Headline: Letters from Russia
Norka, the 3rd of January 1924--
Much esteemed and dear Mr. Georg H. Mueller (Miller), Portland, Ore.--
I received your letter of 26 October about 5 weeks ago but wanted to wait until the 125 dollars arrived before answering. This has now happened. I received the money on Silvestermorgen (the morning of New Year's Day). Right after I received your letter and at my first opportunity, I informed the Church Council of it and they expressed their happiness and heartfelt gratitude. I quickly put together a short thank you letter that was passed around to all the Council members, who signed it. One of the Church Council members is your nephew. You will see his signature, it is the only one in Russian. Two Justhennerchen (clan nickname?) previously served on the Church Council: Ludwig Mueller from the Russian area and Peter Mueller in Row 4, house number 256. Among the Justhennerchen are true and faithful church members but Peter Mueller is the most faithful. I was always glad to work with him. Ludwig Mueller, in the Russian area, also worked around the church, sadly, he does not often come anymore because he lives a great distance from the village. The Justhennerchen as well as most Norkans, in spite of the separation of the Church from the State, remain members of the church. Here in Norka there is only one old Adventist family left (Schoenemann) from the old days. A lot of others attend church and use its services and indeed, there are many who abuse the freedom and pay nothing. They are unscrupulous enough to enjoy their rights at the cost of their fellow man. Despite multiple resolutions of the Church Council excluding such ill-willed persons (the poor are free from any payment) from any service, nevertheless they are still served. Overall during the changing conditions, the Evangelical Church has not lost much of its membership, however, it has been difficult. Nothing has been renovated since the outbreak of the war. The securities and capital in many church coffers were lost due to the financial collapse of Russia. The impoverishment of the communities made the situation of the churches even more difficult so that in many places they collapsed. The servants of the church, the Schoolmaster and Pastors, fell into great need and would not have been able to support themselves had not the brethren from America come forward with assistance. We have not forgotten what the Volga Relief Society and the National Lutheran Council did for us.
Our church budget for this year in Norka (in round numbers) is as follows: income 1,200 Pud of grain (wheat and rye), from this the Pastor receives 300 Pud; the Schoolmaster 300 Pud; Bell Ringer and Organ player 120 Pud. The remainder for rent and essential repairs. We have to pay 21 Gold Rubel per month rent for the Prayer House, Parsonage and Sexton's quarters. That comes to about $10, in addition to insurance and essential repairs. You see the difficulties that we are faced with. Therefore this support from the Portland brethren has come to us like a gift from heaven. If we are yet able to get some additional support from other cities we would be able to paint the roof of the church which is already beginning to exhibit rust spots.
I thank you and the entire community, all who took part in this collection. We thank you especially for your collection effort, which is a thankless task. May God repay you all, for you have done a thing which promotes His realm among us. It is a better service then many churches and Prayer Meetings are able to give. We yet stand and have withstood the adverse winds.
I am pleased that the Volga Germans in the USA are also taking part in the relief effort for Germany. The need in Germany is great. Who is to blame? Those who imposed the most infamous peace in Versailles, a peace which is a thousand times worse than the war. How long will the emergency in Germany go on? For so long a time as the Versailles Peace Treaty remains in force. What should civilized mankind do? Not collect clothing, bread and money, but destroy the contract which was built upon lies and deceit. How can this be done? Wiser heads than my own must decide this, but it must happen soon. Anyone who still believes in humanity knows this. If this does not happen then the world will be denying its culture of justice.Then we may go from reason to chaos which we ourselves will have caused. May the Volga Germans in America who are united in this act of love, not ask for clothing and bread, not for grace, but for right and justice for Germany. May God grant his grace and blessing that the combined voices of the noble minded drown out the serpentine hissing and frog-like croaking of the deluded and insane.
That Germany, in spite of its own great emergency, took in many thousands of Volga German refugees and still does, is an act which, had it happened in the days when our Savior walked on this earth, would have been written in the Gospel as a monument for all eternity. It took the last bread from the hands of its children and shared it with those in need who had come from a great distance to return to the land of their ancestors. They were inspired by God, despite their own pain, to open their German hearts to those who were in need.
I was pleased to hear that Mr. Volz was in Portland. He wrote me on the 16th of October from there. He was many times here in Norka and could also tell you much. He was not far wrong in saying that Norka received much more from its former residents, and in particular from you Portlanders, than other villages, particularly food. Actually, as far as clothing, I believe Balzer and Beideck were helped more.
The many cash remittances that have come here over the past year has helped some Norkans to buy horses and some other things. All the cash remittances sent through the Hibernian Commercial & Savings Bank arrived very promptly. I recommend that everyone send money through this bank.
I received 30 dollars from Philipp Koehler of 691 Rodney Ave., and distributed it among his brothers as he instructed. Unfortunately his brother Ludwig, who is with sister Ris, has to support his sister and has only received a portion of the money you sent for some Gingham to be used for a shirt and apron. The situation of this family is overall a bad one, especially the sister who is a poor and irresponsible person. If the Bethanians still existed here, she would have been in good hands with them.
If you know John Sinner, a Fleischhaendler (a butcher) in Portland, tell him that his brother Nikolaus Sinner, Row 7, Nr. 519, sends his greetings and tell him that he has written often but not received any reply and that he should write to the aforementioned address. Nikolaus Sinner is a faithful and zealous member of the Church Council.
Schoolmaster Leonhardt received your letter with the 2 dollars enclosed and wrote to you when he did so.
I will occasionally remind those living in the Russian areas to write. They have not come around here for a long time. For this reason I have been unable to give your friend Heinrich Spady your photo, he also lives in the Russian area.
Today I received your little note from the Weber sisters concerning the overcoat that your cousin Margaretha Claus (Klaus) in Sutton sent. The Weber sisters received this overcoat based on the letter they received from Mrs. Claus. Unfortunately it also caused a misunderstanding. Now it seemed to the Weber sisters that the overcoat, which they had seen here in May was new and that I was giving them one that was threadbare. I would like to ask you, in order to determine the truth of the matter, if you would inquire of Mrs. Claus whether the coat was new or used, and, if Mrs. Claus can remember, would she please describe the condition of the overcoat, when she bought it and how long she had worn it. These notes would be very important to me.
Please greet my dear friend G. Repp and family and all the other Norkans that I hold dear to me above all others.
Has Mr. Volz received my photo of Claus who arrived recently?
Thank you again for the help that you and other Norkans provided during the difficult year.
With affectionate greetings, yours,
F. Wacker
I received your letter of 26 October about 5 weeks ago but wanted to wait until the 125 dollars arrived before answering. This has now happened. I received the money on Silvestermorgen (the morning of New Year's Day). Right after I received your letter and at my first opportunity, I informed the Church Council of it and they expressed their happiness and heartfelt gratitude. I quickly put together a short thank you letter that was passed around to all the Council members, who signed it. One of the Church Council members is your nephew. You will see his signature, it is the only one in Russian. Two Justhennerchen (clan nickname?) previously served on the Church Council: Ludwig Mueller from the Russian area and Peter Mueller in Row 4, house number 256. Among the Justhennerchen are true and faithful church members but Peter Mueller is the most faithful. I was always glad to work with him. Ludwig Mueller, in the Russian area, also worked around the church, sadly, he does not often come anymore because he lives a great distance from the village. The Justhennerchen as well as most Norkans, in spite of the separation of the Church from the State, remain members of the church. Here in Norka there is only one old Adventist family left (Schoenemann) from the old days. A lot of others attend church and use its services and indeed, there are many who abuse the freedom and pay nothing. They are unscrupulous enough to enjoy their rights at the cost of their fellow man. Despite multiple resolutions of the Church Council excluding such ill-willed persons (the poor are free from any payment) from any service, nevertheless they are still served. Overall during the changing conditions, the Evangelical Church has not lost much of its membership, however, it has been difficult. Nothing has been renovated since the outbreak of the war. The securities and capital in many church coffers were lost due to the financial collapse of Russia. The impoverishment of the communities made the situation of the churches even more difficult so that in many places they collapsed. The servants of the church, the Schoolmaster and Pastors, fell into great need and would not have been able to support themselves had not the brethren from America come forward with assistance. We have not forgotten what the Volga Relief Society and the National Lutheran Council did for us.
Our church budget for this year in Norka (in round numbers) is as follows: income 1,200 Pud of grain (wheat and rye), from this the Pastor receives 300 Pud; the Schoolmaster 300 Pud; Bell Ringer and Organ player 120 Pud. The remainder for rent and essential repairs. We have to pay 21 Gold Rubel per month rent for the Prayer House, Parsonage and Sexton's quarters. That comes to about $10, in addition to insurance and essential repairs. You see the difficulties that we are faced with. Therefore this support from the Portland brethren has come to us like a gift from heaven. If we are yet able to get some additional support from other cities we would be able to paint the roof of the church which is already beginning to exhibit rust spots.
I thank you and the entire community, all who took part in this collection. We thank you especially for your collection effort, which is a thankless task. May God repay you all, for you have done a thing which promotes His realm among us. It is a better service then many churches and Prayer Meetings are able to give. We yet stand and have withstood the adverse winds.
I am pleased that the Volga Germans in the USA are also taking part in the relief effort for Germany. The need in Germany is great. Who is to blame? Those who imposed the most infamous peace in Versailles, a peace which is a thousand times worse than the war. How long will the emergency in Germany go on? For so long a time as the Versailles Peace Treaty remains in force. What should civilized mankind do? Not collect clothing, bread and money, but destroy the contract which was built upon lies and deceit. How can this be done? Wiser heads than my own must decide this, but it must happen soon. Anyone who still believes in humanity knows this. If this does not happen then the world will be denying its culture of justice.Then we may go from reason to chaos which we ourselves will have caused. May the Volga Germans in America who are united in this act of love, not ask for clothing and bread, not for grace, but for right and justice for Germany. May God grant his grace and blessing that the combined voices of the noble minded drown out the serpentine hissing and frog-like croaking of the deluded and insane.
That Germany, in spite of its own great emergency, took in many thousands of Volga German refugees and still does, is an act which, had it happened in the days when our Savior walked on this earth, would have been written in the Gospel as a monument for all eternity. It took the last bread from the hands of its children and shared it with those in need who had come from a great distance to return to the land of their ancestors. They were inspired by God, despite their own pain, to open their German hearts to those who were in need.
I was pleased to hear that Mr. Volz was in Portland. He wrote me on the 16th of October from there. He was many times here in Norka and could also tell you much. He was not far wrong in saying that Norka received much more from its former residents, and in particular from you Portlanders, than other villages, particularly food. Actually, as far as clothing, I believe Balzer and Beideck were helped more.
The many cash remittances that have come here over the past year has helped some Norkans to buy horses and some other things. All the cash remittances sent through the Hibernian Commercial & Savings Bank arrived very promptly. I recommend that everyone send money through this bank.
I received 30 dollars from Philipp Koehler of 691 Rodney Ave., and distributed it among his brothers as he instructed. Unfortunately his brother Ludwig, who is with sister Ris, has to support his sister and has only received a portion of the money you sent for some Gingham to be used for a shirt and apron. The situation of this family is overall a bad one, especially the sister who is a poor and irresponsible person. If the Bethanians still existed here, she would have been in good hands with them.
If you know John Sinner, a Fleischhaendler (a butcher) in Portland, tell him that his brother Nikolaus Sinner, Row 7, Nr. 519, sends his greetings and tell him that he has written often but not received any reply and that he should write to the aforementioned address. Nikolaus Sinner is a faithful and zealous member of the Church Council.
Schoolmaster Leonhardt received your letter with the 2 dollars enclosed and wrote to you when he did so.
I will occasionally remind those living in the Russian areas to write. They have not come around here for a long time. For this reason I have been unable to give your friend Heinrich Spady your photo, he also lives in the Russian area.
Today I received your little note from the Weber sisters concerning the overcoat that your cousin Margaretha Claus (Klaus) in Sutton sent. The Weber sisters received this overcoat based on the letter they received from Mrs. Claus. Unfortunately it also caused a misunderstanding. Now it seemed to the Weber sisters that the overcoat, which they had seen here in May was new and that I was giving them one that was threadbare. I would like to ask you, in order to determine the truth of the matter, if you would inquire of Mrs. Claus whether the coat was new or used, and, if Mrs. Claus can remember, would she please describe the condition of the overcoat, when she bought it and how long she had worn it. These notes would be very important to me.
Please greet my dear friend G. Repp and family and all the other Norkans that I hold dear to me above all others.
Has Mr. Volz received my photo of Claus who arrived recently?
Thank you again for the help that you and other Norkans provided during the difficult year.
With affectionate greetings, yours,
F. Wacker
Sources
Die Welt-Post, March 20, 1924, page 3.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
Last updated March 7, 2016.