How was the new start in Neupanat? Our grandmother was using our house and the field was leased. Our godfather had authority over our property and would give us about half of the field, so that we could have bread, if we returned to have a new beginning. Otherwise, we would have had to buy everything ourselves. Then we bought a house until we had everything together. We also had a horse and a cart there. We had half the yield, so we bought some animals to eat and to have. And I went to work on my husband’s sister and my brother-in-law’s property. At that time, people still had to make everything with their hands. And my mother said, “You go along. You can still earn your bread!” Then I went along to cooperate, and then my brother-in-law said, “Well, we will see now, what that American can do." I was accustomed to the heat. I had come from summer into summer. They were all ill from the extreme heat. They drank water, and then they all became waterlogged. Then I alone was responsible and committed. So I asked my brother-in-law, “Well, which one is the American now? I have done everything now, and all of you just lie down nearby and sleep soundly” [literally, “sleep like rats,” which is derogatory].

My husband and I bought a house in Langkleinhaeussler Lane [literally, Long, Small Houses Lane] and, in March 1935, we moved in there. I was still so angry because he had bought that, because it was so expensive and it was still covered with straw. Also, there were places where it rained inside, and he paid over 40,000 Lei [about $148,000 in 2005]. That was a lot of money at that time. My father wanted us to build on an empty spot that they had. For the money, we could have built a new house there. “But then there would too many relatives living together,” my husband said. 

After our return, my mother didn’t give me any peace; she insisted that I must wear rustic clothes. If I put on a heading covering, my small daughter Gretel always cried and threw a fit. Then I would bend down to her and she would embrace and kiss me. My mother sold our entire wardrobe, since we could not have anything but rustic clothes made from cloth. I only had a dress that was made from green material. From the same material, she made a blouse for me. That’s the way she had us wear it. That was all. Then I said, “Now you have blended the entire dress, and there is nothing that is showy.” 

Our mother was an experienced dressmaker, although she did not necessarily have to do that at all. Her father, Jakob DIRB, had a fortune and was, by occupation, a carpenter. He earned a fair amount and did not care about his fortune. He always had farmhands and apprentices who learned from him. He went to the field only when it was cut. Otherwise, he didn’t go for the rest of the year. And she was allowed to do whatever she pleased, whatever occurred to her. That is why she went and learned to be a dressmaker. I always said that that was good. Because, otherwise, we would have had to pay for anything we needed, but she could make everything.  

My parents made a big mistake; they threw away their entire fortune in order to go to America. At that time, the trip cost 86,000 Lei [about $318,200 in 2005], and they paid for it from the sale of cattle and grain. Seven pigs were slaughtered, a sow with a piglet the next year, five horses in the stable, two cows, and more. We had a vineyard in the mountains. My father could sell up to 45 hectoliters [11,887.65 gallons] of wine each year from there. And then we had another vineyard at home. How could they throw it all away? At that time, we were young and ignorant, and we were glad that we could go to America. But when we returned, I often said, “How could they be so blind? It was such a foolish thing to throw away everything.”

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