Headline: The Russian Letter
(there is no place-name but some of the names mentioned might be from Norka--Editor)
To: Konrad and Kath. Koch in Fort Morgan, Colorado
Dear brother-in-law and sister and your children:
We are letting you know that we are still among the living and are in good health. We must give you sad news that not all of us remain in the land of the living; because our father died on the 7th of July of this past year. Song number 703 in the Wolga Gesangbuch was sung at the graveside. The pallbearers were: Johannes Gerlach, Johannes Arndt, Johannes, son of Konrad Arndt and Georg Giebelhaus. Now we have shared our sorrow with you and you can cry as we did.
The 3 bundles of things have not yet arrived and it is very necessary for us to have them. The emergency is great but one dare not write much about it. The food that you sent, we received with great rejoicing. In spite of father's desire to see it, he was not able to survive any longer. Both of us, brothers Peter and Georg, carefully distributed everything. We also received father's Clothing Draft and divided it among we three brothers: Peter, Heinrich and Georg. We gave the shirts to Georg Trieber, he was near naked and was very happy to have them.
Now in closing, be affectionately greeted by your brothers-in-law and brothers,
Peter, Heinrich and Georg Lehl
Dear brother-in-law and sister and your children:
We are letting you know that we are still among the living and are in good health. We must give you sad news that not all of us remain in the land of the living; because our father died on the 7th of July of this past year. Song number 703 in the Wolga Gesangbuch was sung at the graveside. The pallbearers were: Johannes Gerlach, Johannes Arndt, Johannes, son of Konrad Arndt and Georg Giebelhaus. Now we have shared our sorrow with you and you can cry as we did.
The 3 bundles of things have not yet arrived and it is very necessary for us to have them. The emergency is great but one dare not write much about it. The food that you sent, we received with great rejoicing. In spite of father's desire to see it, he was not able to survive any longer. Both of us, brothers Peter and Georg, carefully distributed everything. We also received father's Clothing Draft and divided it among we three brothers: Peter, Heinrich and Georg. We gave the shirts to Georg Trieber, he was near naked and was very happy to have them.
Now in closing, be affectionately greeted by your brothers-in-law and brothers,
Peter, Heinrich and Georg Lehl
Sources
Die Welt-Post, April 19, 1923, page 2.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
Last updated March 6, 2016.