HH Meeting Susanna

A Wedding at Friesental, Ukraine

We received an invitation to a wedding of Maria Friesen, daughter of Jacob D. Friesen to Peter Neufeld of Tweskoji. About eight to ten miles southwest of Friesental, which was to be held at the end of January 1911 or the beginning of February. I accepted this invitation. On the train, I met other friends and cousins going the same way. The following morning we arrived in Milovadowka. It was very cold, 28 below zero. The coldest temperature I could remember ever in Southern Russia. There was a lot more snow here in Ekaterinoslav than in the Materopol district, called the Molotschna.

A number of sleighs met us at the station. The road was very smooth and the snow crunched under the runners of the sleds. We had to really pack ourselves in our fur coats and extra blankets that we had brought along. The coachmen had to stop a number of times to rub the tender spots of the stallions before we could go on. It was so cold, before we arrived in Friesental.

The wedding was only very small and was held at the bride's parents Jacob Friesens house.

The preacher was the old Rev. Warkentin, a distant relative of the Friesens. After the ceremony the young people played games which gave them an opportunity to get to know each other. I got very interested in Susanna, the daughter of Julius Friesen and showed her my preference, but I had very little opportunity to talk to her alone, as I was very shy.

The time came when all the guests from far away were taken back to the railroad station.

Shortly before we left I had an opportunity to talk to her cousin and told him that I was very interested and liked his cousin Susanna and that I thought we would fit together very well. At the time, I had not thought of marriage yet. I thought of getting into correspondence.

So we could get to know each other better, my future brother-in-law William Friesen said he would talk to her

I went home with the others and thought that I might get a letter from her soon. But the winter went by and it was the end of March and I had not thought of it any more. I had not heard from William Friesen and suddenly a letter arrived from her. She wrote to me that I could come and visit her.  This took me by surprise. Was it really that far already? It was as if it was all settled already. A whole week I carried the letter with me but finally I had to talk to my father. What was he going to say? He was alone in his study room very shyly. I asked him, what would he say if I told him that I wished to get married? He told me, “He had thought for a long time that the time would come when I would think about it. But who was she?” I gave him the letter and told him it was Julius Friesens’s Suusanna. But she is your relative, why don’t you marry Louise Suderman, Jacob Suderman’s daughter.

Now she was just as closely related to me as Sysanna only that she was my father's cousin while Susanna was my mother’s cousin. I also told him Louise is a lot older than I and Susanna was my age. Then he said yes, but Louise is a lot wealthier! Then he said, well let’s see what can be done. First off, we have to see your grandfather D. Friesen, who is also an uncle of Susanna. He is a very wise man who lives the the neighboring village Altonan.

I did not oppose it and so we drove to see him. After we had told him everything, grandfather said, “Well, if she takes after her mother, then you can expect something yet.” I could never understand this until a lot after we had been married already.

Grandfather is supposed to have criticized his oldest brother all the time. Whenever he came to Friesental his brother was dressed too poorly if he showed up in his work clothes or overdressed and showing off, if he greeted him in his Sunday best. He owned an estate next to Friesental and came there quite regularly. So his sister-in-law must have really told him off at some time. That’s why he had such an impression of her.

My mother-in-law was always very warm to me and really loved us. I was always welcome in her house and loved to go there.