Ernie Margheim on Gratitude for his Family's Immigration from Russia

In an email to his cousin Virginia in July 2008, my nearly 87 year old father writes on the subject of "Starvation in Russia in 1922".

Seated is Virginia Bohatch,
Ernie's cousin, to whom
this email is written.  

I remember hearing from my mother's parents, George and Katie (Dietz) Koleber, when they got a letter from their relatives in Russia, that many people were starving to death. That letter even told that people had to eat their dogs and cats.

Aren't we lucky that our folks came to America when they did, so that you and I are even alive. Or they too probably would have starved to death. 

One of the items mentioned in their letter was that their family consisted of 19 people. When Johann Margheim was at our Scotts Bluff, Nebraska reunion he told that people added on to their house to provide a home for their married sons and daughter-in-laws in order to receive allotted land acreage from the Russian Government so they could provide FOOD for themselves. So that explains how they had 19 members in their family.

I say again how lucky you and I are that we are even alive here and now in America, due to the starvation in 1922. My mom's dad had a brother who worked for the railroad in Russell County (KS). He returned to Russia and was among those who starved. I remember seeing Grandpa Koleber as he read the letter with news of his brother's death. He cried and cried! 

As you and I remember the German expression "Gott Sei Dunk", translated as "Thanks be to God"!