The Market Place
By Alfred Opp, Vancouver, British Columbia
Edited by Connie Dahlke, Walla Walla, Washington
A trip to the open market place was both a necessity and an enjoyable
highlight in the life of our ancestors. This was for them like a trip to
the mall is for us. Even as late as 1940, shopping at the market place
was very similar to what it had been in the very early colonial days.
Even in Germany, the open market place was a long-held tradition into
the 1930’s. Wheeling and dealing was the order of the day at the open
During the pioneer days in South Russia, our ancestors were on their own
to grow and produce the goods they needed for life to be successful.
Rarely did they aspire beyond the basic necessities. Their traditions
were hand labor and living close to the land. Change did not come easy
Going to the market was a special occasion. The nearest market to
Teplitz was at Arzis, a town 8 km. to our west. Another market was held
at Tarutino, but that was farther out. Both places had consistent
offerings of merchandise, and people in the region knew which place
would likely offer what they were looking for. Arzis generally had a
wide variety of items from stores to health services, whereas Tarutino
featured equipment, people who knew how to repair equipment, and
gasoline for purchase.
As an example of how far behind we were in technology, in 1940 Teplitz
boasted five automobiles in town. And even that is surprising, given
that we had no roads fit for automobile traffic! My wife’s grandfather
had a Buick from the early 1920’s but it rarely would start. Most
villages had no mechanics who know how to maintain or repair
automobiles. In Teplitz, the owner of the store did have a Ford that
ran. The son of Mr. Neugebauer, the store’s cashier, drove the Ford on
store errands and could be hired by the villagers for a fee. As kids,
just to see a car on the street, and especially to stand close to one,
was exciting. As Mr.Neugebauer lived across the street from my Opa
Zacher, I had the chance to see the Ford quite often.
When Opa went on trips to the market, he often took me along. My job was
to keep an eye on his horses and gear while he went shopping. These open
markets covered several acres, and it took a lot of walking to take it
all in. One could find new wagons, horses and animals, all kinds of
goods for sale, and leather gear for horses. Stoneware in all shapes and
sizes was for sale. Fruits and vegetables for sale were available in
huge amounts. Sacks of sunflower seeds were sold, some roasted and
others not. Vendors came up with specialty merchandise that was not
easily produced by everyone else. The Bulgar people were known for their
fruits. Gypsies and others were known for making things out of tin.
There were stands where one could purchase a snack or a meal, although
most of our people took a Brotsack with their lunch packed in it, along
with them to market. On one trip my grandpa bought me a sandwich from
one of the market stands – it was so good I can still taste it!
The main feature of these markets was the bargaining – and there was
lots of such activity. If one was good at it and timed it right, he
saved money. It was humorous to see people arguing one minute and
shaking hands the next! Then there were the roadside Schenke (taverns).
Traders went inside to either fix a deal or soften up a client to get a
deal. The saying was, “There’s no deal so difficult that a glass of wine
can’t fix it.” But the drinking was a nightmare for the wives. Mom told
many stories about how a husband’s drinking caused problems for his wife
and family. Many times grandpa was called upon to settle an argument
where a man could not sell his wagon to obtain desperately needed
income. Trying to ply customers with alcohol, the would-be salesman also
imbibed too many schnapps, and at the end of the day his frustrations
spilled over onto his poor wife at home. Many times husband and wife went to market together, each shopping on
their own. While many villages had a local store that carried a variety
of needed items, soon everyone’s tablecloth or window curtains had the
same pattern! A trip to the market gave access to added variety. Arzis
also had a jewelry store where a groom could get a ring for his sweetheart. For most, Arzis was an exciting place to go. As a kid, I
have nice memories of getting treats such as colorful markt candies and
pretzels. My grandma Zacher went with her parents to Odessa one time
before WWI. That was a once-a-year trip even for people with money.
Grandma proudly told me many times about the embroidered blouse or nice
belt she had that other girls in the village did not. These finer things
were only available in Odessa. As time went on, shopping became more
convenient, especially after Teplitz opened a Co-Op store about 1904.
But going to the open market was still an exciting event until we left
After the war, when we arrived in South Germany the land of our
ancestors, the face of the markets changed, especially once the new
monetary system was established. But the old traditional markets such
as Jahrmarkt, or Kirbemarkt came alive for their once-a-year festivals.
The new Markt had entertainment and lots of trinkets for sale. The
traditional Christkindles Markt remained an outstanding and
well-preserved tradition. I can still see the glittering ornaments and
smell the treats that were featured. There were so many toys that any
kid’s heart would beat faster. It was a true joy for young and old. Kids
went to these market events with joy and high expectations. However,
with money so tight our parents could fill only a small portion of our
dreams. But even a small token was a huge thing for those of us who had
survived the war. We still took pleasure in the anticipation and the
chance for dreaming about something nice. To this day, I’m still a kid
thinking about those times and places. These events gave us wonderful
feelings and good memories to go along. We also learned to be satisfied
with little and to be thankful for what our parents gave us. Looking
forward to the Market at Christmas and Easter was a dream come true for
us. Having little and expecting little opened the door to enjoy the good
things we did experience. Such a feeling of contentment is essential for
children to be successful in their up and coming life. There is more
value in this approach than meets the eye. Today, I’m an old man with a
good feeling and a smile as I think back on my childhood memories. I
fully realize that I was so lucky – I never saw myself as a poor kid.
Alfred Opp is the author of "Pawns on the World Stage" - the memoirs of
his childhood in Teplitz, Bessarabia and the experiences of his family
in war-torn Europe (Poland during 1941-1945 before they fled to East
Germany in 1945, then the reconstruction of West Germany 1945-1955).