14 August 1924

Die Welt-Post, Thursday, 14 August 1924

Page 5

(Sent in by Jacob Volz)

Schulz, June 17, 1924

Esteemed Mr. Volz: 
     I, undersigned at the end, turn to you for a second time with a request for help. I wrote to you on February 20th and described my great emergency. In the letter I said, among other things, that my wife met with Mr. Seib and Mr. Sinner in Saratov who advised her to ask you if you would help. Because many letters get lost, I am trying once again. 
     The emergency here is very great and is growing larger. For the last 2 months we have lived only on potatoes without even a crumb of bread. By the time you receive this letter even these will be consumed. The emergency is so very severe that we don't know where to turn. We have had absolutely no rain here, days are windy and hot. The Rye and Wheat in the fields is burnt, all of nature and the people languish for want of rain and should it stay away yet longer there will be no Corn, no Sunflowers and no vegetables. Everything is becoming withered and yellow. The people are in total despair. 
     My family consists of 6 souls and I ask you earnestly and urgently to give us some help. My earnings this year are less than 100 rubles. 
     I met you only once when you were with Mr. Sinner in Schulz at my farmstead. 
               Greetings, your sincere friend, 
               Christian Sessler, Schoolmaster

Page 5, "Letter from Russia"

From the village of Wiesenmüller, 6 July 1924

Dear brother-in-law David Muth and sister-in-law together with your children: 
     Once again I come to you with my troubles, please help me. 
     This year things are again bad, the worst we have ever experienced. There is much less to be had here than in 1921. 
     We understand that you have had a very good harvest so if it won't cause you a hardship, can you help me in my sad situation with a few dollars. 
     Many people here have already processed their rye into grain, they produced 1 pud (pud=36 pounds) per desyatina (2.7 acres). Many have already harvested 5 and 6 pud but that's all there is for the long winter. May God preserve us from sickness during this year of hunger. 
     Brother-in-law Jacob's wife is now also a widow and truly poor. It is truly sad when one is left a widow with children and has nothing. One often wishes to be in heaven, yet before one's time has run out one cannot leave the world. We will yet once again see better times. 
     I have brothers and relatives in Canada by the name of Schmunck to whom I also beg to not close their hearts and to help with this poor sister who is a widow with children. 
     So, dear brother-in-law David and sister-in-law Maria Katrina, please help. 
     Once again, greetings to you and everyone and may God's protection be upon you. 
               Your sister-in-law with children, Emilie Stuckert 
                       Live well until we joyfully meet again, Amen.

[Translator Note: Sent by David Muth, Otis, Kansas. The above referenced Emilie Stuckert is my wife's brother Friedrich's wife. Her husband is dead and she is an orphan with children.

They remained in the area of the German border for an entire year intending to come to America but it wasn't to be. They had to return and the hardships she endured caused her death. Brother-in-law Jacob Stuckert also died in the same way and the money (to get them to America) lay in Germany with the Volga Society for an entire year.]