Last Known Letter Received

Gluecsthal, January 2, 1929

I wish you a Happy New Year!

Dear Johann and Rosina,  I want to lt you know that we have received your dear letter with great joy. We could see that you are still alive and have your healthy,  thanks to God, which is the best thing to have in this world.  Abut the weather here,  during the fall we had two weeks of continued rain so that most of the fodder rotted away. I had to buy 50 Rubles worth, for I had none.  We had a terrible crop failure last year, and, now,  everything is very expensive.  A bundle of gran is 7 Rubles, wheat is 3 Rubles, and potatoes 1 Rubel and 50 Kopecks, and money is scarce.  We are having a difficult time ahead of us, may our dear Lord have mercy on us, we are in terrible times.  May the Ord protect you from such terrible times,  you just cannot imagine it.  I never thought that I would have to experience something like this.

Dear Johann, I have drawn a New Year lot for you, it came up 1. Samuel 20: 6, and for rosina Numbers 19:2.  It is very cold here, as it has not been for a long time.  There is ice and we cannot drive.  the wind is always into the face,  no matter which way one turns.  Folks here are trying to sell their horses and livestock, because of the scarcity of feed, but no one wants to buy, they are all trying to see.  Clothing is very expensive so that we are unable to buy anything.  You might think,  it cannot be all that bad,  but it is worse than what I wrote.

That's all I know to write,  I will close my heartfelt regards, sending thousand of regards and kisses.  Give our regards also to your dear sister and her dear husband an children.  Ask them to write to me.

We remain your loving cousins until death, Johann and Katharina Rott (?)

I beg of you, answer quickly and let us know how you are.