Sister letters 1925

Gnadenfeld, 15 February, 1925

Beloved Brothers and Sister:

We received the money some time before Christmas and I believe that I already wrote that to you. Again, many thanks. Recently, you have also had your birthdays Artur, Franz, Lina and Dietz. Belatedly, I wish you all the best and may the dear God allow you to reach the goals that you have set for yourselves. I believe that you once wrote that you wanted to send us photos of yourselves. Naow, I am always waiting for them with longing. I would also like to send you a little picture of our little fellow and of ourselves but that is also very expensive here. Little Artur is now in his 11th month and already crawls very fast and also along chairs and benches. But to stand and walk alone is still too scary. Last week, he was ill. Had a high fever at night and on some places of his body there were red spots. We are unable to find out whether it was scarlet fever, measles or wind pox. Now he is well again.

For Christmas, in the absence of a Christmas tree, I put some fir branches into a large vase and hung decorations on them. Jasch gave me some light blue knitted underwear. I had made a cap for him. This time, little Artur received nothing. After we returned from the church (I had left little Artur with Mrs. Voth, grandmother’s caregiver) , there was the little distribution of presents, then the evening meal: plum soup and noodles and chicken head cheese, to which we also invited the old Jakob Rabsch, the night watchman at the store building, who had by then arrived on his beat.

I am already waiting impatiently for the cows to finally come fresh. Poppenberger’s cow is already standing dry for a long time and ours gives hardly enough for little Artur. Without milk, cream and butter, meal making immediately becomes far more difficult. The chickens have really begun to lay, once already ten eggs a day,

Here in Gnadenfeld, there are now four choirs: the old mixed choir with Braun as director, a men’s choir with Mr. Suderman who lately also asked me to greet you all, a children’s choir or at least one that consists of 12-15 year old singers with Abram Klatt, and one that refers to itself as the church choir that David Mirau directs. You know him from school, boys. They are always singing classical pieces and they simply sing church songs. Generally speaking, various new religious parties are forming. Many are going over to other congratulations. 

On the day before Christmas our physician, Miss Dirks, ended her life with poison. The real reason she did not divulge in her suicide note. Do you know anything about that, and about uncle Aron Rempel?  Abram Brauns is very much waiting for a letter from him. He is probably sick, or may even have died?

13 April, 1925

My dear Brothers and Sister!

We are now celebrating the second Easter day. I have baked paska, colored eggs, cooked a ham and plum soup and also baked zwieback (my Aunt Agnes used to make these, yum). Everything is appropriate for our Russian Easter. This year, our little Artur has hunted Easter eggs. For that, he is still too young, but “ess” (eat) as he says it, he can say very well. Except for this word, he does not speak yet. Sometimes, he also says mama, baba, mietz, katz (cat), but only rarely. But when the cat calls, he always imitates. He still cannot walk by himself. He seems to be too timid, but he is not lacking in strength. He is fat and has only a little golden blond hair and very dark brown eyes. He is already full of tricks. When I was baking zwieback on Saturday, he pulled down my baking sheet with raw zwieback!!

Yesterday, we were all together at my father-in-law's. There were also many other guests, including four little children in baby carriages: a real children’s haven. Three of them each had a black rubber nipple in the mouth. 

Some time ago, there was a funeral for Kolja Janzen’s oldest little girl, Irmchen. She was almost three years old. Over half of this time, she was very ill with tuberculosis. Grendel is very sad. Now she only has her Klostje, as she calls her Kolja. 

Manja has come from Berdyansk with her little girl. They now live at Federau’s in the annex on the yard. Hans will soon be “papa” and Margaret is already engaged. Her fiance is 35 years old, and is regarded as very likable. But, I do not know his name. 

Today, we have an election for elders, with women also participating. Who knows who will be elected! There are so many candidates. There will also be the election of preachers. Just now they are all in the church. 

Recently at Braun’s, I was asked about Aron Rempel. They thought that perhaps I knew about him from your letters. They too have no news of him for a long time.

Has your material situation improved? Are the Karl Rempels there yet? Where are the photographs you were sending? I would so gladly send you a little picture of little Artur, but for that, one must make a trip to Tokmak, and it is also very expensive. Is that perhaps what is holding you up? 

We finally have a fresh cow (Poppenberger’s). So, we were able to make butter just in time for Easter. Our cow will calve in a couple of weeks. A few weeks ago, I had already sown some vegetables. Then it got cold again, snowed a few times and frosted quite often, so that even now I have not sown everything. So far, we are unable to predict how the harvest will be. It is still damp enough, only the Hessian fly is so bad in the winter wheat. If it is not killed by a change in weather then it can still destroy a great deal of wheat.

Dietz and Artur, you two lazy ones, when will you lower yourselves to write a letter? How is school? I would like to hear you “spieken” English some time. Is it possible that David Klassens will also come to where you are? For a very long time, we have not had a letter from them. 

Uncle Abram Klassen and Aunt Tina and Uncle Solomon have also come for the election of the elder. You must know that Masrichen, who stayed with Abram Klassens, is married to a Friesen. She lives in Halbstadt. Uncle Abraham’s eyes are very bad. He must read with two pairs of glasses and even then has to hold the book very close. Aunt Katja has become very stout, but is otherwise healthy, but her feet are frequently swollen. Have you already heard that Uncle Solomon may marry again? His fiance is Miss Helene Willms, our former teacher in the girl’s school, Line. Aunt Anna herself had very much wished for this. So far it is not certain, although Miss Willms has given her yes word. I do not know the reason for the delay. Uncle Solomon had written that because of circumstances for which neither of them were to blame, they must still wait. The children are very happy about this. For Friedchen, it is also very difficult alone. 

Rempel’s Annchen was in Gnadenfeld for one day on furlough. She has possibly become even stouter and regards herself fortunate in her profession, even though it is often quite strenuous. In the summer, she goes to Betanien, where all the nurses must spend several months. 

Sara instructs several children in religion and music. Henrich is a teacher here, although he would like to go to America as soon as possible. For a time now Hermann has been working here in the oil press. All send greetings…

Gnadenfeld, 21 May, 1925

Dear Brothers and Sister;

About a week ago, we received your dear letter, Lina, and beautiful pictures from you. We were overjoyed with them. Hermann and Dietz have remained pretty much as before, but you other three look very different than formerly. Especially you, Lina, have changed very much to your advantage. Everyone agrees. The way you now comb your hair is far more becoming for you than before. Artur has really grown bigger. Doesn’t he very much resemble our papa? Franz, I am also proud of you, that you have such good grades, also that Dietz and Artur have good grades. Is everything there learned in English? Then I would really be curious to hear you all talk in English sometime. You must already know it perfectly? Dietz and Artur, you must not be able to complete a German letter anymore, since you never write? Also from you, Hermann and Franz, we would like to read something from you sometime.

For two weeks now, I have had a Russian girl. In your letter, you ask whether the Circle is still holding together. Not since a long time ago. It fell apart soon after your departure. Most of them, or about half, are already married, and then the punctual coming together stops, especially when one has such a little appendage.

A suicide occurred here a few days ago. On the night of Sunday going into Monday, at 2 o’clock, Abraham Neufeld, the brother of the wife of our current village school teacher, Johann Klatt, shot himself. He had already been here with his sister. He was born blind, and that was also the reason he took his life. In his room lay his Bible in braille, opened to a place where it reads something like, “I want to be seeing but I am not.” He also left something in writing, but I do not know what. He was very skillful in many crafts such as tying brushes, making clothes pins and other crafts. He shot himself with a wintowka (gun in which he had first sawed the barrel off short, so that he could aim it at himself. He was only 18 years old, and was to have been baptized soon at Pentecost. He was buried today.

Today, we also have Ascension Day. Outside it has been drizzling all day. Overall, for two weeks, it has rained almost daily. 

On the 2nd Easter day, our little Artur had an accident. While I was washing the lunch dishes he was playing in the other room. There, under a cupboard, he found some soap-making lye in a tightly closed tin box, which he then began to lick. All at once, I heard him scream frightfully and when I ran to him he sat there and steamed with his little hands pressed to his mouth. I ran and washed out his mouth as well as possible and squirted into his mouth with a syringe. Jasch was not at home, and I was quite puzzled about what to do. The skin on the lips and tongue was quite loose, and the whole mouth was bleeding and swollen. I put him quickly in his little wagon and took him to the medical assistant. On the ride he started to quiet down. Luckily he had not swallowed anything that would have killed him. During the first few days he could eat almost nothing, only milk that I coaxed into his mouth while he was lying down. But after two to three spoonfuls, he again struck out with his hands and cried. At first, his mouth had a lot of pus and I was afraid that he might suffer an injury to the tongue that would subsequently hinder his speech. But it healed rapidly, so that a week later nothing could be seen and he was able to eat. Now there is no trace left. 

He still is not able to walk. But he is not lacking in strength, only in confidence. But now he is already beginning to let go and to stand independently. Perhaps he will soon be walking. With talking, he is not yet making any progress, although he already understands a great deal and comprehends all sorts of things. 

Recently Jasch has set clock repair aside, and has patched the stucco on the house where necessary. He will then white-wash the entire house, and then he will repair the motor for threshing. This summer, they again want to set up a partnership to do the threshing. Mrs. Hermann Voth was just here and sent greetings, also to Aunt Greta.

Gnadenfeld, Thursday, 30 July, 1925

Beloved Brothers and Sisters!

Here it has been very hot. For a while in early summer, it was so cool that at times one wished for more heat, because the melons did not want to grow. This year, the harvest is good. There were many cherries and other fruit will also be plentiful. Just now, it is threshing time. We are again threshing as a partnership, as in the previous year. First, the threshing was done at Father’s and Peter Loewen’s, then at Franzen’s and then yesterday at our place. We will probably pretty well fill the attic. In many of the surrounding villages, they are unable to thresh because it is raining so much. Yesterday, after setting up the machine and threshing one load, we had to stop and could not begin again until vesper time today. Jasch is constantly at the motor. Without him it won’t work. That is very bad for his foot. For some time now, there has been a new wound at the same old place. It is so sad that he always has trouble with his foot.

Poppenberger is still with us. For some time, he has been the fiance of Hannchen Neufeld who is always with the old Mrs. Unruh. But when the wedding is to be he does not know yet. We have a Russian girl who will be with us until “Pokrov”, (a Russian religious holiday), who helps with the work outdoors, and together with Mirau’s Peter and Frieda (13 years of age) cares for little Artur. He has really grown quite big lately. For a month now, he is well able to walk, although a bit bow-legged, which I believe will soon be lost. Most of all, he likes to go with a whip and chase the chickens and calves, and always wants to go to the horses. He sees right away when the stable door latch is not shut, and then he pushes off into the stable. Except for “ess”, papa, mama and “da”, he is still unable to talk, but he already understands a great deal. He already wears a jumper and little trousers, and I also made him a large boy’s apron with big pockets in front.

Sunday. Today, I will continue writing. Jasch drove to Wenersdorf to bring Aunt Lina* who will be with us for a while. 

• Aunt Lina is Evangeline Dirks Rempel, born in Sumatra, daughter of Rev. Heinrich Dirks and Aganeta Schroeder Dirks, and the sister of Elisabeth Dirks Rempel who is the mother of Greta Loewen, writer of these letters.

Frieda has gone to Schmidt’s across the street with little Artur. Maria also has gone to play. I don’t know where Poppenberger is. It is 5 o’clock in the afternoon and very hot. At first, I had a long nap, but because of the heat I was hardly refreshed. Now I am sitting in the bedroom and writing. We are now sleeping in our dining room, Lina, where you and I used to sleep.The beds too stand where they did then. Little Artur’s bed stands in the corner away from the oven. Besides that, the room contains only a large upholstered easy chair and a stroller. 

A few days ago, the old Mr. Hausknecht arrived from the Caucasus to get his furniture that he had left at Braun’s. I asked Marichen about them being able to write to you, Dietz, how things are going for them and what Shenja is doing. She thought it did not exactly go well for them, how Mr. Hausknecht had to work almost for nothing. Shenja had attended a certain school, but also always liked you, completing two classes in one year. Now only the last class remains to be completed. To them, it appears very difficult to have to raise the necessary tuition money.

The Willy Brauns were in Berdyansk for several weeks where Willy had quite good earnings in the cooperative that the Germans had set up there. They returned on Wednesday because it was said that the departure to America was about to occur. They and the old Aunt Braun are also involved. But again, there are delays, and Willy wants to travel back to Berdyansk, but this time alone. For Martha, the sea air was very bad, she was very ill.

On Friday, I was with Grandmother. She always asks about you. She is still in relatively good health, still concerned about everything, and worried, which is very touching. It seems that I am her special friend. When I have not been with her for a little over two weeks, then she already reproaches me. Since the last letter from Uncle Aron, in which he writes about credit to Mexico, the Abram Brauns have become quite alarmed. Now they do not know at all whether they still want to emigrate, or not.

By Sunday, we will get our wheat threshed. We estimate the wheat at 1100-1200 pood. Pretty good, yes? Now our chickens will have nothing to complain about. Until recently, they did not lay any eggs because of feed shortage. Now they are already laying well.We got about 300 pood of barley, 150 pood of oats and 200 pood of maize. The sunflowers and the melons also promise a good harvest as do the potatoes; this year they are very big. What a blessing there is in rain that comes at the right time! The produce levy is also not as great as formerly. Consequently we will be able to replenish our household. We still have very little furniture.

25 August, 1925

Dear Brothers and Sister.

The enclosed letter I had already written three weeks ago, and I also wanted to send it right off, but then I thought I should wait a little while. Until I could include a news item. But this news item had kept us waiting until the 19th of August. That is to say, that the “stork has thrown us the second boy down the chimney”. We had somewhat wished for a girl, but this is also good. He was born exactly on his grandfather’s birthday. Therefore, we have named him Nikolai. He weighs a good 11 pounds, has black hair and dark eyes, whether brown or blue is still not determinable. Aunt Lina returns home tomorrow. She sends you all warm greetings. Mrs. Jakob Reimer was just here and sent you her warm greetings.

Gnadenfeld, 20 September, 1925

Beloved Brothers and Sister!

Yesterday, Uncle Heinrich came over and brought a letter he had written to you and asked whether we would like to join up. Therefore, I also want to write something although I wrote recently. Threshing time here will soon be over. That is, our partnership was done long ago, but until recently Jasch and brother-in-law, Franzen, were still threshing for others. So, during the entire summer, Jasch was home only at night. Now he has been at home for a week. He has now again begun working with clocks. A while back, he bought a supply of spare parts so that things are going better now. He has also enlarged the stable room where the cauldron is and made it into a work room. He tore out the wall and built a new one about a fathom farther into the stable. The door no longer goes from the stable, but from the heating chamber next to the built-in heating oven. He also wants to take out the window and put in a larger one. We are thinking of buying a tractor with this year’s harvest, but do not yet know whether anything will come of it.

Next Sunday, the second echelon of emigrants is departing, including J. Brauns who live next to us. The Willy Brauns will move there. Willy Braun came into possession of Braun’s place. Here there have lately been many weddings and burials. Baecker’s Marie, an elderly Mrs. Toews, the old lady Sawatzki, and several others whom I do not recall just now, have died. Hans Nikkel and Anna Lodde, Huebert, from the end of the village, and Eva Unruh, and at least four other couples have married. Mirau’s Frieda, of course, is now gone. The Miraus departed for America yesterday. For Maria, there is still a great deal to do outdoors.

Gnadenfeld, 27 December, 1925

Dear, dear Brothers and Sister!

Although Christmas is still not over, I want to describe for you how we have celebrated it this year. On Christmas Eve, at 4 o’clock, when I had finally finished with all the preparation (cooking a ham, making plum soup, baking zwieback, putting things in order, bathing, and so on), I went to church with little Artur. Jasch stayed home with Kolja. To our distress, it was frightfully muddy outdoors, but people had made straw paths, and it was still quite light. I had wrapped him up in a large coverlet, and he wore a white knitted cap with a brown edging and tassel, which I was just able to finish in the last few days. It becomes him well. While I was in church with him, he cried out a little and hid next to me. But soon he did begin to look around curiously. When the Christmas tree was lit, he again had a little fear. He is generally afraid of fire, but then he was interested in the many sparklers that were lit together with the other candles. When the organ played and the singers sang he strained to look up. Then when the sacks of treats were being distributed, he shouted with joy and was very happy. But when it took a while to reach his turn he was a bit impatient and pointed to his mouth and said, “mama, am, am!” (eat). To return home, I was able to get a ride with Franz Leowens, who had come in a covered buggy. When we reached home at six-thirty, we first ate our supper. Then I got out the little Christmas tree from behind the breakfront, set out plates with cookies, candy and apples for Mria and Poppenberger and us, lit the candles and called them all in. Little Artur received a trumpet, Jasch got a cover for his chair pillow, Maria a pair of stockings and Poppenberger two dozen cigars. From Maria, Jasch and Poppenberger also each received a little package of cigars. Jasch and I each received a handkerchief. But at the beginning, little Artur was afraid of the trumpet. Then we sat for a while and ate nuts and then we went to bed.

Yesterday, we were all at Father-in-law’s. Many guests were there, including Aunt Marichen. We counted 12 small children of which most were under two years. Then you can well believe that things didn't go very quietly. There little Artur got a nice little horse from Uncle Peter, which he himself had whittled out of wood. He looked very nice in his gray-brown jumper with a white collar, little brown trousers, brown stockings and a yellow head scarf. His eyes are golden brown, his hair is also golden brown. You will laugh about the vain mother when you read this, but I did want to describe him to you. Kolja also looks nice. He usually prefers to sit, and is only four months old. Today he is a bit fussy, and his head and hands feel hot and he is biting on his little fingers, while the saliva is running. Perhaps he is already teething.

We will probably purchase a tractor together with Poppenberger. It must be paid in three years. It is an American “Ford”. Although we still lack many things, we are getting along quite well. Only Jasch’s foot still will not let us have any untroubled hours. In spite of the fact that we regularly treat it with steam baths, the wound does not want to heal. Now there are even two wounds. Now we want to stop with the steam baths and use a different salve. Perhaps that will help. For a few days Jasch has tried this and it appears to help a little. If only it would finally heal! How thankful to the dear God we would be! Jasch’s general health is not good. He is hoping that when we have the tractor, and he can continue to plough in the fields, the foot will become healthier.

So much sitting indoors is not good. How glad I would like to have you all here with us some time, to show you our children, and to look at you and to chat and to sing with you. Also, I do not sing very much, Lichenlein. For me, the other voices are always lacking. Jasch and I so much wish for a piano. Sometimes, we long for music.

Now, I get out of the house very little, since there are two children and taking them along always requires so much preparation that one prefers to stay home. Consequently, we also get fewer guests.

Grandmother is constantly getting weaker and can hardly tolerate any food anymore. She still worries about everything, especially about me and all of you. Asks many questions every time I am there. She sends her greetings.

Today it is already the 29th. On the third holiday we had to stay home because of the stormy weather. Now it is thawing again

Yet another news item: Abram Braun’s Hans and organist Rempels’ Mieka are secretly engaged. Anna is to remain at Betania until May. Sara gives lessons in piano and religion.