From Russia
May 20, 1916
To: Mr. Wilhelm Weidenkeller, Lincoln Nebraska
Dear Brother!
I wrote this letter on Ascension Day when I also received your letter. I was very happy that you are all still healthy; we are healthy too. But it is a difficult time in this world now: tribulation and hardship for everyone who is standing in front of the fire in the war and also for us who are at home and have to expect bad news from the theater of war. When it is said that this and that fell, that and the other is a cripple for life, that's a difficult thing. This evil war has already swept away many of our brothers. Where there are many bullets flying and one has death constantly before one's eyes, there are many dead and many more cripples and lame. But what can you do? Once you swear to fight for the country, so you have to do it. Peace is written in the newspaper, but you can't always refer to it. I'm still at home, but who knows how it will be until you write again. The soldiers are still enough. Bread and shipping lasts for 10 more years, But it costs people, gone. There are still workers; because there are many Polish, Russian and German prisoners of war in the village, more than 600 in number. So there is no shortage of workers. But they are all strangers. My eldest son is 10 years old and my eldest daughter is 15 years old. If I have to go now, how is it going to be at home? Brother Johannes still lives at home, he will get an awful lot of apples this year if they are left for him. Brother Konrad is still in Dönhof. He has already been to Kamyschin twice, but he was released each time because he is unhealthy. Surely he can run the business. I'll go to the phone right now and tell Brother Konrad that I have a letter from you and I'll read him everything you wrote to me. I often speak to him over the phone. He was with us on Sunday, but we were over in the garden. His son will come home soon, he went to school in Saratov. Peter Miller’s son Georg was killed on the German front, as were others. And you, Johannes Lofing, would have been at war for a long time if you were still in this country. Dear brother, keep writing diligently as long as you can. If God wills, we will perhaps talk to each other, of course, when the war is over and peace is restored.
At the end, many greetings from your brother,
Jacob Weidenkeller
To: Mr. Wilhelm Weidenkeller, Lincoln Nebraska
Dear Brother!
I wrote this letter on Ascension Day when I also received your letter. I was very happy that you are all still healthy; we are healthy too. But it is a difficult time in this world now: tribulation and hardship for everyone who is standing in front of the fire in the war and also for us who are at home and have to expect bad news from the theater of war. When it is said that this and that fell, that and the other is a cripple for life, that's a difficult thing. This evil war has already swept away many of our brothers. Where there are many bullets flying and one has death constantly before one's eyes, there are many dead and many more cripples and lame. But what can you do? Once you swear to fight for the country, so you have to do it. Peace is written in the newspaper, but you can't always refer to it. I'm still at home, but who knows how it will be until you write again. The soldiers are still enough. Bread and shipping lasts for 10 more years, But it costs people, gone. There are still workers; because there are many Polish, Russian and German prisoners of war in the village, more than 600 in number. So there is no shortage of workers. But they are all strangers. My eldest son is 10 years old and my eldest daughter is 15 years old. If I have to go now, how is it going to be at home? Brother Johannes still lives at home, he will get an awful lot of apples this year if they are left for him. Brother Konrad is still in Dönhof. He has already been to Kamyschin twice, but he was released each time because he is unhealthy. Surely he can run the business. I'll go to the phone right now and tell Brother Konrad that I have a letter from you and I'll read him everything you wrote to me. I often speak to him over the phone. He was with us on Sunday, but we were over in the garden. His son will come home soon, he went to school in Saratov. Peter Miller’s son Georg was killed on the German front, as were others. And you, Johannes Lofing, would have been at war for a long time if you were still in this country. Dear brother, keep writing diligently as long as you can. If God wills, we will perhaps talk to each other, of course, when the war is over and peace is restored.
At the end, many greetings from your brother,
Jacob Weidenkeller
Notes
Jacob Weidenkeller was born on September 13, 1874, in Norka, the son of Johannes Weidenkeller and Anna Maria Häuser. Jacob's brother, Wilhelm, was born in Norka on January 14, 1880. Jacob married Catharina Elisabeth Häuser on February 15, 1900. She was born on March 20, 1877, in Norka. They had two children, Catharina Christina (born July 1901) and Georg (born Jun 1904), who are referred to in this letter. Jacob owned a mill in Norka. He refers to his business and states that his brother, Konrad, can run it if he is called to serve in World War I. Jacob mentions Peter Miller, who may be the owner of the Miller Mill mentioned in "Memories of Norka" by Conrad Brill.
Sources
Die Welt-Post und der Staats-Anzeiger, August 17, 1916.
This translation is provided courtesy of Michelle Monson.
This translation is provided courtesy of Michelle Monson.
Last updated December 4, 2023