Part I - Seven Years of Solitude (1939-1946)

Throughout the war years, Anna Bøg remained at the women's mission station in Siuyen. Due to the restrictions by the Japanese, however, her ability carry out her work was limited.

Many years later, Anna Bøg wrote about the war years:

"My dear co-worker (Elise Bahnson, the architect) was detained in Denmark for 6-7 years. I was so glad and grateful to God that He let me stay in China with the Christians. Those war years were difficult years; the uncertainty of it all, will it be life or death, made us live from day to day and never knowing what might happen next! We were severely rationed in everything; we never saw a happy face; we never heard good news; all connections with our Home Board and loved ones were cut! . . . Through those dark and difficult years I read my Bible from beginning to end every year."

When Anna Bøg was in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in October, 1947, she was interviewed by a journalist who wrote:

"Those seven years, without a radio or outside news of the world she knew and loved, were lonely, yes, they were full of possible danger. . . .

"A tall woman . . . [she] seems to have the same strength in her body that is evidenced in the calm lines of her face . . . Some of that strength and peace she seems to radiate when you talk to her she must surely have gained in those seven solitary years in Manchuria.

"When the war broke out and the Japanese tightened up on Manchuria, only six white women were left in the Danish mission. Usually when the mission was being operated at full strength, there were 12 white persons there, six men and six women. But the men were caught home on long earned furloughs and were not permitted to return during the war.

"In an area which contained her mission, a large station, with 300 children in the school, and from which the men and women worked for a radius of about 30 miles, she was lefta Japanese paper, no one of her own to talk to.

"'I read my Bible,' she said, 'and then I knit and taught the Chinese in the village who dared to come to see me, how to knit. I knit through many winters, garments to keep the Chinese warm. They had sheep, and would spin the yarn from this wool.[']

"Once the Japanese officials on one of their visits asked her, 'How do you think the war will go?'

"Since she had only Japanese newspapers to read at that time, she said, 'According to your newspapers, [you] will win the war.'

"Rationing in Manchuria was in three classes, and she was in the third or lowest with the Chinese. She got 24 pounds of field corn a month, often this was mouldy, and the Chinese women would grind it with a mill stone there. Sometimes they would receive a kind of Chinese grain,*** salt, matches, and they had two pounds of soy bean oil per year, their only fat. The Danish people were often allowed some flour each month, a pound of sugar at first, later two ounces each month and finally none at all."

There was a break in Anna Bøg's solitude in August, 1943, when a letter from Elise Bahnson in Denmark got through. On August 4, 1943, Anna Bøg wrote the following letter in reply:

"Thank you for your letter of 7 April, received August 1. It was almost two years since I last heard from you. The last letter was dated 15-9-41. My last letter to you was from Sorai in '41.

"It was a great joy to hear from you. I am fine. I've lived alone since you left. We Danes get together often. Almost every day Gudrun (Budtz), Dagmar (Petersen) and I come together for a quiet moment. Dagmar Petersen was a patient at the hospital for five months. Now she is well again. There are currently six at the hospital.**** We have it blessed and good together.

"I still have Chang En Hsi, the only workman here in both stations. Since New Year's, Pastor Shun has been No. 2 minister in Antung. Hung (Yü Ch'ing from Siuyen) came here, but he has not yet received his Hsü-ke (preaching license) so he does not work. We have not had Communion since New Year. The old co-workers are still here. Li (Yung Te, an evangelist) preaches on Sundays.

"The self-support by the congregation is going excellently. It is harder with the administration because they lack a leader.

"Chao Lai Chen (the blind Bible Woman) is in Mukden on vacation. When she comes back, she will have to knit, as she has not obtained her Hsü-ke. I haven't either. I don't go out, only to the hospital. I have read so many good books, and am helping in the garden and house.

"The banker (Wang, who was Sunday School Superintendent) was relocated far away. Since then his wife died and he married her sister.

"I have not seen Mrs. Bolwig since '41. She would like to visit me, but has not succeeded.

"Please greet all the dear friends."

As we mentioned previously in our post A Wealth of Flowers, beginning in early 1943, Anna Bøg was put in charge of disbursing money transferred to her by Rev. Buch, the head of the Manchurian missions, and she wrote accounting letters to the treasurer, Axel Christensen, who was based in Dairen. Here are some excerpts from the letters Anna Bøg wrote to Axel Christensen during 1943 that were not included in the earlier post:

February 15, 1943

"I have received your letter concerning a sum to be paid to Dr. M.N. [Marie Nielsen]. She is presently a patient at Antung Hospital and there is no hurry for the installation of lights. I have received the rest of the money for the timber in Chienshanyao, 48.38, and placed it in the transfer account, where there is now a balance of 87.29. We have the Reverend Ting from the capital here for one week's meetings for the Christians. He brought fresh greetings from our friends there. Frimer is presently learning to play the piano. Dr. Marie has undergone a major operation."

March 8, 1943

"I have received from Buch a draft of 2,000. And today received your letter of March 5. After paying the three of us, the balance in the transfer account is 1,597.66. I have difficulties these days. A new group of soldiers arrived and they are always short of accommodations. They come here and want to live here in the Bible Women’s house. It is one of the larger. Otherwise we feel rather well. We are missing the doctor, being in the hospital, but it is important she recovers her strength before returning to work.

"Hearty greetings to you, your family and Miss H. Madsen [Helen Madsen]."

March 25, 1943

"Your two letters of March 12 and March 22 arrived. I have an account in the bank here. Central Bank of Manchou. So it shall be okay to send by 'telegraphic transfer'. To receive the last draft from Buch I had to procure a pass to have it transferred. Dr. Marie is again back in full activity. Now we are awaiting Dagmar Petersen who is on sick leave. Your sister-in-law [Helga Christensen] has been unwell for some time, but she is courageous. It is difficult for me to keep the empty men's station. The soldiers are after the houses there. They moved into a room in the street chapel."

June 11, 1943

"Thank you for the money forwarded. After payment to the different persons, the balance in the transfer account as of June 6 is 830.44.

July 2, 1943

"I received your telegram and letter concerning the transfer of the 2,000. It is okay with the bank. The balance today is then 2,830.44. I suffered a couple of small thefts this week. First, my wallet with about $30.00. Two days later my watch and dark glasses. A boy of 16 was the offender. The watch and the empty wallet came back. He was not from our town. Six years ago he and his family moved up North. He was here to visit his elderly grandmother. They caught him.

"Now it is real summer weather, strong heat and rather dry."

August 10, 1943

"I have received your letter of August 5 and have paid the sum to H. Johansen [Helga Johansen].

"The cash balance is now 1,627.95. We are all well. In the hospital, they have been busy all summer."

There are no available letters from Anna Bøg to Axel Christensen between mid-August and mid-December, 1943.

On October 14, 1943, the Royal Danish Consulate in Harbin wrote to the Shanghai Delegation of the International Red Cross Agency for Prisoners of War, informing the Shanghai Delegation that the American Red Cross was inquiring on behalf of Anna Bøg's sister, Marie Petersen, residing at 703 West Tenth Street, in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The letter from the Danish Consulate states:

"The American Red Cross Washington asked us to secure news concerning the whereabouts and welfare of: Madsen, Anna B. of Danish Nationality born May 13th, 1888, Profession: Missionary teacher. Last known address: Danish Mission, Siuyen, Manchoukuo, Japan. It is thought that Aksel CHRISTENSEN, Danish Mission, Dairen, P.O. Box 73, Manchuriet, would be able to give information regarding Miss Madsen’s welfare."

As we will learn in next week's post, the reason for the break in the letters was that during the autumn Anna Bøg was hospitalized for several weeks with a high fever. In mid-December 1943, however, Anna Bøg’s letters to Axel Christensen resume:

December 15, 1943

"May I ask you to be kind enough to pay Joh. Witt [Johannes Witt], Mukden, the 15.00 I owe him. . . .

"I wish you and your family Merry Christmas and a good New Year! May it be the last wartime Christmas. We are all well here in the mountain city. Consider that your sister-in-law has now been here for more than two years and she feels well out here in the countryside."

To be continued . . .

Sources:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "The Old Missionary's Brief Story," Nazareth Lutheran Messenger (Cedar Falls, Iowa; 1971) Courtesy of Casey Welch.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; letters to Axel Christensen, 1940s, and letter from the Danish Consulate, from the D.M.S. archives at the Rigsarkivet (Danish National Archives). Courtesy of Kirsten Berggreen Buch. (illet or sorghum.
****"Six at the hospital - See above for the names of five. We believe the sixth was Mrs. Helga Christensen, the sister-in-law of Axel Christensen. She was not a missionary but had come to China temporarily and then been unable to leave due to the onset of the war. We think she then spent some time as a nurse at Siuyen Hospital.

Image:
The blind Bible Woman, Chao-Lai-Chen (left) with an unknown girl, from Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 111, Nr. 10, March 10, 1944; p. 138.