A Close Look at Some Early Correspondence from Bessarabia to Poland

By Divayne Janke Letter Translation by Allen Konrad

Copy of German Mail from the East Number 12, December 1939

LETTER FROM [BESSARABIA] - 1818

A R Z I S

In God, beloved Friends!

Our greetings first and foremost!

Dearest Friends, it is our wish that these lines may meet all of you in good health. It would please us very much. As for us, God be praised, we are all healthy. As the precious opportunity came to us to write to you, so we availed ourselves. Several men from our area are traveling to Poland and offered us the kindness of giving our letters to you friends.

Dear Friends! Since our departure from Poland, we have successfully completed our journey. For two years, we were quartered in Moldavia where we were supplied with provisions by the Crown. Presently, we are on our land, which appears good to us, for it is extremely fruitful and the soil is black. The pasture land is excellent for us so that the colonist, who brought little or nothing, now possesses 30-40 cattle. The natives of the land are very ordinary, and one wouldn't believe that a Bulgar, who sits alone in the hills [Gebuergen], has up to 200 cattle, 150 horses, 900-1200 sheep and goats. The person outfitted like this is not to be compared with a poor Polish farmer.

The forest is 6-7 miles from us. However, in our area a species of plant grows which is called Burjan. We bake the finest bread with it. During those first years, it was difficult for us. However, now we are doing quite well and know how to adapt in all things. We already have our own bread, and also hope that with God's help we will progress further. Until now, we have been sitting in shelters [Buden], but all of us are building bigger structures out of stone, since we have a very fine stone quarry. We get the wood from the regional and area government. In short, we are very pleased.