Leichtling Village Website 

 
Michael Lang and Wife

A series of  24 letters written by Michael Lang to his daughters, Thomas Marie. At the time of the letters his daughter is living in Milwaukee in a convent. He is writing to her and chronicles his life from Leichtling to South America and back to Russia. Then to WWI as a soldger in the Russian army. Then the trials of the final long trip to reach America.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 1
February 15 1950
Praised be Jesus Christ

My dear Child Thomas Marie,

         This is principally about me your father, Michael Lang. As the time is always too short when we visit with you in Milwaukee, I will now give you a sketch of my early youth when I was about 5 or 6 years old. At that time we were 3 boys and one girl. The two boys were old enough and my sister younger than I. As the winters were very cold we had to remain in the house with my grandmother. Now when it grew dark and moon beams shone through the windows, we three boys began to play and jump around the room as frisky as lambs. Grandmother watched us for a time until we grew too noisy and wild. Then grand-mother would say," Now boys, that's enough .Come and sit down by me on the bed. Then she said," Now. I'll tell you a story" And as we listened very attentively, she taught us the Our Father, the 16 Commandments, and the Apostles Creed so that when we were able to go to schoo1 we knew the prayers and could make progress in our work in winter.

        In summer when father and mother drove on the field, we youngsters wanted to ride along. As soon as father had harnessed the horses, we boys jumped on the wagon and said," May we drive along to the field grandmother? We knew very well that someone had to stay at home with grandmother. Grandmother answered, " Yes " We were up to the door when grandmother takes Michael out or the wagon. Not without tears, however on the part or Michael, but grandmother knew only too well how to soothe a crying child. And so it continued until my 14th. year and there were 7 children and not any or us able to help very much. My mother was sick very often. One time, especially, I remember she was so very sick that I was afraid she was going to die.

        I went to church and prayed that God would let my mother live till I was 18 years old. And God heard my prayer. My mother recovered and died after my l8th birthday. She was about 45 years old.

      Even in my younger years I was always troubled about our family and then the troubles increased. My eldest brother's wife died and now we were 5 sons and 2 daughters with our father and our old grandmother.

      We 3 brothers could help with the work on the field but the work at home was too hard for my old grandmother. Our field too small for us now and so I hired out by a carpenter and learnt the trade and so earned a little money to help the good cause along.

      My father married again and I told him I would like to go to South America where I had a cousin. I told him I could earn more money and then we could buy more land.

      The next time I will continue with my narrative. At home every thing is going on nicely God be praised. I am still working 6 days in the week and you know mother doesn't think of ever resting even, if she is not feeling well. Barbara is doing very well in school and Andrew does well.

      Hearty greetings from our dear ones, Your family your parents mother and father, Michael and Catherine Lang and family. May the Lord stay with us as it is growing dark and the day is far advanced.

Amen.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 2
April 1950
 Praised be Jesus Christ!

      It has been told me that you my dear children, were very much surprised and pleased at the content of my last letter and more especially over the disciples' loving appeal to our dear Lord to remain with them for the day was far spent.

       Never before has this quotation struck me so forcibly as right now and my age in the 6o's is a gentle reminder that night is fast approaching for me too, and my constant plea must be " Stay with me, for it is getting towards evening and the day is far spent"

       When I recall the carefreeness of my youth, it all seems as a dream but one thing stands out clearly. How often have I forgotten Thee, my God? Still it is not yet too late to repeat that loving appeal or the 2 disciples." Abide with me Lord for it is growing dark and the days is far spent? Perhaps too, this would be a good example for our modern youth.

      In our modern world how beautiful and edifying it would be if grandma should die and grandpa standing at the open grave, perplexed and bewildered not knowing whither to turn and what to do, if then the children would say," Father remain with us, for the night approached and the day is far spent"

      Once I read in the paper that a certain beautifully groomed professor was walking along the street and with him was an old lady wearing old fashioned clothes. One his friends asked him, How is it that you were walking with such an old fashioned woman? He answered, "This old lady was my mother and she it was

who brought me thus far and that I have such a nice school and am so well dressed and I am not ashamed to walk with her. If our modern youth would think and act likewise our present world would be a better place to live in.

      Now for my trip to South America ----The goal ----Argentina The year 1908 in 8, September.

      Everything is prepared for the trip to the depot. Then my dear grandmother

comes with a bottle or holy water and said," Kneel down to receive the blessing or your dear ones”. Grandmother, Father, and Mother each one in turn sprinkled me with holy water and wished me "Godspeed". My father accompanied me to the depot and into the train.

      My grandmother had given me a small prayer book and a picture of the archangel Rapgael and exhorted me to pray often to the archangel Raphael to be your steady companion. I recalled the story of Tobias I had learned at school.

      I was 19 years at the time. It was a very hard trip. Three days journey brought us to the port. There we embarked on a ship of some 2000 passengers. As soon as we were on the high seas sea sickness became evident among passengers. I my self did not reel so well but I constantly recalled my story or Tobias and the archangel and redoubled my prayers. Storms the first weeks or our trip caused much misery and at times it seemed however the ship would sink. After 2 weeks however the sea grew calmer. All told the trip lasted 30 days till we reached Buenos Aires in Argentina.

To be cont.

The Lord bless you...Father and Mother and all.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 3
Praised be Jesus Christ!

      Holy Cross Day-- That reminds me of our old home in Russia. That was a great day. The Feast was celebrated in the village Koehler which was three miles from our village. We went there in procession praying and singing. And there were other villages 6 or 7 miles away that also came in procession to the church in Koehler. The parish choir from each procession stood before the cross outside the church and sang. Since each parish wanted to have the best singing choir the priests came along. The church was too small, the name was St. Michael church. It was impossible that all should come inside so when the church was f1lled we knelt in the road outside. That was when we were young but when today I think of it there are tears in my eyes. That was before the Communists came. One can hardly believe that things can happen like that. But if we think or the gospel story our dear Lord was Himself tempted by the devil, was condemned and died on the cross for us. He is the King of Kings and we poor ch1ldren of Adam should we wonder when things come upon us. I mean the land where Communists rules I know because I lived around it. Lived through it. Yes my dear that is the question. How many there are who say “Oh Lord thy will be done”, but how many too curse and hope that Communism will take the place or God. But I must not talk any more about Communism, how it is by us in the old home until I come back to the right place in my continued story.

Now I will go on with my story--- From Buenos Aires we had to travel by road for about 24 hours to the station Coronel Suarez there I had some relatives, namely my father's sister and her man, Johannes Lauman(They had come with my)They had been there for 11 years. To get there we had to travel by horse for several hours to the little colony called No 2. There my aunt Elizabeth had come with her three little boys.

      They had about 30,000 pesos in money and property but that is not much in America. They had a little house and when we got inside we saw my aunt sitting with a small basket or straw in her hands which she used on the cook stove to cook the midday meal. And when she saw me, oh I tell you that was a great joy that she saw me again. While my grandmother and her mother were still living about whom I could tell so much personally the meal would have been made right, but before we began to eat she came out with a cup and saucer with something that was so bitter that it was impossible for me to drink so she said, "You don't know that is style for us”, Then we had a good meal to eat and drink. We began to ask many questions for when a person is gone from a house eleven years there is much to talk about.

      Now Maria I ask if it is possible to send me a postal card as to whether I should continue my story or come to an end.

      Your dear parents, Michael and Katharine Lang with their children are all in good health and the dear God bless you, Sister Thomas Marie and all the Sisters who live with you.

Amen.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 4
August 9, 1950
Praised be Jesus Christ!
The power of prayer

      I have heard so often people say that prayer has never helped them. Then I tell them how often I felt the direct answer to my prayer.

      When I was in South America I received a letter from my parents telling me that my dear grandmother was totally blind. This grieved me for my grandmother had been so very good to us children. I began to pray to our dear Lord to give her at least so much sight that she might be able to find her way and help herself. And really after about a half year I received a letter from my parents saying that my dear grandmother's sight was gradually returning. I continued my prayer and after a brief space I received another letter saying that grandmother had her full sight again, and could find her own way and help herself. I felt certain the good Lord had heard my prayers and I did not fail to thank Him for it. You know so many pray for gifts from God and when they receive them they fail to say "Thank you". An example or this is given in the Bible. lO Lepers were healed but only one to thank God that he had been made whole. Certainly a powerful example for us.

      Now I have another story for you. The son of good friends of our family had entered the Redemptorist seminary. While he was studying there the family moved to Topeka Kansas. He must have been in his third year I think when his mother had a severe heart attack and the doctors held out small hope for her. The seminarian had a letter from his father who was greatly perturbed. The family had a child that was an imbecile. He was now 20 years and could not help nor walk nor help himself in any Way.

      The seminarian wrote to me and told us the conditions of things at home and how distressed his father was. I felt so sorry for them that I pleaded with God to let the mother live for the sake of that helpless child. I went to church and started a novena to our Blessed Mother of Perpetual Help. Begging Our Blessed Mother to let the mother live as long as the helpless child. I finished my novena in the firm hope that my prayers would be answered. And it was. The mother recovered and lived a few years more. The child died during that time. That certainly was an answer to prayer. Now don't think that I am so good at prayer. I just trust in the words of our Lord "Ask and you shall receive" Pray that you enter not into temptation. When I look back over the years that have gone by and remember the misery and grief and sorrow that came in their wake that one hardly knew what to do. The best thing I found was the reception of the sacraments and in them I found peace and happiness. I am speaking from my own experience. The dear God bless you and all the Sisters and my dear daughter Sister Thomas Marie and Mary Aileen.

Greetings from father and mother and Katharine and the Lang Family.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 5
Praised be Jesus Christ!

      Since I was still in South America and now 21 years old, I remembered that back in Russia every male at the age of 21 was required to appear at the draft board. I was in a quandary--should I go to back to Russia or should I remain in South America. After due deliberation I decided to write to my dear parents and ask them for a decisive answer. After a short delay they thought it best for me to return home to Russia and take out my identification papers. This happened in August 191O. In October of the same year I received my verification papers and was classified with those fit for military duty. In November about 2 years and 1 month later, I had to leave home. This was a hard blow. The three years of drill and study were not so hard because I had pictured to myself the woes and  hardships of the wars. But now "Lord Thy Will be Done” no matter what happens.

      My assignment was Tiflis in Warsaw Russia, a place so strange to me and the food was of the poorest. How I missed ??????? Russia where I had the best of everything. Then, too the 3 months of hard study as young soldier before we were sworn in. After that they selected a few of us for minor officers and of course they didn’t miss me. That meant 8 more months of hard study very much worse than the first three. At that time I was drilling with canons which then were drawn by horses. This necessitated drilling with horses and gymnastics very much harder than the daily dozen. The officer in charge read the drill and then called for volunteers to do it. Since many of the soldiers were afraid of falling either to death or of breaking arm or leg I was generally the first to do the trick. Once it was just a month before the examination we had to drill with a horse. When my turn came along inspite of my love for horses this one was the limit. The officer held the horse by a rope and it reared and pluged and I was supposed to jump on. At the propitious moment I jumped on but the horse lurched and I fell off on the other side, and struck my ankle so hard that I thought I had broken a bone. I was wheeled through the town to the hospital in a two wheel cart. The pain was terrific. I suffered intensely from the jolting of the cart, however that the thought to be hospitalized wasn't so bad as the thought of the examination just a month away and all my hard studying and drilling would be in vain. But it turned out differently. Again "Man proposes and God disposed”. After 3 weeks I was released from the hospital and I passed my examination and was then known as Lieutenant or Captain. My great pleasure was that all the hard drilling and
Learning was over-- a thing or the past.


Michael Lang
(World War I)

      Not long after however we received word that there was an insurrection in Russia and that our soldiers with the canons and a whole division must go and restore peace. We started afoot or on horseback with all our belongings and after a 3 day march arrived in Persia in 1912. Rumors of dead and wounded soldiers had reached so we placed our canons around the town, and sent a notification to the Persians that unless they would surrender they would be canonaded. The Envoy raised the white flag and we entered the town peacefully. A great pleasure for the soldiers. We remained there 2 months and then returned to Tiflis. My duties as captain were not hard but anyone who has never experienced the heartaches and longings of homesickness cannot know what it means to suffer it. How I longed and waited for the time of release and dismissal. This story for the next time.
The dear Lord bless you all. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lang and Katarine Lang and Family.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 6
Praised Be Jesus Christ

      I was still in service 1913 but we had been promised a release in November. Owing to the rumors of war and the accompanying fear and distrusts similar to that of today, we were ordered to remain where we were indefinitely. So we waited and prayed for the day when once again we would go home and rejoice with those near and dear to us after an absence of nearly 3 years.

      I arrived home on the 20th of March 1914, a holy day in our country and so met many of my dear friends and also my dear grandmother. Tears of joy dimmed the dear old eyes as she said, "My dear child I had thought I would never see you again”.

       This scene reminded me of the Bible story where the father killed the fatted calf for the prodigal's return. I was happy to be at home again still happier to work again for my dear ones. But all my joy was short lived In June 1914 we received orders and these were worse than the first ones when we were drafted that my brother Jacob and I must go to war against Germany. Of course the officers consoled us by saying it would be but a 3 months affair. Once again my dear brother and I bade farewell to our dear ones and our dear old grandmother with her holy water bottle in hand told us to kneel and receive the blessing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and father and stepmother and the rest according to rank did the same. My dear old grandmother "said, My dear children I will not see you again because I am so old but I will pray for you”. After that we rode to the appointed town and here my brother and I were separated. He was classed with the infantry and me with the artillery. It didn't take long before I was on the firing line and saw the canons blast1ng. I was on the reserve list for a while when suddenly my field marshal came to me and said, Lang you must go far in the fox holes there 1s an officer who has lost both legs and no one wants to go.

      So I mustered up all the courage I had and prayed. "In God's name may Thy Will Be Done". I felt confident that no bullets could strike me and the blasting of the canons reminded me or the proverb "Noth lernt beten" (German idiom) which cannot be translated as it is, but roughly means in times or need you learn to pray. Oh believe me I prayed many a time while I was in my fox hole. I could not look out for the 1ntensity of the bullets and shrapnel. Then I took recourse to my rosary and implored God and His Holy Mother to protect me. In this way I fought many battles on the German front and God be praised, I came out unscathed.

Greeting to my dear daughter Maria and Anna Lang and all the other Sisters at St Anthony's and May the dear Lord bless you all.  From Michael, Katharina Lang and family.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 7
Praised be Jesus Christ

      It was in the year of 1915 we were still at war with Germany. A Number of our German Russian soldiers having fled to Germany the high command issued the order that all German Russian soldiers were to be sent to the Turkish border. I was summoned to the office and my captain told me that since I had merited the George's Cross I would not need to go. I replied that since my comrades were not good enough for him I would also join them.

      We left the l5th of May for the Turkish border expecting to find something better but we were sadly disappointed. When we arrived at the border and left the train we still had 200 miles to go. It was so hot that we could move and we still had to walk 30 miles a day in order to get something to eat. If we didn't make it we went hungry. By keeping together in groups and helping the weak we all managed to get nourishment. So with God’s help we arrived at the Turkish front where they were fighting. Here we were divided into groups. The most of us were with the canon and had to accompany the infantry. I was ordered to be by the machine guns which was not so hard as being by the infantry. The fighting was not so hard as on the German front. All told I fought in two battles. The rest was not so bad in summer but here in winter and here in the high mountains with no way of procuring the necessaries for our daily needs. We suffered but with God's help we survived the first winter. But the second winter was worse. We were in the fox holes high up in the mountains cold with little or nothing to eat. Owing to these conditions the soldiers succumbed to the various diseases of weakened and undernourished bodies. I too was growing weaker right along. One morning I decided to leave the place. I arose and fell in a dead faint. The doctor ordered me to the field hospital. When I got there very sick, but others much worse off than I was. They sent me along with a few others of the better ones to Baky a town in Russ1a. But that was a terrible two wheeled cart drawn by one horse conveyed us over rock and ruts for 200 m1le from one hospital to the other unt1l we arr1ved at the Russ1an border. There we boarded the train and rode until we arrived at Baky. Here I found that I was a cripple. The muscles of the one leg had contracted so that I could not walk on my toes only, the other l1mb was crooked. The doctor diagnosed typhus. In my next letter I will tell you how I spent my 3 month's in the hospital.

Greetings to our dear daughter Thomas Marie from father and mother M1chael and Catherine Lang.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 8
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST!

      My sickness in the hospital was contagious that no one was allowed to visit me. Should a friend or relative come they could peak to me only through the window from the outside. The whole hospital was quarantined. As food I could have all the milk I wished and jello for breakfast. For dinner broth just a little and in the evening tea but no bread. I was growing weaker and weaker and the infection in the mouth had loosened my teeth. They called it "Jinko" disease. The doctors came every morning and took a blood test and my arms and legs were covered with lumps where the injections had been made. So one morning when the doctor came again I Cried and asked it they had not taken enough blood. He never came again. My fever was high and many time I was delirious. The diagnosis was typhus in its various stages. I went through all of them. I was so weak that I could not walk alone. But one thing I must say that in all my trials and trouble I never forget to pray. Many a time I thought I would never see my friends and dear ones again. But my greatest worry was that there was no Catholic priest and since 1914 I never had the opportunity to go to confession and this was 1917, 3years. I implored God to give me the grace to get home so that once again I could receive the sacraments, but I also added "Lord Thy Will be Done". After about 2 months I began to recover and was able to walk alone when the doctor sent me to the sanatorium where I spent a month. After this I was sent to the clinic where I was examined by the doctors and they decided to send me home for a month. Can you imagine my joy! I was still very weak but the pleasure of being home again seeing my dear ones father and mother and the dear old grandmother buoyed me up.

My 3 brothers were also in war, my brother Jacob was in prison and the other 2 were in action so I could not have the pleasure of seeing them.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 9
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST !

      About the 2lst or March I began my homeward journey on the train to about 20 miles from home. I was hoping that my father would be there with a wagon and two horses to take me home. There were 3 companions with me who lived in the neighboring villages and all were eager to get home as I was but we were all doomed to disappointment. No one came to meet us. It was the time or the year when the melting snow and ice and the rivers of water make the roads well nigh 1mpossible. We asked a few people at the station whether they would take us home but nobody cared to take the risk. The only alternative was to walk and owing to our weakened condition we walked slowly. We arrived at a Russian village in the evening and I said to my companion that we had better stay here for the night and rest a bit. The Russians also gave us some food. We rested a while but not long because we wanted to start early in the morning. The nights were colder and the snow froze again and some of the water had evaporated and we reckoned with an early start we could be in the next village by noon. As we walked along the water was becoming higher and higher in the grooves and ditches when finally we had arrived at the creek that led our way. It had overflowed its banks and the current was so swift that there was no thought of crossing there. While we were looking for a safe crossing one of my companions spied a man in a wagon driven by two horses. We hurried towards him and my comrade said that is one of ours. And really it was his brother. He took us through the creek the water splashing high all around us driving the wagon to one side. After about 15 minutes we arrived at my comrade’s home. My home was about 7 miles further on from Pfeifer. My village was Leichting. The good people gave us something to eat but I was so emaciated and weak that my hands shook and my whole body trembled. My comrade's mother noticed this and she said “Dear boy, don't be ashamed and don't be bashful. Enjoy your meal”. I stayed there over night. The next morning the good man of the house drove me to the next village where one of my uncles lived. He had married my father's sister. I thanked the man and told him I would go there and he would take me home. On my way there I had to cross a small creek crossed by a high bridge. The velocity of the water had taken a part or the bridge away. As I was standing there uncertain of what to do I said, "In God's Name” and threw myself hands forward on to the bridge. My weakened body was hanging over the raging waters when suddenly it seemed as though someone had given me a lift and my body was on the bridge. "Thanks be to God, I said". It was the 25th of March the feast or the Annunciation. This was a big feast day for our village and every one went to church. I thought I had better not go to my uncle but go home which was about 4 miles farther. I was ashamed to go to my uncle because I was so emaciated and in beggar's clothes. Therefore I went on slowly and arrive at our village and about 10 am. Most of the people were in church. My home was about in the middle of the village and I went there hoping that no one had seen me. I arrived safely in our yard and my sister in-law my eldest brother's wife was there. She had thought I was a beggar as she told me later. When she recognized me she embraced me and we both cried for joy. As I entered the house here was my dear old grandmother and with her tears flowing freely said, "I thought I would never see you again but always prayed for you and thank God you are home again”. By this time the Mass was over and the people were retuning home, father, stepmother relatives etc. At first there was the shook of my appearance and then the joy of my return.

My stepmother said “All will be right soon”. We have plenty to eat and drink-milk, butter and meat and also enough bread. Now eat and rest and soon you will be strong again. After a week I felt myself growing stronger so I put on other clothes and looked a little better. But the furlough one month was soon over and I had to appear again at the draft board. The examination proved that I was still fit to be a soldier and I was sent to Saratov a city about 130 Miles from home. I remained home about a half month more and then I went to Saratov but no more to war. I had a nice job there namely boss or the warehouse with two clerks as aides so that there I can speak of good times. After a few weeks I again received a furlough for 11 days. But this time I was dressed in uniform and didn't need to be ashamed of my appearance. When I arrived home it was the time or the year when the farmers received their quota of wood for the year. The trees were large so my father hired a young man and me to bring the wood home. My 3 brothers were still at war. I told my father that I had heard that I could remain after 3 months but it would cost money. My father said that if I could do that it would be better than to hire a workman. After 11 days I returned to Saratov.

Greeting to my daughter and all the Sisters at St. Anthony. God bless you all and with the words, Lord abide with us for the day is far spent. I am your father,

Michael Lang

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 10
PRAISED BE JEUSUS CHRIST

      It was the 3rd of November when I received my release as soldier after my 3 months stay at Saratov. I was glad to leave the place and the next day I was home again amid family rejoicing. I was now 28 years old and was seriously thinking about a partner for life. My father agreed to my proposal and told me to look around for a good girl of my age in our village. The trouble however was that the girls or my age were all married. One evening I went to a friend's house to transact some business. I had often met this man in Tiflis where he had a restaurant and where I had taken many a meal. There I had also met his daughter. When I arrived there I received a hearty welcome from father and mother and daughter. The daughter was 18 years old. She told me she was engaged to be married but that her intended had met with an accident and had lost a leg so that the wedding was indefinitely postponed. I replied playfully that if she had not been engaged we could have been married. She said that that could yet take place. Her intended did not belong to the v1l1age but lived 3 miles away.  She released him and after due preparation we were married January 9, 1918. A band of 5 musicians led us to church and accompanied us home again. The wedding lasted 3 days. I must also tell you that when we arrived home my dear old grandmother told us to kneel down and blessed us with holy water and wishing us God's blessing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost amen. Likewise the parents of both parties bless the newly weds as they were kneeling there, so too friends and acquaintances that were invited. This was an old custom in our village. After 3 days or feasting were over we said that now we could live in peace and enjoy each others company. Sometime time after the wedding I received a notification from the government that I need not return but could stay at home. Can you 1magine my joy? The communists had usurped the government and made peace with Germany. The soldiers eager to get home again threw down their arms and ran away so fast that the trains could not accommodate them all. Many climbed on the top or the cars and or course many accidents occurred. Others carried their weapons with them. Everyone tried to get home first. My young wife and I lived in peace and joy together wanting nothing and entertaining the fond hope that the dear Lord would bless them with a son. Scarcely 6 months had passed when rumors or communistic activities Stirred up rebellion among the farmers and civilians. Many were killed and the rest were forced to yield to the communistic demands. If not they would lose all their property and perhaps also be shot. A little later they came to our village. The villagers were organized. Since our village was the county seat the communist had their head quarters there. Five villages belonged to this section. From here they went to the other villages and demanded a certain tax from the farmers. If the farmer said he was unable to pay so much he was struck and kicked or imprisoned. Our parish secretary was the predecessor of the communists. When they wished to eat they would go to a farmer and demand food for so many men, but they paid nothing. The dissatisfaction was increasing between the farmers and the commies. The most of the solders who had fought in the war sided with the farmers. When the communists saw that, they grew furious and listed 60 men as having conspired against the government. Conspirators were shot. Such was communist law. When the farmers and the soldiers who had been in war heard this they organized 7 or 8 villages to fight the communists because they said they would shoot God out of the church. The communists began to draft the younger boys about July 1918. As these didn't want to go they were imprisoned. This was the firebrand for the insurrection. They had said no mobilizing. Now the 8 villages formed a compact that at a designated time every farmer and soldier would come to Leichtling where the Communists had their head quarters. This happened. Armed with guns, spades, and pitchforks they entered our village.

Michael Lang

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 11
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST!

      At the same time the communists had placed a guard around our village and as the other villagers drew near our place the guard fired a few shots and then disappeared. Now the crowds entered the village and drew near the courthouse. When they arrived there the communist leader appeared and shot a man. He was shot immediately. It was terrible. The soldiers and men of our village joined the others and they were forced to tell where the communist lived and these were either shot or killed. Now it was day and if the communist was seen the church bells would ring so that the people would congregate and the commie killed. This butchery lasted 3 days. Now the armed communists came from the city Kamischinka with about 30 machine guns and plenty of weapons. There also some scouts with a leader. If they spied a man on the field he was shot. They arrived at village 3 miles away from us and the people of that village sought help and refuge from us. Many of our young men and soldiers rode over to the village but the communists were a head of them and shot every one of the riders. A few however managed to escape. As it was now past noon the commies came to our village and ordered all men to the court house where some had fled and also the women and the children. The commissary placed the machine guns around the people. He saw a man whose face was scarred. The commissary asked the man “who was a communist, who had done that”? The men of the village had arrested him but since the communists were so near they could not do more. The man said somebody struck him and he pointed to the man who did it. The commissary grabbed the farmer by the arm and shot him through the head with a revolver. Then commissary asked for the church warden and having been pointed out was also shot through the head. Now the commissary began to load his machine guns and the people cried and lamented. I was there too. Everybody tried to be the last but I said he will not shoot and really he did not. He said a council would be selected and a president who would take care or the women and children who were left behind. This was late in the afternoon and the communists robbed the place and even took all clothing of some of them. Some men had to go with horses and wagons and many were never heard of again. When I recall these sad incidents I see plainly the finger or God in all the of this. God tried the angels and the archangel Michael with the cry, “Quis est Deus " overcame the rebels. I too was with all these people and I felt sure that St. Michael would protect me. Indeed once when I was in very great danger the communist’s cavalry were pursuing one and I was riding a horse with bullets flying all around me I was surely tempted to jump and run, with God's help I reached our people. Then too, I noticed how two faced some people were. When everything went well they were good Catholics. But when crosses and trials they forgot God.

Greetings from father and mother Michael and Katharine Lang to our dear children Marie and Anna Lang

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 12
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST!

      After the communists victory in our village the people were distressed because so many joined the communists thus increasing their strength. Many of the prisoners of war from Germany and Austria were set free. Owning to the lack of accommodations in the railroads many of them could not get home as quickly as they wished, so they joined the communists and as was rumored became officers. Still the dissatisfaction of the farmers continued. Of course they always lost and the coms. levied heavier taxes on them. Wheat and rye were demanded in exact quantities.

      The latter part of October (Date forgotten) our wish for a son was granted. He was called Peter. But our joy was short lived. For on the third day he joined the holy innocents. Our great consolation was the Lord gave him and the Lord took him away. Oh Lord, Thy Will be Done”!

      The wives of the killed communists began to make inquiries as to who had done the deed and who was witness. If one was found he was shot. This state of affa1rs lasted till Feb. 1919. Then a commissary came to our tillage with his secretary and went to the courthouse. He had a list or 24 men of which I was one. Their names had been forwarded by the friends of the deceased communists. One night the watchman wrapped at my window and said I was to come to the office. Rumors had spread of what was happening. Thus prepared I donned my best clothes and went to the office. Commissary. "Your name is Michael Lang?”, Yes I answered. Commissary, “You shot a man” (A red). No, I answered I did not do that. Since I had not laid hands on any one he told me to go to the granary where most of the others were. A Red unlocked the door and lock it after me. No one could leave the place not even in case of necessity. It was very cold in winter. That same evening my father when he had learned what had happened, and 2 other men the county clerk's son and a teacher, rode to another commissary about 7 miles from our village. The county clerk was in the granary with us. This commissary was Borger. This man had some altercation with the man in our village. My father and the other men told him of the doings in our village. He said he would go home and tomorrow morning he would find out who was the culprit. And really the next morning he was in our village but could not achieve much. But he assured my father that he would find out the writer and his companion who were the cause of all this trouble because they didn’t obey orders of the communists. So our people had taken us to the county courthouse 35 miles away and there we were jailed and a guard set so that no one could escape. If one of the commissaries came in he would yell “You all must be shot". Can you imagine how we felt? My heart pounded as though it would break through my ribs. Just one hope remained, our dear Lord and His Blessed Mother. The next day we were allowed to go to the court. You should have heard how we sang “Holy God we praise Thy Name, and we love thee O Mary”. Nearly all the people in the village heard us. The commissaries forbade the outdoor singing but we continued to keep our spirits and our trust in God. My wife came to see me and we could sit together at the door and converse with each other. Oh these were the sad hours in our life and yet we did not despair for the proverb reads, “Trust in God is well founded in heaven and on earth”. The cornmissaite were assembled and were debating the fate of the prisoners. Most of them agreed to have us shot. But Commissary Borger our representative who was present at the meeting and who had come to Leichting that early morning said that we were not guilty of the riot. But the village communists who had not obeyed orders and so the whole riot occurred. If we shoot theses men after 3 weeks we'll receive another list of names more than these and so on. The commissaries agreed and they sent 3 or their number, to Leichting to hear the report of the people. Nearly all said it was not our fault but that of the communist leaders who did not obey the laws. After a few days the three men returned and reported the true state of affairs. They decided to free us and after about 5 weeks in prison we received notice that we might return home. What a great joy it was to ride home with your mother who had come to get me. Such great happiness as never before for both of us. When we arrived home our friends and acquaintances greeted us and expressed their joy in seeing us alive again. More over they all rejoiced that now the trouble was over again.

Greetings to all Mary and Anna from your father and mother and family. May the dear Lord Bless you all in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 13
PRAISED BE JEUSUS CHRIST!

                 In 1919 I was at home and worked in peace with my wife, but again not for a long time because the dissatisfaction among the people grew greater because the Communists persecuted the people and especially the priests too much. Once they notified our Village council that they wanted to draft our priests into the red army. I belonged to the village council. Those belonging to the council met and decided that we would have to have our pastor as assistant secretary of the village council. In this way we were able to keep our pastor. When the communists came and asked about him we told them he was the assistant secretary of our village council. 0ther things happened in which the people worked hard against the communists. For instance in the summer of 1919 these generals set themselves up. Generals Colseduck, Denicin, and Wrangel who received help from America and England. The three generals built up the armies whom they called the White Russians. The Communists were the Reds. One of the Generals moved his army from the south where we lived. One moved forward from the west and one from the east. It did not take long before the three generals had beaten the Communists who took flight. They passed through the German village in desperation. That was not as at present when everyone drives in automobiles. Then we rode by means of horses and wagon The Communists and their soldiers hurried from village to village and when they had driven their horses to death they left these with farmers and took his good ones instead. So they came to our village too and took one horse after another. A person could not say a word. I can recall the time when my father and I were in the yard and they took the second horse. My father said alright if we can keep the other four but that did not help, they eventually took all our horses leaving us some that were half dead. That vas really an example of pious Job, when he said “The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away”. Praised be the name of the Lord. and his wife said “Just hope in the Lord”. I can recall how many farmers were not like Job's wife swore and cursed the Communists and did not think the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away. Oh Lord Thy will be done. But that was not all. Now the communists officials arrived and gave the order that all male persons, that is those from the ages 18 to 50 were to go with the Red Communists. Those who herded the cattle were summoned too. So we four brothers had to go and fight with the Communists. So the commisars with their soldiers drove all the men 18 to 50 years of age together and father had to hitch the horses as had also the other old people and they took us away. But already in the village I overtook the horses and wagon and told my father to return home secretly. This he did so it continued. When we reached the second and third village my three brothers went back secretly. The white Russians arrived in our v1llage but I with the two horses and wagon was with the Communists because I did not want to forsake the horses and the wagon. The next part will relate how I managed to get away with horse and wagon from the Communists who guarded us young men.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 14
PRAISED, BE JESUS CHRIST!

        So we rode for two days with the horses and the red solders guarded us. On the evening of the second day we reached the Volga, a great river, across which we were transported in little boats to be safe from the white soldiers who might retake us. So I lay there overnight thinking how I would get away from the troop of young men. My father in law was also with me with two horses and a wagon. In the morning when it became light we rode away without asking anyone. First my father in law then I. Some others followed us. We had gone hardly a quarter of mile when a red soldier came in pursuit and detained us. He looked at my father in law who was an old man. He said to him, “You can ride on”. Then he asked “What about the one behind you”. My father in-law answered, "Just let him go”. Many or the I others had to return and to stay with the Reds for a year and half. They also lost their horses and wagons. We, my father in law and I and others who were over 50 years of age struck our horses so as to get away sooner. But because we had the weaker horses that the communists had given us in exchange for our better ones we could not go so fast. Nevertheless with God's help we escaped. I always looked back and was afraid that they would over take us and send us back. When we at length were so far away that we could not see them any more I felt more at ease. I reached home safe with the two horses although the horses were not of much use. My wife did not care much about the horses so long as I was at home. My brothers were also at home. The white soldiers were already in our village, they had driven the coms farther North. This all took place in harvest time and the harvest was not good. Besides much had been shared or destroyed while the Coms passed through but one was glad that the White soldiers had driven the Communists away in the hopes that one could be master of his possessions, That is, what was left of them. That was only for a short time because England and America withdrew the influence and the white generals received no more help from them. They had to leave. Before long the Communists came again to our villages and were much worse than before. They began anew to take from the farmer what remained. Since our family my father, we four brothers had worked together our shaft was quite large so the Communist always demanded more from us. We came to an understanding and my father gave me my _________ so I could work with my wife naturally he also gave us a house. During this time our elderly grandmother died. O Lord grant her eternal rest. SO my wife and I kept house for ourselves. Suddenly the order came from the commissars that they wanted all the young men to enlist in the army. In 1920 they counted me as able and I together with many others young men had to go away. It was winter and so caused great anxiety, never the less with God's help all will go on. Then I received that at times I was to appear as soldier in the commissariate in the village of Balser. The village was 60 miles from our home so I said to my wife that can't be, that I leave my wife and my household in need and I become a Red Soldier, that can't be. I really went to Balser and announced myself In the commiseriate. They sent me to the barracks where other soldiers were. But I did not stay there long, already the next morning I go ready and ran home.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 15
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRISTS!

      Now I was at home again and continued my work but always with the fear that the Communists would send their soldiers to look us up because a number of younger men had deserted the Communists. And it happened once that a party of soldiers came and each or them had the name of a man who had deserted their army so, they were in search of us. But the village council let us know that such a party of red soldiers were coming to search for us because the men who belong to the village council did not like the communist either. So it happened that none of us was found because we had all hidden, therefore they arrested our wives. When my wife was arrested and was asked where is your husband. She said “You took him so you should know where he is”. The other women did the same. So they let my wife return home after a short time. From among other women they took some along and even struck them but eventually they let them all free again. A couple of months later the good God sent us a daughter who was born in the spring of 1920. We named her after mother Catherine, and were very happy. On the whole we were in great grief because the Communists could not forget that the farmers still had something to eat. The Commissars sent the red soldiers who had to go to the farmers and look for produce and whatever they found they took. Now came the harvest or 1920 which was very meager, but with the help our God we lived through 1920. In 1921 there was not much seed left so there were not many farmers who had seed to plant wheat or rye and the Communists government did not bother much about it. I planted a little but after planting time there was little bread to eat and no potatoes. Then one took some pieces of clothing and went to Russian village where one could sometimes barter them for flour.  Money they did not want because it had no value. When one returned the flour was divided and each one had about enough for a supper. The best of it was, we had a cow, she gave us milk, and we had a sheep which we slaughtered. Those saved us in our greatest need. So it happened that people began to die. They swelled up. Many went to bed at night and did not rise in the morning. The people became desperate. Some ran away and died on the road. I heard later that the Holy Father had sent help to southern Russia but with us there was nothing. Then came the harvest of 1921 when we hoped that the little we had sown would save us from starvation but that turned out quite differently than we had expected. Almost all the land lay barren as also did that belonging to my wire's father and mother and their family. When they saw the conditions and that they had nothing to eat they hitched their horses to their wagon end drove away with the words, "O Lord Thy Will be done". Later we learned that the two older people my wife's father and mother died. O Lord grant them eternal rest. My wife and I and our little daughter gathered the small harvest scarcely enough to last us for a month. An example of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem when our Lord was to be born when they could find no lodging place. Our condition was almost as bad. when my wife asked me “what shall we do?” I answered, “We will find a way” I said to her. How would it be if you remained at home with our little ones and I would go to Tiflis where I had served as solder? Perhaps I could find work there and then I would let you come to me. My wife said “my Franz, where you go I shall go with you. In the mean time, we asked advice of some of the villagers who joined us, and drove to the German boundary a distance about 18OO miles. There were about 12 families, counting children and adults, about 60 persons. My wife thought it best we travel with these people. As many of theses people had friends in America hopes were entertained to reach Germany and from there to go to their friends in America. So we agreed to go with theses people since my wife's brother and sister were In America and we had their address. We also spoke to my youngest brother Matthias who was also married but who had no children. They too agreed to go with us. We therefore procured two horses and a wagon. My wife and I and little daughter who was a year old, my brother and his wife we all traveled in the wagon which was equipped about like Abraham L1ncoln’s. There were about 12 wagons in the party which had resolved all for one and one for all to leave together in hopes that the dear Lord would guide us to a free port where we could again enjoy freedom. In the next letter it wi1l be related how we left our home.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 16

      Now we began to sell the things we could not take along although the money was almost worthless on account of inflation. We could purchase very little for it. My wife had packed the clothing that we could not take along in a large box and had entrusted it to one of our neighbor in case we should return. So did all the others. Our house we gave to our second brother.

      Now that all was in readiness for the journey, we went to the priest and told him we should like to go to confession and Holy Communion before we started. Immediately he said a Holy Mass for us and preached a fine sermon besides he prayed with us and gave us his blessing and said “Go in the name of God the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost”. The next morning all the families of the village assembled with the wagon. We drove the horses slowly in hopes that God would send us his angel to accompany us. We drove slowly but it was a hard pull because there the streets are not paved like in America but are dirt roads and after a rain they were so muddy that we had to wait until they had dried again. It was already September of the year 1921. As most of the people could neither write nor speak Russian they asked me to be the leader and I agreed. We were often deterred by the Communists who examined us to make sure that we were no spies but they always permitted us to continue our journey. At night we had to guard the horses closely so that they would not be stolen. Stealing was so common. Once we entered a village. I was at the end of the line, suddenly I saw several women coming out of the village weeping. They said to me, "The Communists want to send all of us back” I said “Slowly we will arrange that”. I went to where the gentlemen were. They were the village council the so called Soviet. It was necessary to speak Russian. If I asked him what was the matter? They said, “There are too many coming into our city and we have not enough food for our people, therefore you must go back where you came from. I said to the chairman, “What do you th1nk?” We sold everything at home, and now we should return? That would be death of us?” He spoke to the others asking them what to do about the matter. I told him beside we do not intend to stay in your city but are going to the German boundary. After considerable consultation he told one of the policemen to take us out of the village and then let us go our way. This was done. Then the women felt better. After we had traveled about a month and a half we met two other families who had also had twp wagons and who also were Volga Deutchen but from another village. They told it would have been better to go to the Polish border where some of our people had crossed over and received a good price for their horses and wagons. We all agreed to go south to Polish\ border because it was growing colder and we thought if we go south it would be warmer and better for us. We drove as far as the city of Kursk where we arrived at the end of October. We had traveled 500 miles and we would have to travel 500 more before we would reach the border. It was already very cold and we had not feed for the horses. We decided to remain there and to arrange to go by train. But that was not wise so we settled beyond the city limits in a forest much of which had been destroyed by fire. We let the horses graze on the land and we lived in our covered wagons. We gathered the stumps or the trees that had been burnt down, loaded them on a wagon and took them to the market where we sold them and bought bread and other food for the money we received because conditions were better here then they had been at home.

I looked up the city officials and told the Commissar that we were many people living outside the city. It was cold and we had no dwelling places. They quizzed me as to where we came from and where we wanted to go. It was a long story so I went to them every day. After about 2 weeks they found a large house into which we all moved. You can image that was not a house well furnished or supplied with stoves. Oh no, our beds consisted of benches made of boards on which we lay by turns one after another little and big. We cooked out of doors in the yard. That was better at least than out in the forest on the wagon. Every morning we went to the office and begged the Commissars to assist us to get to the boundary by train. They said they could not do that, they would have to have orders from the central office in Moscow. To receive the order they would have to send someone to Moscow to obtain it and that would cost much money. Very well I said we will give you the money. But he said do not give me the money here in the office but outside, about 500000 rubels. Money was very cheap so when I returned to our people they were happy that I had been able to come to such an understanding with the Commissars. We reckoned how much each person would have to contribute and each family brought its assigned amount to me. The next morning I again went to the Commissar I said to him, “I have the money here”. He said to me, “You go out side with me when I go and I will take the money". I did so. He said “I will send a man at once to Moscow to get the order”.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 17

      We were to present ourselves with our horses and wagons and thing that we had with us to the railway company. “Good” I said and all our people were happy because now they had hopes of getting across to Poland. There we expected to sell our horses for good money and get into communication with our friends in America. That is what the Commissar had said. He had sent a man to Moscow. He could be back in a week but we waited two to three weeks. When I inquired in the office I was told he had not returned. The snow began to fall and our horses could find no food (fodder) and we could not buy any either. We agreed among ourselves to sell the horses. We received a large sum of money for them, but it had little value. After a long wait, at least 5 weeks, I went to the office and was told that now they had orders and they would send us to Kamnetz Podolsky which city lies twelve miles from the Polish border.

      So I learned from the railway Commissar with which train we should go. They showed us which train to take but the cars were all box cars in which there were no stoves and no benches on which to lie down. The whole railroad business was out of order. Everything moved slowly but we were happy that our affairs had progressed so far that we could get away. In to our cars we carried stoves from other cars as well as benches on which we could lie. Now our little daughter Catherine took sick so we took her to the doctor. He said she had diphtheria but that they had no medicine for the sickness. There was little hope or saving the child. We had the box cars we had to travel in a few days in readiness. We put all our things in the cars. There were 16 persons in one car including myself, my wife/ and our very sick little child who soon died. I dug a small grave for her in the cemetery where we mournfully laid her to rest. The Lord had given and the Lord had taken away. O Lord Thy will be done. She was about a year and
four months old. The next day we rode away on the train. The cars were white inside. No disinfectant was used and we traveled slowly from station to station remaining sometimes two or three days at one place. Fortunately we had our cooking ware with use. We could therefore prepare food when we stayed long at one place. We had traveled about a week when my wife became ill. Soon others took sick. Among them little children. After about three weeks we arrived at Kamenez Podoloki1 wh1ch is 12 miles from the boundary of Poland. Most of our company were sick. We were to leave the cars but had no place to go. Besides it was w1nter December. There was nothing to do but pack and go into the depot. There was a room but aga1n there was no heat and the floor was inla1d with stones and therefore very cold. There were two tables 1n the room wh1ch I brought together to make a bed for my wife who was very ill. The rest of us with our things lay on the cold floor. More and more of our party became ill. There was a doctor in the depot but he could not do anything. It seemed to be the flu. I went into the c1ty and asked the commissar to give us a place into wh1ch we could move and I requested to have the very s1ck taken to the hospital. At last they came to an understanding and had those who were very ill taken to the hospital and those who were not so very sick were given a dwelling. They told me we would have to wait until we had been disinfected as they had a contagious disease before we could go into the c1ty. They were no hurry with that, but one morning they came with sle1ghs and took the very s1ck and my wife to the hosp1tal. It was a hospital only in name. There were beds and no heat. Another man or our company and I rode along. The distance was about one and half miles from the depot. There was a man who served as a nurse. When we asked him where the beds were he said “upstairs there are mattresses but no bedsteads. The other two men and I brought them on the floor and put the sick on them. There were about ten sick women and about as many sick men. So far so good. We asked the nurse what about heat and he said “there is a stove in the room and out in the yard there is wood. You can provide heat. The wood however was green and did not want to burn. We started the f1re but there was little heat in the room where the women were and the condition in the men's room was the same. Toward evening I returned to the depot while the other two men remained to watch over the sick and make the fire burn. When I returned I learned that a little child had died. Its parents were both sick. They had three children. Another woman had given birth to a child. I ran to the doctor who had been in the depot, but was in another house now but there was no hospital for the woman who given birth to the child.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 18

      The next morning I went to the hospital. There lay my wife unable to speak, having a high fever and her pulse beating very slowly. I quickly ran back to the depot and made some hot tea, took it back to my wife and gave her some of it. Then I spoke to the nurse and asked him to give her some medicine. He said he would, seeing I had been so helpful. Then I called a priest who gave her the last rights of the church, but she had such a high fever that she understood little that was going on. The nurse gave her some medicine and after a few days I notice that she was somewhat better. Again I went to the Commissar and begged them to give us a dwelling. "Very well" they said “we will see what we can do". In the mean time the number of persons, men and women and children had increased to 60 and some died. Among the dead were the father and mother of the child who had died previously. The other two children were still living. A few days later I came to my wife in the hospital. When she saw me she said, "0 how happy, how happy I am”. The fever is down. Seeing where she was and not knowing how she got there and seeing me there too she was very happy. Then I felt better too. I prayed hard too that God would not forsake me in such trying times. He did not, because soon afterward the Commissar provided us with a dwelling, a large building into which we all moved. The building was heated. The Commissar also supplied each one with bread. My wife was much better that she could stay with me but she 'was not entirely well.

Now I began to make inquires to find out whether we could get across the border into Poland. In the Kamenez Fodoldki there were still three Catholic priests, one of them could speak German. I asked the priest whether it would be possible to get to Poland. From there it would be easier for our friends in America to get us to that country. The priest answered, "If you had come earlier you could have crossed the boundary into Poland but now the Poles have closed the border and even if you succeeded in grossing the boundary the Poles would send you back. This happened to one of our men who together with his wife crossed the border. As soon as the Poles noticed them they arrested them and sent them back to Russia and handed them over to the Communists who took from them little that they had and then let them go. So our hopes were shattered. Now another train arrived brining more of the Volga Germans who had the same plans to get to America. Most of them were sick too. They too were to live in the same building with us, that was a mess. Soon after the Commissar sent us away into small cities and villages and to farmers. My wife and I and a number of others people came to a small village called Smotritsch. There we were given lodging with the Jews (juten). My wife and I also found lodging with the Jews. They gave us a bed. We still had our own bedding. My wife was still sick. She could be up and around but had not fully recovered her health. Now I began to feel sick and raised a fever. In the town there was a hospital which was somewhat better than the one in which my wife had been and there was a doctor there. So one day I went there and saw the doctor. He examined me and found that I had fever over 100 degrees. He was surprised that I could still be up. He asked whether I intended staying in the hospital. I said I could not because my wife was sick in bed and I must go back to her. He gave me some pills and I returned to my wife. So we both were in bed for a while and the Jewish people took care or us and also gave us food. One night I became very thirsty. The Jews had a barrel of water standing near our bed. It filled every morning for the needs or the day. We were not allowed to take of this water but they filled a glass and gave it to us. During the night I got a dipper of water and drank it. Believe after a few days I grew better too. We developed an appetite for soup and with pork but we could not cook there in the Jewish house so went to some polish people who lived nearby. There we cooked and ate our meal. Quite unexpectedly we received order from the Commissars that we could continue our journey to another town called Kupin. When we arrived the so called village court, among whom was a commissar who was supervisor or the hospital. He asked me whether I and my wife would not like to go with him to the hospital to work there. He said he would give us food and a room so we went with him. He gave us a warm room but the food was scarce. He had very little for himself. At least we had a warm room. There was no one in the hospital, no doctor either. The other people who had come with us had been distributed among the farmers. Many of them were still sick. The winter of 1922 was not yet past, but the weather was getting warm. And with the warm weather our health improved. I learned that of the people who came with us some were in the village 3 miles away. One of them had been my comrade at home. I went to the village and found that as many as 16 person, among them children were in one room lying on the floor. Many of them were sick or ailing. That grieved me because I had always been ready to help my neighbors. My friend Peter by name a asked me.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 19
I believe Michael lost track of his numbering of the letter (or one of the family members at a later time while typing up the originals). The cronicles are fluid from the 18th to the 20th  letter without any 19th letter. So it is my belief the letters were originally mismarked after the 18th letter and carried on to the 24th letter.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 20*
Peace be with you.

        When I visited the people that had always been with us and now lived in a small village that was about 3 miles away from us as I had noted in my last letter, the man and his wife asked me to speak to the superintendent of the hospital and to plead for them so that they cou1d come and again have a roof over their heads. At once the words of our dear Lord flashed into my head. "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and you shall be opened unto”. I approached the superintendent and he sought him to allow the two people to come and live with us. The petition was granted and the next day I brought the two people in our room with us. At least the room was warm and clean. The children and my wife and I were not so well yet but spring was drawing near and the air is growing warmer and with the bright sunshine and the clear warm air the 2 children and we began to improve and feel that we could again go to work so that we could have something to eat. Since the superintendent of the hospital had no work for us and could not give us anything to eat, we moved away and found refuge with a poor old widow who let us use a room for nothing. Many a time she also gave us something to eat. My wife started to crochet shoes and the farmer’s women saw that and so they brought bacon and bread for a pair of shoes. We had money but we couldn't buy anything for it. So we continued working and my wife did housework for the Jews and received 3 pounds of bread for a whole day's work. We also sawed wood together and I split it. This was for the Jews and they helped us a great deal. This was in 1922. After the harvest things were improving. We had also found work with the farmers and they paid us with rye flour and bacon and potatoes. When it grew colder we split wood for heating and we received a silver ruble from the Jews for a wagon load. For the silver ruble you could buy what you wanted. This however was not our ambition. We wanted to go to America to my brother in-law namely Andrew Bien. We still had his address and so I started to write to him. It took a long time before we received an answer but at last I received a letter. He said he didn't know how he could help since the Communists would not mail that order pass.

(con’t next time)

        Thank you Marie for the nice letter you sent me for St. M1cheal's Day and I will try to continue my story. Mother and I had a cold but that too is passing along. Barbar's report read all 90's and 95’s. Andy is also going to school again. Francis and Herman and Family are well. The other evening I cut little Mike's hair and he was so happy.

 May God bless you.
Father, Mother and Katherine Lang

 * note from transcriber
This letter was marked as the 20th letter, but I believe it should have been marked as the 19th. The story is fluid from the 18th to the 20th letter without any 19th letter. So it is my belief it was just originally mismarked.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 21
PRAISED BE JEUS CHRIST!

       But now I wrote to the North Lloyd Company this was a German Company who were then in Russia and asked them for the procedure to come to America. I also asked them whether the money they sent from America would be received and how they should send it. I received a letter from them which clearly explained the procedure. This was hard work for me but my confidence in the Mother of PERPETUAL Help never faltered. There was a great deal of writing to be done both Russian and German. This I could do myself. But first we had to have an affidavit from my brother in-law in America which had to be forwarded to German North Lloyd Co. in Russia where we were and at the same time had to pay for the trip. We also had to have permission from Germany from the Bresidism in Berlin. Thirdly we had to have a Russian permit to leave the country. All this was had enough but still the hope that all would soon be righted. I wrote to my brother in-law in America and told him all that he should do. After a long time we received word from him that he had sent everything to the North Lloyd Company in Russia and we should wait for 3 letters from them. He had also sent some money for us for our keep on the journey. He was indeed a good Samaritan. That was one step nearer the goal. But what should I do with the German through passage permit? I know no one in Berlin who would do that for me. But believe me Marie it was something like when Noah sent out the dove from the ark and it returned with a green twig in its beak. We then knew he would soon be able to leave the ark. We too were hopeful that soon we would be able to leave this tyrannical Russian Communistic land. So after much writing to and fro and also the other people who were with us received letters so I heard that in Germany in Berlin, there was a Catholic union that helped refugees to come to Germany if American friends would send money to defray the expenses. Again I appealed to my brother in-law in America. There was also a woman with us whose husband was in. America and as she could not write I also wrote for her. Both my brother in-law and Mrs. Rak’s husband sent $200 to the Caritas Society to defray expenses and we received our passports. But now came the third last step, the worst of all, the passport from Russia that we needed to have to leave that cruel land. After much trouble and work I gathered all my papers as well as those of Mrs. Rak and her young son so that then whey were called for we could show then. At this time we could also get work and for the silver rube we could buy what we wanted. We also received money from the North German Lloyd that our friends had sent there for us. Poverty and sickness were forgotten and we besought the dear Lord to bless us again with a child if that were His holy Will. We also received letters from home telling us that my wife's parents had died and that two of my brothers and a sister had departed. The rest of the family were scattered. This too, caused us great pain and sorrow.

      December 10, 1923 the dear Lord heard our petition and gave us a little chl1d who was baptized Mary. She was born in a little village, Kupin Kreis Kamerrez Podolski, Ukraina in a small room. There was neither hospital nor doctor so a midwife rendered her services. Both mother and child were well and happy after a few weeks and "I thanked God that He had granted our petition.

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 22
Praised be Jesus Christ!

      After I had all my passports in order as well as those of Mrs. Rak I left by train for the town of Winize, about a half day's journey where the passports were given and after showing my papers I was told that I would be notified whether I could receive the pass or not. At the same time I received a letter from Caritas that they would send my passport to Germany to the Russian-German council in the town of Hnog and I should write there to get them. Now we had great hopes of leaving Russia but the Communists don't work so fast. But until we received our passports we worked and collected the necessary things for the journey and I thank God we no longer suffered want and our dear little Marie growing apeace. So about after a year I received a letter telling me to come to the council as also Mrs. Rak and we received our passports in April 1925. There was great joy when we returned home both for us and for Mrs. Rak and her son. So we packed our things and journeyed Kihop to the German council where we had received our German Passports, from there we had to go to Moscow where we had to get the Litvian and Latvian passports and all our papers had to be approved by Moscow before we could cross the boundary. We arrived in Moscow the first of May, and since that is a big holiday in Russia, we had to wait until the next day which wasn't so bad after all. We received our passports and then started our journey to Berlin Germany. It was about the 5th of May 1925. We arrived there late at night in the Alexander depot. And now our trouble began anew. The Caritas had no place for us so they brought us to a home for the sick. Here the men and women were separated and the children also alone. But be patient with God’s help everything will turn out well. Every morning I went to look for work. The Caritas brought my wife and Mrs. Rak to St. Hedwig’s Hospital and asked the supervisor if the two women couldn't help with the work. I also found a job repairing the streets. Now our little Marie was left -- but do not despair --there was no home to be had so, one of the men of the Caritas union asked the St. Elizabeth (society) home where the Sisters took homeless children and we brought our little Marie there. I also was given a room from the Caritas union. I had to do my own cooking. For a while we worked that way, but it was not pleasant. On Sundays we would visit little Marie but that was hard. One Sunday we went there and we were told that Marie was in the hospital. She had the mumps. We hurried there and found her with her head wrapped up. She was a little over a year old but we noticed when we left that she was sad. So we prayed and besought our dear Lord to give us at least a little room where we could live together. Our prayers were heard and an old widow gave us a room where we could be together again. Since I had steady work I no longer let my wife work. Our little Marie was well again.

May God bless you all.
Father, Mother and Family

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 23
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST!

      I must tell you about my journey from Russia to Berlin. We rode from Moscow to Libau, Latvia. There we had to change cars and had to wait about an hour. I was looking around the depot and spied an agent of the North Lloyd Co. I asked him if I could see the American consul. He gave us his address. Mrs. Rak and I went there. He examined our papers and asked us if we were farmers. We told him yes and that our papers recorded us as farmers. He said that the affidavit which my brother in-law sent has him signed as a smith, and on that he could not enter America. But he said if you are farmers and Mrs. Rak’s husband is in America and a farmer so let him send you an affidavit then you can still come to America. That was good news and we thanked him and returned to the depot. Our train had left some time ago and we were obligated to take the next train. This however got us into trouble. Our papers were examined and we were told we had no right on that trai nand would have to be sent back. We were afraid and I took heart and asked the police if he would let us through we would gladly pay him for it. And so it happened now when we arrived in Berlin we went to the American consul and showed him all our papers and we told him we wanted to go to America and he told we too that my affidavit would not allow me to go America. We wrote to Mrs. Rak’s husband and my brother in-law and they sent me an affidavit. Upon receipt of this I again handed in our names for America. “Yes” he said I’ll let you know when to come. Now that wasn’t so bad. I worked and we had a place to live and this was across the street from St Michael’s church. A large statue of St. Michael stood at the top. My wife and I prayed and prayed that our great desire would be granted. So I worked all summer on the streets, but autumn and winter came and the cold was severe and we could no longer work on the street. So I asked one of the men of the Caritas Society and he drove me to the Good Shepard convent and asked the superior for a job for me. The convent was outside of Berlin and so I went to work Monday and came back home on Saturdays. It was nice to work and the good Sisters helped us a great deal. Already a whole year had passed and still we had no answer from the council. We were on the verge of giving up all hope of ever getting to America. I wrote to my brother in-law he should collect the money for the fare since we cannot come. While we were still waiting my wife received a letter from her youngest sister in Russia, a young girl who had married a rich Mohammedan. This was a terrible blow. My wife told me to write her a letter and tell her how she had disgraced the family and had committed a mortal sin. She answered that her sister and brother in-law had done what they wanted to do and so did she. Again I answered the letter and asked her if she did not love her father and mother and if they could not have done what she did.  Again we received a letter and she wrote that she was sorry for what she had done and had also left the man. Now she is working by a farmer. Later on we heard that she had been sick and she thanked me for the letters I had written and that she had again returned the God she had so basely forsaken, so that lost sheep was found again. We were about a year in Berlin When Mrs. Rak received word from the American Consul that she could go to America. We rejoiced with her and wished her happy journey. We had received no notice. But a long wait brings happy ending may yet come true.

Your dear Parents,
Michael and Katherina Lang

The Michael Lang Letters
Letter 24
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST!

       It was on the 9th of March that the dear Lord blessed us with another daughter whom we called Frances. Yes, the family is growing and still we have no certainty as to our new home in America.

      We did not give up all hope however and trusted in the mercy of the Lord. It so happened that a young student who had fled Russia and continued his studies in Berlin came to the Good Shepherd Sisters when school was out and worked for them until school started again. He slept in my room and he asked how we fared with our American trip. I told him it was nearly a year since we had all our papers and still we had received no answer. He said to me, “you know what Mr. Lang, those papers that are handed in before January 1st are sorted and the rest are thrown away. Wait until some time in December and go to the American Consulate again and tell them you want to go to America and show them your papers. That reminded me of the apostles who had fished all night and caught nothing and on the word of Jesus had cast the net again and were rewarded. So I too sorted all my papers and in December once more went to the American Consulate and showed them my papers and told them I wanted to go to America.

        It seems to me that the young student was sent to me by God to tell me what to do. My wife and I prayed and prayed. My wife in St. Michaels Church and I in the Covent chapel of the Good Shepherd. During that time we also found a new home not so far from the Good Shepherd convent so that I could spend the evening with my family. The good Sisters helped us a great deal. So it happened that in February 1927 I received a letter from the American Consulate and we should pay $10 per person for the visa. That was our big draught of fishes. I wrote to my brother in-law that he should again send us the ship fare which he did. After a month or so we had our belongings in order and we were ready for the journey. We bade adieu to the good Sisters and the workmen with whom I worked. They all wished us a happy journey and the Sister Superiors said they would all pray for us so that we had a safe and prosperous Journey.

      We left Berlin for Bremen that second of April 1927 and on the 5th of April we set sail and landed in New York the 17th of April and on the 18th _____ 1927 we came to Chicago to my wife's brother Andrew who welcomed us gladly.

      My wife said to me that in thanksgiving for this great favor we should offer the first child born in America to God for the priesthood. But God took the two daughters for the convent.

"Lord abide with us for the day is well spent and the night draweth near.

 Greetings,
Your dear parents,

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