouch for him. The amount of the credit depended on the credit worthiness of the applicant.

The money devaluation and the switch from ruble to lei caused many association banks in the German communities to close but the Krasna bank survived.

In Rumanian times the statutes changed and the Krasna Institute was converted to a peoples’ bank and operated on association basis and called “Concordia”. This bank had 380 members. In the fall of 1928 there were 420 members, (181) which meant more than 70% of all Krasna households, a very high citizen participation.

According to statutes the bank had to

• be administered by a president and two members,
• have a supervisory council of four members, and
• have a revision committee of three members.

A general meeting was called anually and the administration was newly elected. We have records of the people in charge of the bank for 1928/1929. ²⁴⁾ Administration: president: Sebastian Koch;
bookkeeper: Eduard Ruscheinsky;
cashier: Isidor Leinz.
Supervisory council: Michael Riehl, Eusebius Herman, Johannes Bachmeier and Respizius Krams.
Revision committee: Adalbert Gulewitsch, Viktor Nagel and Maximilian Hein.

At the general meeting of the bank the following people were elected on March 12, 1929: ²⁵⁾
President: Johannes Herrschaft;
bookkeeper for the bank and the store: Alexius Riehl;
cashier: Maximilian Arnold;
supervisory committee: Michael Koch, Alexander Ternes, Maximilian Haag, Dionisius Dressler, Johannes Bachmeier and Rochus Fenrich.

As customary with Bessarabian Peoples’ Banks, the bank also handled trade and dairy issues on top of financial business. The office was relatively simple, a small back room in a store was sufficient for its office.