Die Welt-Post, Thursday, 18 October 1923
Page 3, "A Call to all Dietelers in America"
Much beloved friends:
You requested through our pastor to be informed of the condition of our church and prayer house, if they needed repair, and that you were ready to help us with it. This, your generous offer, the majority of the community accepts with great thanks. We two members, Heinrich Kautz and Johann Georg Schild were selected to determine how much it wold cost to paint the 2 roofs with oil paint and make the most needed repairs to the prayer house.
After detailed inspection and consideration we have found that for this work to be well done, one thousand (1,000) dollars would be required. If you dear friends and benefactors have the goodness and friendship to possibly help us, then we thank you in advance in the name of our community and at the same time ask that you send this money to the 2 authorized persons selected by the community, i.e. Heinrich Kautz, house number 372, and Johann Georg Schild, house number 72.
With affectionate greetings and thanks for your love,
Dietel, 22 June 1923
Heinrich Kautz, Georg Schild
The accuracy of the previous is certified,
Dietel, the 22nd of June 1923, No. 52
Pastor F. Möllmann
Page 3, "Dietelers in Russia Wish Address Information"
Listing of those people who were formerly present in Lincoln, Nebraska, or elsewhere, who have not been heard from for a long time.
1. Sophie Reich, née Pauli, from Kautz, widow of David Reich (Han Dieters) who died 3 years ago in Dietel, house number 392, seeks her sister Christine Pauli who married Heinrich Goebel from Norka.
2. Heinrich Batt (Fritze Jakobs), Dietel, number 180, seeks his brother Jakob Bett, probably living in the state of Kansas.
3. Jacob Reichel (Wendels Jeschke) in Dietel, number 228, seeks his daughter's husband Jakob Reichert, allegedly residing in Lincoln, Nebraska.
4. Heinrich (Fritze Jakobs), Dietel, number 180, asks after his mother's sister Eva Elisabetha, nee Müler, wife of Georg Herdt, residing in the state of Kansas.
5. Heinrich Batt (Fritze Jakobs), Dietel, number 180, seeks his cousin Friedrich Batt, allegedly residing in Lincoln, Nebraska.
6. Heinrich Batt (Fritze Jakobs), Dietel, number 180, asks after Georg, Heinrich and Jakob Batt, sons of the deceased Georg Batt (Fritze) and says that he received a food packet from Georg Batt in October 1922 but not his address.
7. The wife of Jakob Batt (Batte Schmiedt), Maria Elisabetha, née Järger, in Dietel, number 78, asks after her sister Eva Elisabeth, née Järger, wife of Johann Friedrich Schneider from Kratzke, who has been in America for 30 years. She received a packet from them in April 1922 but without their address, so she could not write.
8. Johann Georg Schild in Dietel, number 72, says that he has heard nothing from his brothers Heinrich and Jakob Schild in Idaho for a year, though he has sent them many letters. He would like to know if there is a problem, if they are no longer living, or what reason there may be.
9. Heinrich Krämer, son of Heinrich Krämer (Weisse Krämer), number 378 , asks after his father-in-law Georg Flegler (Krollig).
10. The wife of Heinrich Krämer, Maria Elisabetha, née Ring (Weisse Kramer) in Dietel, number 378, asks after her brother Georg David Ring in Lincoln, Nebraska.
11. The wife of Heinrich Krämer, Maria Elisabetha, née Ring (Weisse Kraemer), number 378 in Dietel, asks after her sister Sophie Pitsch, née Ring, widow of David Pitsch in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Dietel, the 29th of June 1923
F. Moellmann, Pastor
Page 3, "Remarks about Pastor Möllmann's Documents"
The preceding documents from Pastor Möllmann I received in the mail on September 24. I also received a list about the distribution of the 6 bundles of clothing which we here sent through the Volga Association. Whoever wishes to see this list can receive it from me on the condition that they pay the postage and return the list to me again.
As one can see from the documents, one thousand dollars is needed for the repair of the church and school in Dietel. We Dietelers in Lincoln met and discussed the matter and we hereby issue a call to all Dietelers in America, whether they are in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan or living elsewhere, to consider the matter and contribute money so that we can send it over there in a sum total. The matter is of some urgency so act immediately and write to me about the result. All sums of money received will be acknowledged in the Welt-Post.
By way of explanation to all Dietelers, I am "Rufe Hucker," namely your Rufe Fritz's step-son and the husband of Michel Klemann's daughter and my name and address are as follows:
Jacob Weber
928 No. 8th St.,
Lincoln, Nebraska
Page 3, "From Pastor Möllmann in Dietel, Russia"
Mr. Jakob Weber
Lincoln, Nebraska
Dear Friend:
In answer to your letters of 14 November 1922, 23 January and 23 February 1923, I hereby tell you that recently 6 bundles of clothing items arrived and were expeditiously distributed in accordance with the attached lists. The A.R.A. representative, Mr. Volz in old Balzer sent them to us with the instructions to give out the individually addressed packets only to those individuals themselves and to cover the expenses of the drivers with the Gingham yard goods; and then the loose items that had no particular names or addresses were to be distributed to totally and half orphaned children and the poorest widows. And so it was done by the commission consisting of respectable persons representing the Poor Committee of the Soviet and the Church Committee.
Unfortunately not everything was in the bundles that letters from America to their friends here said there would be. For example: No. 29 on the list of individual packets; Eva Katharina Kindsvater was to receive 2 packets weighing 35 pfund, in fact there was only 1 packet weighing 15 pfund. Mr. Volz himself was certain there had to be a lot of Gingham yard goods in the 6 bundles, in truth there was very little. We had been given special instructions from the Administration in Balzer for the distribution of 4 bundles and another set of special instructions for 2 bundles. There were 2 different commissions, according to Mr. Volz, who were recompensed for their time and work from the loose items on the list without actually having performed any work.
Mr. Volz left after the distribution and I was unable to give him the lists, which is why I send them to you along with other enclosures, there is:
1. a list of the delivery of packages addressed to individuals.
2. a list of the distribution of loose items intended for general distribution.
3. a letter of thanks from recipients of individual packages.
4. a list of 11 persons seeking their relatives.
5. a letter containing the request for one thousand dollars for repair of the church and prayer house signed by Heinrich Kautz and Georg Schild.
In all, including this letter, 6 documents.
Concerning the list of individual packages, I must note that there was a similar situation with 5 packets which were in the bundle sent by the Volga Relief Society from Denver, Colo., L.C. Boeker, Leaf Ct., No. 4562. Be so kind as to send him a copy with the explanation that this bundle was assumed to be broken into in Balzer.
Just as you had much work, trouble and annoyance with the collecting, packing and sending, so also did the commission with the distribution. To do right by everyone is a task that nobody can accomplish. And thus the result is a great deal of ingratitude from many, the envy of the majority and the resentment of those who will likely cause mischief. All this is not new or special and is seen throughout the entire Christian world and was foreseen by the greatest benefactor who gave His followers the teachings found in Matthew 5:11-12.
You probably already know that your stepfather and your mother have died (buried by me on 30 June 1922). Your stepbrother Friedrich married Amalia Michel on January 30th and your stepsister Elisabetha married Georg Michel (Balandrichs) on 13 February 1923.
I thank all the dear Dietelers for all their love and especially for sending me the packet of food, as well as Jakob Lutzi for his little package that made me very happy. As a sign of my love and friendship I send my most heartfelt wish for all the best for you; and to you most especially, my most affectionate greetings for your trouble.
F. M. Möllmann, Pastor
Dietel, 28 June 1923
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.