Sister letters 1924

Gnadenfeld, 15 April, 1924

Dear brothers and sister:

Finally, I am sufficiently restored to report the birth of our little Artur. He was born on the 4th of April, new calendar, is plump and weighed 93/4 pounds.  Praise and thanks to the dear God for his help. How very much we would like to show him to you! He has brown eyes. Whom he resembles it is still not possible to tell, but still most say that he resembles me. He is very quiet and sleeps almost always. For now, he lies on a large carton cover, but a little crib will soon be ready. We want to see whether we can manage without a cradle. If he remains alive and healthy, he can sleep in this little bed until he is 5 years old. 

We are having a very snowy winter. From the 20th of December to the 20th of March, there is always good sled weather. Our little apple orchard was half buried in snow and that was just right for the hares. They gnawed the branches so much that Jasch had to saw off almost half of them.

I myself will not yet be able to plant the vegetable garden, but I have drawn a plan as I would like it and Arur P. will then take care of it. Our chickens are busy laying for Easter, but since there are only 12 hens, that yields only about 8-9 eggs a day. I now have Njuta Lodde as housekeeper. She will stay until Easter, and first do all the cleaning. Do you know that Aunt Anna has cancer? She is already very ill, given up by the physicians. Yes, this poor aunt has to endure frightfully much, and the uncle and children are very sad. It probably will not last much longer. She is very serene and resigned. She would gladly, as she says, like her Hermann (mentally ill son) with her. Since the brain inflammation, he has been acting very strangely and has given the Edigers many worries. 

Our David Klassens would like to come here for Easter. I would be very happy. All this time, they have still not been here. 

The store building we have leased out, and much trading goes on there. Today, especially so because new merchandise has arrived, the crowding is frightful. In the store, the people are standing as if in a herring barrel and whoever did not have the luck to arrive on time has to depart empty-handed. On leaving, many say with a sigh of relief, “Well, got out of there alive another time.” Although the merchandise is expensive, it disappears in a rush. People have come to the end of everything. We also have already bought various things, first the small items, then some blue satin for a dress for me, and everyday and Sunday trousers, and a shirt for Jasch. Now, I would like material for aprons and for underwear for Jasch. I also am expecting some new shoes for Easter. I am already happy about that. 

You asked whether Jaasch’s foot has improved. Regrettably not. Though it is not getting worse, it is certainly not getting better, and that is so sad for us. 

If we can find a good buyer, we want to sell our loom, because one can still buy woven goods. Just now Jasch received new tubes and tires for his bicycle. He had ordered them through P. Janzen who had traveled to Moscow. He is very happy about this. The bicycle partly makes up for his ailing foot. It does not strain the foot at all.

Dear line! To you, sister heart, I want to relate the particulars about the birth. It was a very difficult separation. Not only do I say theta, but also Aunt Braun, who was there and Miss Metzberg, the midwife. The first quiet pains already occurred on Sunday evening and he was not born until 6am on Friday. During the first two days, the pains were quite slight, though still always at intervals of 10-15 minutes, and Aunt Braun thought it was time to send for the midwife. When she examined me, she thought it could still be another day. It was delayed for two days. On Thursday, the pains became very severe and in the evening they called Miss Mintzberg for the third time. The pains became very severe in the evening, such that I began to scream, which I really had not thought I would ever do. At each interval, as if I were losing consciousness. I wished to die, but it happened, thanks to God. When he finally was there, I was immediately able to laugh. Was badly torn.

Gnadenfeld, 27 June 1924

Dearly beloved brothers and sister:

For over two months, we had no news from you, but lately two letters arrived. The first one came for Pentecost, just when the David Klassens were with us. They also want to emigrate to Canada with the next echelon. Last Monday, the elder David Klassens, Duecks, J. Kl., aunt H. Kl. and children, Braun’s Njuta, and Lieschen with her family and many others of our acquaintances and relatives departed. But because of Njuta’s sty, which was still not fully healed, the commission did not permit her to make the trip with the first group, so that she must wait for the second. We would like to make another trip to Ohrloff to bid farewell, which we will probably do in the next few days. 

Now the mowing is in full swing. Unfortunately, the harvest is very small. Summer grains are almost completely burnt out and the winter grain is better only in places. Hopefully, the individual produce taxes will not be set too high. Next week, we also want to begin threshing. Jasch has put Father’s motor on wheels. Franzen’s machine will also be added and then we plan to thresh for all the brothers and sisters, one after the other. Perhaps even a little for others.

We already have over 60 chicks, and one hen is still brooding. We put seven wild duck eggs that were found during haying under one of the hens. Our little Artur is a dear little boy, who already is giving us much joy. For his age, he is already very big and also quite fat and resembles you very much Hermann. I believe he will also be just such a joke-maker like you. I would so much like to show him to you, at least a little picture of him. But taking pictures is not so simple. Jasch just said that if possible, you might send him a catalog of foreign clocks and watches. He soon wants to order reserve parts from Petersburg and Warsaw. They say that is possible again. The clock and watch repair would be quite another matter.

Franz Loewen’s Lenchen died of lung and brain inflammation a few weeks ago, and the parents are very sad. Our old little grandmother sends greetings.

Jasch’s foot remains sore. Now that he has his bicycle, he never goes anywhere on foot. We are waiting futilely for rain. On the 11th of May, it rained for the last time. And a little a week ago, but in one day that was all gone. Thanks only to the abundant winter moisture there is some winter grain to harvest. So far, the melon patch is pretty good, and if we have a good rain we will perhaps still get something. We have three patches, one and a half dessiatin. If all goes well, then we can “bathe” in syrup during the winter.

Four weeks ago, we slaughtered a Kaban. We still have a large one, two half-grown and a small pig, but in the fall we will probably sell some of them.

Line, do you know that H. Schmidt is still not married and is now in Germany. On July 1, we were in Ohrloff to bid farewell. But the Klassens are not leaving this week, but probably on the 16th of the month.

Gnadenfeld 15 September, 1924

Dear brothers and sister:

Yes, now all the siblings with the exception of us are in America: and when one thinks about it one becomes quite sorrowful of heart. The David Klassens must already be there for a month. A few days ago, we received your dear letter, Hermann and Franz. Many thanks! But especially, we thank you for the prospect of a gift. You are so generous, even as you yourselves are not free of debts. Naturally, we will be able to make very good use of it. We have harvested so much wheat, rye and other things that we will have enough for both white and dark bread. We had sown 16 dessaitin ourselves, and when K. Toews left for America, we took over their land after paying the individual produce taxes on it. So that, despite the bad harvest, we will still have enough. But Brauns, for example, have only five pood of wheat and about the same amount of rye and barley, so that they will again have a very difficult winter. Again, there are hardly any potatoes although many were planted. 

For well over a month, it has rained more than for a long time. The result has been that the melons that looked so very hopeless were able to recover. The hail that came with the rain shattered the water melons, but in return, fresh ones grew and were larger than the first ones. We will probably get about six or seven pood of syrup. Some of that we will sell later. Now the price is only five kopecs.

I can also bring good news regarding Josh's foot. The wound is healing since we treated it 20 times with a chamomile steam bath. The wound is now no greater than the nail on the little finger. Hopefully, it will heal completely and Jasch would then be rid of a great plague. The foot will, of course, always remain sensitive, but it would then at least be healed. Right after the first two foot baths, a big change was visible. Oh how thankful we are to the dear God for this!

Yesterday evening, I was at grandmother’s and read your letters to her. She was very interested in them and thank you very much for the money and also to extend her greetings to you. She is still always so fresh in spirit and concerns herself so much for us that it is quite calming.

You know, Lina, since three weeks ago, Suscen (Epp) Dirks has a little Heinz and Rempel’s Tinchen already has a four months old Elfriedchen. Since two months ago, Braun’s Willy also is the father of a little Martha. Abram Dirks’ Grendel, now Nikolai Janzen, is presently in Gnadenfeld because her husband is a teacher in the agricultural school. She has a daughter, Irma, who is very ill with tuberculosis, and will probably soon die. Gerhard Kl.s’s Marichen already has a Hans and an Elenore. Federau’s Lisa already has a son. Wiesen’s Manja is now married, but not with S. Schmidt, but with someone from Waidheim. Schmidt married a Russian girl in Batum and came here with her. Now little Artur also wants to write to you.

(in Artur’s voice) Dear Aunt Lina and Uncles: How sad that you cannot have a look at me and I have a look at you! Uncle Artur, do you feel very flattered that I have the same name as you? Some say that I resemble you and some that I resemble Uncle Hermann or Uncle Dietz or my mother and some say my father. In short, I resemble the Rempels, only I have dark brown Loewen eyes. I am very fat and already weigh about 18 pounds. I am almost able to sit up and like to be held, for which Mama seldom has time. Therefore, I am no longer as well-behaved as before. But it passes. Yesterday in the evening when Mama was reading to papa, I cried hard for a while. Sometimes, I lie on mama's bed and kick or sleep. But, I am still unable to say mama and papa and besides, I am still too dumb to say Mama. After all, I’m still not ½ years old.

October, 1924

Dear Brothers and sister:

About two weeks ago, we received the first letter from David and Neta (Klassen) in Ontario, four weeks after their arrival. In any case, you must already have a report from them.

I want to clean this week. I wanted to hire someone for that, and already went to Mrs. Koehn and Riediger's Anna. Both are unable to help me now, and until they can help I’ll have to do it alone. I kept putting it off because there are still so many flies, but now it has suddenly turned cold, so that it will not be much fun. 

The wound on Jasch’s foot healed shut a while back, but soon thereafter he got a tooth abscess.While that was open he developed a big boil on the wrist of his right hand. This lasted for a whole week. It hurt very much. The hand and the lower arm were very swollen. Now it looks as another boil is developing on the same hand, only somewhat higher. Probably, the infected fluid that can no longer escape at the foot wants to get out this way. But it is very uncomfortable.

Yesterday, I was at the Franz Loewens with little Artur for a birthday celebration. Going home, it rained and I had to really bundle up the little fellow. But he slept through it all so nicely and at home he continued to sleep until I was done with the milking. He can already sit up nicely and can stand when he is put near a chair and can hold on to the back. He is now a little over a half year old, wears little rompers. You know, Lina, from our old checkered skirts. Really I should make him some baby pants, it’s just that I do not know from what material. 

Here, people are now busy slaughtering swine. Next week, Peter Loewens will slaughter two hogs and one bull of the previous year. For that they want to invite Franz Loewens, Franzens and us. We also have two hogs fattening, one large and one small. With time, our diet is becoming more and more complete. In the previous year, we, together with the Peter Loewens, slaughtered one hog. Now we each have two and beside that two smaller ones. But the produce tax will again force many people to a bad diet. For some time, sugar is again to be had here, but it is always counted as a luxury and is only seldom bought. So far, your gift for us is not here. Hopefully, it is not lost. That would be all too sad.