Translation from the original letter by Philip Graupner
This interesting letter from F. Camentz is to my Great Great Grandfather Johann Plath, father of my Great Grandmother Hermine Plath Weddendorf. The Plaths were from Röbel, Germany and the letter confirms the date of their arrival I had from family lore, August of 1867.
It is clear from the letter that Johann maintained ties to his home. The familiarity in the letter indicates a friendship. What really fascinates me is the casual commentary on their lives, and the desire to come to America, clearly a land of opportunity. The questions and comments on opportunity in the New Ulm area again indicate an ongoing correspondence. Fascinating! It is clear that part of the reason for the growing German community in New Ulm was the letters going home from those already here, encouraging others to follow to this new land.
Checks of local records and census records don't show an F. Camentz here in New Ulm; I wonder what happened? While there are Camentz shown in Chicago area census records, they do not seem to match this person.
I find it intriguing that Camentz ran a lime kiln. My Great Grandfather Fred Aufderheide founded the family tile business on property purchased from one of the largest lime kiln operators in the area in 1880, a William Winkelmann. The remains of one of Winkelmann's lime kilns still exists in the woods south of New Ulm.
What is even more wonderful is that this letter from 1871 still exists for us to glimpse at the past! [Jim Aufderheide, 10 October 2007]
(A transcription of the 1871 Letter from F. Camentz to Plath)
Lieber Freund Plath!
Vier Jahre sind bereits verfloßen, seitdem wir uns zum letzten Male sahen, aber es wird hoffentlich keine 20 Wochen mehr dauern, daß wir Alle das Vergnügung haben werden einander good day zu sagen. Ich habe nämlich meinen Kalkofen und mein Haus verkauft, Bertha wird confirmiert, und Fritz hat um 3 Wochen seine Lehrzeit beim Herrn Carl Schubart beendet, und meine Frau und Großmutter sind auch gar nicht abgeneigt dahin zu kommen. Aus Deinem letzten Briefe ersah ich, daß New Ulm sich furchtbar hebt, und so sind da wahrscheinlich ganz gute Geschäfte zu machen. Da Du schon bescheid weißt in der Gegend, so bist Du wohl so gut und schreibst mir ob Fritz sein Geschäft da wohl fortsetzen kann, und ob in der Nähe von New Ulm Waßer ist. Auch hast Du wohl die Güte und schreibst wie viel Dir die Reise von Chicago nach New Ulm gekostet hat, (Daß heißt à Person), und wie theuer die Acker in der Umgegend ist, denn es sind aus Röbel Mehrere, welche dahinzukommen gedenken. Auch habe ich mit dem Mädchen, welches früher bei Dir diente u. an welches Du geschrieben hast gesprochen, sie hat sehr großen Lust Dir nachzukommen. Bitte schreibe mir auch, wie es da mit der Kürschnerei geht.
Hoffentlich wird dieser Brief Dir und die Deinen bei guter Gesundheit antreffen. Bitte schreibe recht bald wieder. In der Hoffnung auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen, schließt
Dein
Freund
F. Camentz
Röbel,
d.16.3.71
Viele Grüße von uns Allen.
The Frenchmen are beaten from the German and shall pay, in five years, five thousand millions of france, and Elsaß and Lothringen have fallen to Germany. (sic)
(Translation of the 1871 Letter from F. Camentz to Plath)
Dear Friend Plath!
Four years have slipped away since we last saw each other, but hopefully it will not be more than 20 weeks before we have the pleasure of saying “good day” to each other. For I have sold my lime kiln and my house, Bertha has been confirmed and Fritz will have finished his apprenticeship with Mr. Carl Schubart in about 3 weeks, and my wife and grandmother are not at all against coming there. From your last letter, I saw that New Ulm has risen greatly and therefore, it is likely that one could do a good business there. Since you are familiar with the region, be so good and write to me if Fritz could continue his business there, and if there is water near New Ulm. Also, be so good and write me how much the trip from Chicago to New Ulm cost you (per person), and how expensive farm land is in the area, for there are several people from Röbel that are thinking of coming there. Also, I talked to the girl who used to work for you and to whom you had written. She would like very much to come to you. Please write too, how the furrier business is going there.
Hopefully this letter will reach you and yours in good health. Please write back soon. In the hope of seeing you again soon, I will close.
Your
Friend
F. Camentz
Röbel, the 16th of March, 1871
The Frenchmen are beaten by the Germans and in five years must pay five billion Franc, and Alsace and Lorraine have become German territory.
(translator notes: 1871 saw the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the beginning of the Second German Empire.
Röbel is a town on Lake Müritz in the Mecklenburg Lake District.)
[Translation and translator notes by Philip Graupner, 10 October 2007)
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