Headline: Letters from Russia
Tscherbakowka, 20 Feb. 1924
Esteemed Welt-Post readers:
Because I have received so many requests from German brethren over there, I will send this report to the Welt-Post to fulfill your requests for information; because it is certainly very important to the dear brethren to hear from their old homeland where their cradles remain.
I will begin my report with warmest thanks to you my dear German brothers in faith, in the name of our Village and from me, the deepest and warmest thanks for your faithful and compassionate remembrance of us in your sending over so many loving gifts of food and clothing which we received through your representatives Mr. Repp, Pastor Wagner and Jakob Volz. We are thankful that these representatives came to us with great love. We, who were saved from starving to death will in our lifetime not forget what you dear brethren and your representatives have done for us.
The great famine has quieted but the situation with clothing is still miserable. It was very necessary for your representatives to remain yet longer and for you to have provided further food and clothing, especially for the widows and orphans, though this was not possible, nevertheless we remain forever grateful for what we received.
The temperature is about 25 degrees Celsius and is made even more perceptible because fuel for heating is so rare and expensive. The harvest also turned out poorly and there is a shortage of fodder here; one can buy fodder but must travel 40 Versts over bad roads and through deep snow. "Tranental und Erdenjammer, ist fast zu Haus in aller Kammer." (A vale of tears and earthly misery are nearly in every room of the house).
Our church buildings, as well as the people, are old and brittle, the people attend services in an unheated church. Could our brothers in faith help us so that we could repair our church buildings, because we ourselves can do nothing about it. Pastors are not available in all parishes, they are hard to get and even harder to support. In the 16 parishes on the Bergseite there are 9 with spiritual leaders, 2 of them in Saratov.
Many schoolmasters, whether they want to or not, must handle religious duties that they previously did not perform. There is little prospect of things getting any better. We use notebooks for church books. Our fellow believers in America could also remedy this shortage with voluntary donations.
We hope and believe that our loving God will again allow the love and justice of his sun to shine upon us.
The gifts of love meant for Tscherbakowka should be sent to brother Jakob Volz in Nebraska. The need is best known to him because during his rounds through the villages he came to understand them. He will forward the gifts on to us. Or, you can send donations to me, I will promptly send a receipt for all donations.
In 1923 there were born (number obscured - translator), there were 37 deaths, 25 couples were married, 53 were confirmed, 29 boys and 23 girls. This year, thank God, we were spared from livestock epidemics and contagious diseases.
Greetings to all from Tscherbakowka over there.
Your friend, Carl Fritzler, Schoolmaster in Tscherbakowka
Because I have received so many requests from German brethren over there, I will send this report to the Welt-Post to fulfill your requests for information; because it is certainly very important to the dear brethren to hear from their old homeland where their cradles remain.
I will begin my report with warmest thanks to you my dear German brothers in faith, in the name of our Village and from me, the deepest and warmest thanks for your faithful and compassionate remembrance of us in your sending over so many loving gifts of food and clothing which we received through your representatives Mr. Repp, Pastor Wagner and Jakob Volz. We are thankful that these representatives came to us with great love. We, who were saved from starving to death will in our lifetime not forget what you dear brethren and your representatives have done for us.
The great famine has quieted but the situation with clothing is still miserable. It was very necessary for your representatives to remain yet longer and for you to have provided further food and clothing, especially for the widows and orphans, though this was not possible, nevertheless we remain forever grateful for what we received.
The temperature is about 25 degrees Celsius and is made even more perceptible because fuel for heating is so rare and expensive. The harvest also turned out poorly and there is a shortage of fodder here; one can buy fodder but must travel 40 Versts over bad roads and through deep snow. "Tranental und Erdenjammer, ist fast zu Haus in aller Kammer." (A vale of tears and earthly misery are nearly in every room of the house).
Our church buildings, as well as the people, are old and brittle, the people attend services in an unheated church. Could our brothers in faith help us so that we could repair our church buildings, because we ourselves can do nothing about it. Pastors are not available in all parishes, they are hard to get and even harder to support. In the 16 parishes on the Bergseite there are 9 with spiritual leaders, 2 of them in Saratov.
Many schoolmasters, whether they want to or not, must handle religious duties that they previously did not perform. There is little prospect of things getting any better. We use notebooks for church books. Our fellow believers in America could also remedy this shortage with voluntary donations.
We hope and believe that our loving God will again allow the love and justice of his sun to shine upon us.
The gifts of love meant for Tscherbakowka should be sent to brother Jakob Volz in Nebraska. The need is best known to him because during his rounds through the villages he came to understand them. He will forward the gifts on to us. Or, you can send donations to me, I will promptly send a receipt for all donations.
In 1923 there were born (number obscured - translator), there were 37 deaths, 25 couples were married, 53 were confirmed, 29 boys and 23 girls. This year, thank God, we were spared from livestock epidemics and contagious diseases.
Greetings to all from Tscherbakowka over there.
Your friend, Carl Fritzler, Schoolmaster in Tscherbakowka
Sources
Die Welt-Post, April 10, 1924, page 2.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
Last updated March 7, 2016.