Headline: Norka
To Kath. (Mrs. Konrad) Koch
Fort Morgan, Colorado
May God protect your comings and goings from now until eternity, Amen.
Dear Daughter, Son-in-law and children:
We tell you that we received you 2 letters with great joy and from them we saw that you were healthy and things were going well for you.
Sadly, we must report to you that a great famine rages here with us in Norka. We must grind and bake Schlagkuchen to eat. I, your father, am 80 years old, but I have never seen such a famine in my entire life. Our deceased Pastor Wilhelm Staerkel preached to us about it long enough in the years 1920-21, that an emergency would occur such that had never been seen before. That prediction is now being fulfilled.
Now we express our wish that we would also like to come to America but the way is not yet open; as soon as it is open you can make the necessary arrangements and help us come over there.
Now we also make known to you that Peter's wife died in April of last year. Heinrich Bauer died in November. The Weigand's cousin/uncle-Vou (Vetter-Vou) and Philipp's-Stet (??)--the three were buried in one day. There are days where from 6 to 10 people are buried owing to sickness brought on by starvation. Because we are now 17 souls in the house and there is no bread there, you can imagine for yourself our state of distress. For hundreds and thousands one cannot buy a thing, it must be millions. If you and our friends want to help us you can send it in the name of Pastor Wacker.
So, in closing, receive our heartfelt greetings and write us again soon.
This letter was written for your old father who loves you, by Georg Trueber (also Trüber or Trieber - translator).
Georg Lehl
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Subsequent to the above lines, the daughter of Mr. Lehl, Mrs. Konrad Koch, writes as follows:
It always brings me great joy to read Die Welt-Post from which one can experience much that is new from all corners of the world. I am especially happy to read about my old homeland, Norka, Russia. It pains ones heart when one reads how great the emergency is in Russia. If you would like, you may publish my father's letter in Die Welt-Post, because my father is already 80 years old and this is perhaps the last letter I will get from him.
Fort Morgan, Colorado
May God protect your comings and goings from now until eternity, Amen.
Dear Daughter, Son-in-law and children:
We tell you that we received you 2 letters with great joy and from them we saw that you were healthy and things were going well for you.
Sadly, we must report to you that a great famine rages here with us in Norka. We must grind and bake Schlagkuchen to eat. I, your father, am 80 years old, but I have never seen such a famine in my entire life. Our deceased Pastor Wilhelm Staerkel preached to us about it long enough in the years 1920-21, that an emergency would occur such that had never been seen before. That prediction is now being fulfilled.
Now we express our wish that we would also like to come to America but the way is not yet open; as soon as it is open you can make the necessary arrangements and help us come over there.
Now we also make known to you that Peter's wife died in April of last year. Heinrich Bauer died in November. The Weigand's cousin/uncle-Vou (Vetter-Vou) and Philipp's-Stet (??)--the three were buried in one day. There are days where from 6 to 10 people are buried owing to sickness brought on by starvation. Because we are now 17 souls in the house and there is no bread there, you can imagine for yourself our state of distress. For hundreds and thousands one cannot buy a thing, it must be millions. If you and our friends want to help us you can send it in the name of Pastor Wacker.
So, in closing, receive our heartfelt greetings and write us again soon.
This letter was written for your old father who loves you, by Georg Trueber (also Trüber or Trieber - translator).
Georg Lehl
----------------------------------------
Subsequent to the above lines, the daughter of Mr. Lehl, Mrs. Konrad Koch, writes as follows:
It always brings me great joy to read Die Welt-Post from which one can experience much that is new from all corners of the world. I am especially happy to read about my old homeland, Norka, Russia. It pains ones heart when one reads how great the emergency is in Russia. If you would like, you may publish my father's letter in Die Welt-Post, because my father is already 80 years old and this is perhaps the last letter I will get from him.
Sources
Die Welt-Post, July 6, 1922, page 5.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
Last updated March 6, 2016.