Sinner Family Letters
The following are excerpts from five handwritten letters from the Sinner family of Norka, Russia during the horrible famine years of 1921 to 1924. The letters are written to Heinrich (Henry) Sinner who emigrated to the United States in 1913. The letters are written by his father, Johann Heinrich Sinner, his sister Katharina (Katja) and his uncle.
Henry Sinner settled in Sutton, Nebraska, where he had known relatives who had come to the United States just a few years earlier. When Henry arrived in the USA he was 18 years old and had a burning desire to acquire the "American Dream." Undoubtedly, he envisioned finding a wife who would work with him to achieve the dream. Within two years, he met Amalia Kahm, a girl whose family had emigrated from Balzer, Russia about the same time that Henry had left Norka. They married in 1915 and began their life together.
Within a few years of their marriage, Henry began to receive letters from his relatives in Norka describing the families need for money and clothing due to the famine that was raging through the Volga valley. Henry and Amalia did respond to the requests from Russia, but the letters from Norka seem to indicate that not all of the assistance was received. It was common for parcels and letters to be opened by Russian officials and the contents were often stolen before they reached their intended recipient. Many other Volga Germans in America received similar heart breaking letters from their loved ones in Russia, pleading for help. Many of these letters were published in the German language newspaper Die Welt-Post (The World Post).
Henry Sinner settled in Sutton, Nebraska, where he had known relatives who had come to the United States just a few years earlier. When Henry arrived in the USA he was 18 years old and had a burning desire to acquire the "American Dream." Undoubtedly, he envisioned finding a wife who would work with him to achieve the dream. Within two years, he met Amalia Kahm, a girl whose family had emigrated from Balzer, Russia about the same time that Henry had left Norka. They married in 1915 and began their life together.
Within a few years of their marriage, Henry began to receive letters from his relatives in Norka describing the families need for money and clothing due to the famine that was raging through the Volga valley. Henry and Amalia did respond to the requests from Russia, but the letters from Norka seem to indicate that not all of the assistance was received. It was common for parcels and letters to be opened by Russian officials and the contents were often stolen before they reached their intended recipient. Many other Volga Germans in America received similar heart breaking letters from their loved ones in Russia, pleading for help. Many of these letters were published in the German language newspaper Die Welt-Post (The World Post).
Written On July 4, 1921
Good beginning starts in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. AMEN. Written by me, your dear sister Katarina to you, my dear brother Heinrich.
Go you letter from my hand.
Go where you are being sent.
Go to the best place.
And show yourself to my dear ones there.
Now my dearest brother Heinrich, right at the beginning of letter I want you to know that we need to thank the dear God for being so healthy and we wish the same for you from the bottom of our hearts...
Now I want to tell you how it is here at home. It is very difficult. We have not had any bread all summer long. We do not have any white flour. We have to cook with waste. The summer is so bad. Many people did not receive any seed. Many people are starving and many have died of starvation....
Father wants you to write sometime... Write if we could come. Here is hardly survival.
Go you letter from my hand.
Go where you are being sent.
Go to the best place.
And show yourself to my dear ones there.
Now my dearest brother Heinrich, right at the beginning of letter I want you to know that we need to thank the dear God for being so healthy and we wish the same for you from the bottom of our hearts...
Now I want to tell you how it is here at home. It is very difficult. We have not had any bread all summer long. We do not have any white flour. We have to cook with waste. The summer is so bad. Many people did not receive any seed. Many people are starving and many have died of starvation....
Father wants you to write sometime... Write if we could come. Here is hardly survival.
Written On March 18, 1923
Most valuable Heinrich Sinner - right away most cordial greeting to you. Today, March 18, we received your letter dated February 4, 1923. We were very happy. Even your aunt, who is not well, got out of bed to share the good news with the family. We are so happy to hear that you and your family are healthy.
According to your letter you are helping the hungry and needy here. Another year went by since I received a letter from you. How is it then -- the situation here? In the year of 1921 - on December 25. Every day it got worse. No business, no work and we lived in a summer cottage.
As we see it, to stand "on the right foot" the Russian government is growing daily. You wanted to know, if your father has already received your help. Yes, he has received it. But if he received all of it, that I do not know. Because he cannot drive and neither can I.
Dearest Heinrich, all the help as you wrote that you could do and is possible did not bring anything. Nothing, but absolutely nothing, did we receive.
According to your letter you are helping the hungry and needy here. Another year went by since I received a letter from you. How is it then -- the situation here? In the year of 1921 - on December 25. Every day it got worse. No business, no work and we lived in a summer cottage.
As we see it, to stand "on the right foot" the Russian government is growing daily. You wanted to know, if your father has already received your help. Yes, he has received it. But if he received all of it, that I do not know. Because he cannot drive and neither can I.
Dearest Heinrich, all the help as you wrote that you could do and is possible did not bring anything. Nothing, but absolutely nothing, did we receive.
Written On October 24, 1924
Written by your father, namely Johannes Sinner to you dear son, Heinrich Sinner.
Now, most of all to you and your whole family most cordial greetings and kisses of love toward a happy meeting.
Now, my dear children I want you to know that we have to thank our dear God that we are all healthy and alive. From the bottom of our hearts we wish you the best of health. My dear children for this we have to thank God. Especially now in bad times when we did not have a harvest. But my dear son, we have to bear much with our hungry bodies. If you would be here just for one day or two and to see the situation then your hearts would break.
My dear son, I don't understand why you left me to starve. What is the reason? You could write to me. Maybe it is not like you think. Perhaps someone lied to you.
Now my dear children, I do want to know if you would help me somewhat or not. You could write to me so I don't have to worry anymore. I have asked you many times for some help and you also promised you would send us some money to buy a horse.
Now, most of all to you and your whole family most cordial greetings and kisses of love toward a happy meeting.
Now, my dear children I want you to know that we have to thank our dear God that we are all healthy and alive. From the bottom of our hearts we wish you the best of health. My dear children for this we have to thank God. Especially now in bad times when we did not have a harvest. But my dear son, we have to bear much with our hungry bodies. If you would be here just for one day or two and to see the situation then your hearts would break.
My dear son, I don't understand why you left me to starve. What is the reason? You could write to me. Maybe it is not like you think. Perhaps someone lied to you.
Now my dear children, I do want to know if you would help me somewhat or not. You could write to me so I don't have to worry anymore. I have asked you many times for some help and you also promised you would send us some money to buy a horse.
Source
Excerpts from these letters have been generously shared by the Sinner family of Yakima, Washington and are used with the permission of Alex Sinner.
Last updated April 22, 2016.