"GNADE"

An Autobiography by Adolf Reschke

The duties of a teacher were not only to teach children the fundamentals in German and Russian languages, but also to provide the spiritual needs of a Congregation, as: conducting a religion service every Sunday, reading of a sermon, leading in a son and playing the church organ. To bury the dead was also one of his functions . He was also versatile in church music, leading the choir and conducting choir practice.

Adolf Reschke

God’s Mercy

A few remarks about God’s divine guidance and mercy I and my family were blessed to enjoy and during my 23 years as teacher and cantor. I thank the Lord that He found me worthy to labor in His vineyard during that time. Due to the large family we had and the small salary I was paid, the household budget had to be kept down to the barest minimum. The children always seemed to be happy and satisfied. Our comfort was God’s word in the scriptures of which we daily took part. In Sapust-Boratin where we lived for 10 years, 5 children were born. Here I also learned to know and love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It was the time of the great Awakening of the people before the storm, the storm that was to come over the land in the fury of the World War I. I was 25 years old then. My activity in Sapust-Boratin was crowded with extraordinary success. The congregation of Sapust had hired me away from my first congregation in Janowitz, where we served for one year and 3 months. The people of Sapust treated me honorably and followed my instructions and religious teachings. A lot things changed for the best and a great improvement in the congregation took place 2 years later. In the year of 1897 a trial and tribulation came upon us: The upper structure of the school building burned down to the walls through neglect of my wife. But as the congregation was friendly to us, we did not report the cause of the fire to the authorities. We had extensive loss through the fire. When I gave indications that I was going to leave the community, they gave me a raise in my income by assigning to me a large piece of land and meadow to my use and disposal. So I stayed on with the community and congregation. With the insurance money they repaired and rebuilt the school building and lengthened it by about 8 feet. There was a small amount of the insurance money left over for the benefit of the community. So they arranged for a thanksgiving celebration early in 1898. After this affair, someone in the community betrayed and reported the story about the fire to the authorities. I was in trouble with the police for the first time, which threatened to send me to Siberia, because I did not get a permit from the police which we otherwise never did have to do.
I changed over to the community of Romanow 2 where I served for 5 years. Materially, the Good Lord blessed us much more. I found an opportunity to rent some land which enabled me to maintain a horse and wagon. I served with this community for 5 years, which I receive an offer from the great community of Alt-Antonowka, which I accepted with thanks, although the previous community of Romanow 2 did not like to see me go. I like to make th change as this was a large community and our family had grown by 3 head. Here then I served 7 more years with great ambition and effort. I had to instruct 112 school children here. This required an almost super human effort on myself so that my nerves almost gave out. When in 1910 my oldest son Berthold, who had learned the shoemaker trade in Luzk, emigrated to North America, I began to seriously consider emigration, too. In the spring of 1913 we turned our decision into fact and started our long journey to North America with a stop-over in Germany where we had some friends. Arriving in Germany at our friends we learned that the German returnees were treated by the German government (Konigliche Regierusug *) and made good progress in the acquisition of a homestead. The government made helpful allowances to the new émigrés. So we decided to remain in Germany for the time being, this was also influenced by unfavorable report from friends in America that times were not so bright at that time.
We soon acquired a farm in Bonhausen-Konitz. Our savings that we brought along from Russia were 3,400 rubel or 7,000 mark in German currency. So we had the land now, but no buildings, no live stock and no farm implements or machinery whatever we needed to run a farm. So all the new settlers had to build. We soon found a contractor to erect the buildings at a total cost of 10,000 mark. Our capital was 7,000 and the government extended us a loan of 3,000 mark so that covered the cost of the buildings. But we needed all of the farm implements and machinery, live stock and furniture. So we had to go another 7,000 mark in dept to cover the above. We even had to borrow for the livelihood of the family which had grown to 9 children. It seemed impossible to me that we ever were going to pay off those debts.
One year later 1914 World War I broke out. I and 2 sons were soon drafted for the military service. But God Almighty held his protective hand over us so that we all came back alive and unhurt. The farm work continued during the war years by the growing-up children. In the second year of the war our place in Bonhausen became a haven for all the relative-refugees from Wolhynia, Russia. (My brother Gustav and his wife and family were the first…* )…second was my brother-in-law Johann, wife and family. Last came old man Nickel (completely paralyzed from neck down *)… and his wife, and our grandparents (adoptive parents of our mother *) and our Grandparents. They stayed (our grandparents) with us for one year and returned to Wolhynia after the war with Russia was over. Our Grandfather was paralyzed for many years during that time. Grandmother took care of him, a superhuman effort to say the least.
My sister Leontine was less fortunate in going back to their home in Wolhynia. She became ill with the grip and died in Germany. She was buried in Marienfelde, West Prussia, Community Cemetery, where she rests to the day of resurrection.
As Konitz, West Prussia, became part of the Polish corridor after World War I, I was fortunate, with God’s help, to sell the property in Bonhausen in time before Poland officially took over, which was of extraordinary advantage for me. This was in the spring of 1919. After 6 months all the settlers had to leave the territory completely disowned of their property, but were later compensated by the German government. I and the family moved to Mecklenburg where we bought a farm with 41 ka., land in Karft by Wittenburg. The farm was very heavily mortgaged, and once more our economic condition was in very difficult circumstances, and besides that the monetary inflation spiral was advancing at a terrific speed. The danger of total bankruptcy hung over our heads constantly. But through the grace of God we were spared that. In the year of 1924 we found a buyer for the farm in Karft who took over all the mortgaged and monetary obligations except 23,000 Rentensmark which was revalued to standard of Goldmark. The 20,000 Mark mentioned above was a loan from my cousin Reinhard Lucht which I borrowed from him which I bought the farm with his agreement I pay him with 2,000 Rentenmark, so I had a remainder in capital of 21,000Rentenmark with which I intended to follow the children to North America. But despite all efforts I made I could not get entrance to the United States on account of the new Quota-law. Five of the oldest children went to the United States during the

* Phrases in parenthesis are added by Adolf’s son, Reinhold, during his translation into English. Reinhold was one of Adolf’s sons who immigrated to Chicago, Illinois, USA. Five of the oldest children went to the United States during the inflation times largely assisted by Berthold who was in Chicago. So as it was impossible for us to follow the children to America, we decided to go to Brazil. It was a good stop and we did not
have to feel sorry for it. It went well for us here and God’s blessings were upon us.

Localization of hometowns in Volhynia

To Remembrance of God’s Blessings
It was about in the year of 1910 when Berthold journeyed to America and the thought of emigration took hold of me. In the year of 1913, I came to part from my beloved teaching profession. I was very much devoted to it. From my 29h to the 43rd year of my life, I had served my God and my Savior uninterrupted whom I learned to love in my 25th year of life during the years of the great Awakening. That was in Sapust-Boratin, my second scholl-position where I served for 10 years. In Rowanow-Horadin, I served 5 years, and the last place was Antonawka.
When we were in distress in Bonhausen, I started to rue the step of emigration. When the buildings were completed and we acquired the most needed farm implements, our debts had soared to 7,000 Mark, I said that time: If we ever get out of these debts it will be a miracle of God. But look, Children, after 4 years we were rid of the debts and we had saved several thousand Marks besides. Was that not a blessing?
After the great war broke out and we heard from the refugees how the Germans in Russia were driven out from their homesteads, then I realized God’s mercy and divine guidance in leading us out of Wolhynia. Our savings, when we were in Russia, were all loaned out to people, which would have been lost had we remained there during war-time and I and you, my small children, would have perished miserably. Was that not God’s blessing?
There were three of us in the German army during World War I. God kept His protective hand over us so that we all returned healthy and unharmed. Wasn’t that Mercy? I sold the farm in Bonhausen for 47,000 Mark and moved to Bralsdorf in Mecklenburg. The Poles came in Westprussia and drove the other settlers out without compensation. I had sold my property in time and was safe in Mecklenburg. Was that not God’s Mercy?
We were now in Bralsdorf with all our money. If we had remained there for 2 years we probably could have bought only a box of matches with all our money. But with God’s guidance we bought Hop #7 in Karft by Wittenburg. Now we were in the “Burg” in great anxiety and worry because we had 76,000 Mark debts. During this inflation time no mortgage holder wanted to accept redemption of a mortgage, as everyone was waiting for a reevaluation of the Mark. Then I would have to leave with a cane in my hand only, and many creditors would have lost their money and would have cursed me to the grave. But we evaded this calamity. The Good Lord sent us a buyer who paid us in cash 23,000 Goldmark and took over all debts except the loan from my cousin Reinhard Lucht. This loan of 20,000 inflated Mark I paid off with his agreement with 2,000 Goldmark. Was that not Mercy?
The fears that the authorities would confiscate our money at emigration-time did not materialize. We were allowed to take all the money along to Brazil. We left the harbor of Florianopolis on an old ship at high seas, and when the ships propeller broke the ship’s captain made the decision to return to the harbor and did so with great effort and of the emergency machine. If he would not have done so, we would have most certainly perished in the waves of the seas. Wasn’t that Mercy?
When in a very dry year our well ran dry I decided to clean the well bottom. While I was down at the bottom, the chain broke and the pail with the dirt came from the top down just as Hedwig reached for it. It fell next to me splashing me with dirt. If the pail had hit me on the head it would have smashed it, and they would have had much trouble getting my body to the surface. Was that not Mercy?
All of the foregoing is of great concern for you, Children, if only you will recognize it. Take from it the lesson that it was God Almighty who guided everything so wonderfully, and accept his guidance childlike and faithfully.
No one fell to harms way
Who puts his trust in God
Should I be the first one
Who fell to harms way?
Nay, this is impossible.
Lord, you loyal God,
Sooner will the heavens collapse
Before I am disappointed in
Your Word.

I wanted to remind you, Dear Children, before I die, of all these wonderful blessings from God, and urge you to find the courage and joy to follow in His footsteps, you will never feel sorry for it. But so you don’t think to find only joyous living in following Jesus, I must remind you of some sad experiences I had in my life.
First, when I returned home from school in 1890, my father had been buried 3 days before. I was deeply shocked and for many years I shed tears. Similarly, in the same year, late in the fall I traveled to Luzk for the drawing to military service. Our first-born Emily was one month old when I left. When I returned home she had been buried. An attack of convulsions had ended her life suddenly. This happened in Janowitz-Kulin, my first teacher’s position.
In the year of 1897 the roof of the school building burnt down through mother’s fault (in Sapust-Boratin) while I was absent. We lost all our belongings which were stored in the attic of the building.
When after we sold our farm in Bonhausen, I repeatedly went in search for another farm and through the negative results was driven to deep despair and prayed for God’s mercy and forgiveness where I had sinned. The following evens I have mentioned already when we were sitting in the miserable tenement house in Bralsdorf.

(Signed by Adolf Reschke)

The following are explanations that were added by Reinhold Reschke during his translation into English:

During World War I, Rudolf Reschke was a prisoner of war for 2 ½ years in England.
Adolf’s sister Leontine was married to Johann Fehr.
Adolf’s wife, Julianne, was adopted by a couple named Nickel.

Handwritten in the German language by the author. Typed from the original copy by his son August Reschke in Brazil who sent a copy of both the German and the typed copy to Adolf’s son Reinhold in Chicago, Illinois. Reinhold then translated it into English in November 1973. Copies were then distributed to various family members.

Typical German School in Volhynia