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Indescribable conditions followed everywhere. The time for leave-taking and for departure, oh how heavily it had fallen. Dear hands stretched out for the farewell: hands of a loving wife, of a worried father, of a little old mother, hands of dear siblings and children. How many hearts bled at that time, how many eyes wept at that time! But the heroic sons marching off gave comfort and shouted enthusiastically to those weeping: “Soon, yes soon, we will see each other again.” But it took a long time when all is said and done. Reporting for duty did not come to an end! Day after day, there were still those who had to go forth onto the field of honor until hardly any 18-year-old youths were at home. And when their turn also came, there was the village as if deserted. Only old men, women and children still remained there. Difficult days came afterwards; hot battles and privations, need and grief and worries at home as well as abroad in the trenches. Then suddenly, the black day came on which a well-aimed enemy bullet hit the beloved husband, the brave son-in-law, so unlucky that he was left dead on the bloody field. The first
short message came to the homeland: “Killed in action on the field of
honor. Franz Plennert, army reservist with service division number 7
(bridge building platoon 115) military post 91, died on
Misery and need became greater and greater, the situation worse and worse and more alarming. The houses of God filled more and more often, the devotions were redoubled, the prayers became more and more heartfelt, everybody pleaded with God so that He would take pity on the people and would send peace to the nations the sooner. Meanwhile, more and more demand was put on those left at home and when that was not enough either, there was requisitioning. What that meant, only those who lived through it understand. Not only foodstuffs were requisitioned. In the year 1917 on the 8th of January, Franz Kovacs, reserve engineer, appeared here with 12 soldiers and quite simply notified the local pastor that the bells were requisitioned. Without more ado, one went into the steeple and after an hour’s work one threw 3 bells out of the window in front of the church. On top of everything, the community had to carry these off to the Glogowatz station[147] on the next day. Still in the same year on the 25th of November, a corporal by the name of Eiser wanted to requisition the last bell but the local pastor resisted at that time, blocked off the door leading to the steeple and warned the corporal mentioned that he would report him to his authorities if he dares to break the door open and requisition the bell to which he can have no right. After a rather intense argument, he moved away and did not come again. A year after that, Ferdinand Gonda, organ builder, requisitioned 27 of the principal pipes of the organ, the transportation of which he was in charge of himself. Now, the year 1918 had advanced. Every human being felt that it cannot last much longer. And really! The Bulgarians abandoned the war;[148] soon came the collapse which put a quick end to the war. In the
year 1919 in the month of May, a unit of the royal Romanian army marched
into
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