Die Welt Post, 26 January 1922

Huck, the 24th of November 1921--

Dear brother-in-law Philipp Kindsvater and family:

   It has been quite a long time since we have been able to write. It is once again permitted so I will update you about how things are with us.

   Praise and thank God, we are all still alive and so far still healthy, except I suffer a bit with kidney trouble, hopefully, it will heal. My wife remains a bit unwell. Our son Jacob had to serve 2 years as a soldier. He served his 2 years in Balzer in the secretariat. His service was easy, only I always had to advance him money because he was never paid. Now, for 2 weeks, he has been home on leave because of illness. We hope, however, that he will again get well. The children are all together again. Jacob is still single and so is Emilie. Ferdinand and Karl are apprentice teachers. As it stands, teaching is one of our weak points. Soon we will be out of teachers. The shortage is so bad that in the previous year there were lonely 2 months of school and it will again be the same this year.

   Frieda, the youngest, goes to kindergarten but is taught nothing. Generally, with the children, things are so difficult that I myself have many times looked into emigrating to another country, either Germany or America, so that the children can pursue an education. I and another person have already once inquired about exit permits to Germany, but we have as yet not received any information.

   In Beideck and Dönhof many people have sold everything and wanted to go to America, but one hears that they all came back again.

   In Huck five people have also sold everything and now they wait to see if it is true that the others had to come back, while we still have a little something to see us through. When it is practicable to travel early in the year, and if we are still alive, we will also leave; then there appears to be the prospect of difficult times ahead here. If there is no help received from outside, then many people will die of starvation. There are already enough who suffer from hunger. The American committee has built two kitchens for us to handle 400 children and from the morning on still another 200 children are taken on, but it is still not sufficient. We have over 1,000 children under 11 years of age, and the adults must also have help. Also there is still no prospect of seed for the new year. There is little Rye to eat because the people were able to harvest very little, and from the government we have received only 16 pounds through their stupidity; so you can see for yourself how it stands with future prospects.

   The American, who is here from the commission, one Repp, descended from a Norka family, tells the people they should all write to their friends in America. When anyone wishes to send something from there, the commission will undertake to deliver it here. There have already been several shipments from America over the last 3 years, but it is as if a man were to throw cold water on a hot stone. Everything was handled by the Russians and they would do nothing for money, one had to procure things for them in order to get things done: Leather, Sarpinka, trouser materiel, and so forth and so on. I have already tanned several leathers and have learned much over the last 3 years and have also done a fair amount of work.

   We always do work, and also do deals, since trade is free, to be sure, we have always traded, but one had always to endure the great fear and anxiety of being caught when going forth to seek one's fortune, only now it is free.

   Please, write as quickly as you can about how everything is going with you.

   All of our heartfelt greetings from everyone of mine and friends, your brother-in-law,

                         G. Kindsvater.