Beloved Brother and Brother-in-law and Dearest Sister-in-law,

I reach for the pen in the name of God to write a few lines to you, and let you know how we are. Thanks to God we are all well, and we hope the same of you.

Beloved , our joy was great when we received news about you. We thought you all were dead, killed in the war.

Beloved Brother and Sister-in-law, many nights I could not sleep, my thoughts were with you. Dearest, I have gone through many troubles in order to find where you would be , if you are still alive or not . I wrote a report to the highest authorities, also took your last letter from seven years ago. This letter, they
kept and wrote then to you. Please write, and let us know if you received that letter.

Dearest, we need to tell you how things are standing here. Everybody can now make a good living. A  workman earns 3-4 Thaler a week, also the farm worker is doing well, a 2 year old heifer brings in 75 Thaler, a 200 lb. pig 40 Thaler, a good horse 200 Thaler and a good sheep 7 Th. I sold 32 sheep last  spring at 7 Th. apiece, and this year we are raising pigs. The wool brought in 43 Th. in spring, but I waited until September and received 56 Th. for it.

The cost of labor has gone up because all around are factories built . Near Salzdallum, Wendsen, Kissenbrick, gr. Linden, Barsim, Vechelde, Breustidt, Ulper and Rautheim are now sugar factories. Many farmers have changed over to planting sugarbeets. I
planted this year also 3 morgen, last year, 5 morgen and had a yield of 600 Ztr., 100 Ztr. brought in 33 Th.^[1] 

Dear Brother-in-law , this was a restless year in Germany. All you heard was talks about war. The Austrians and Prussians fought some bloody battles. But we are far away from that. Our Braunschweiger
troops were called as occupation force to Bavaria but only for 5 weeks, and Peace was declared. Prussia conquered Bavaria, Hannover and Hesse-Kassel.

Dear Brother, many greetings from your dear sister in Saningen and her children. Thank God, they are all well. The 3 older daughters are already confirrned. The oldest, Auguste is 18 and is here with us. Henriette and your God-child Christiane are with the Brother-in-law Pape, and the youngest is 12 years old.

Dearest Brother and Brother- in-law and Sister-in-law , many greetings from Fritz and David Bäthge. David is married one year, he took the youngest daughter of [illegible] to be his wife. Ernst Bäthge died 5 years ago on July the 4th, and Christiane died 3 years ago on February 17th.

Dear Brother, Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law if you should return to Germany you would be amazed. Outside all the gates of Braunschweig are large, pretty homes build by the August-gate the
homes go on to the Stone bridge. Land has gone up high in value.

Dear Brother-in-law if you plan not to return to Germany, see to it, that your land will not be forfeited, for a farm of for a farm of 30 morgen is now priced at 7000 Thaler. It will be the same in your country sometime in the future, if not in your lifetime, so it will be in the lifetime of your heirs.

Dear brother-in-law, I want also to tell you how expensive all the grain is nowadays... We have a bad year with potatoes it is so wet and there are many rotten potatoes. Last year was a good potato year.

Dear Brother-in-law, please write as soon as possible and tell me if the potatoes rot also in your country. Also inquire at Heinrich Kamla's how the shepherd Ernst from Rettmar is doing and give my greetings to both of them. Also greetings to the miller from Rautheim, Ludwig Linde.

Dear Brother-in-law, when you are writing next time, please write about your cattle, if they are dairy cows or not and tell me about the calves. Dear Brother, when you write again you may send the letter without postage, we will be glad to pay the postage here.

Many greetings from all your friends and family.

We hope to hear soon again from you and remain your loving Brother and Sister, Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law,

Julius Meier
Lucie Bäthge