Hi!
I have four family letters here from Calabria, 1940s. I'm having a lot of trouble reading the cursive and translating, especially because there are some old-fashioned and dialect-specific phrasings. I'm posting each letter separately because of the attachment limit. If anyone can help with any part of this, I would really appreciate it!
Thank you
Help Translating Family Letters From Calabria, 1940s-- Letter 1
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tessvictory
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Re: Help Translating Family Letters From Calabria, 1940s-- Letter 1
San Giacomo 8 October 1946
The letter is from Maria Conforti who is addressing her sister.
And initially the phrase of practice is that everyone is fine, but then in the continuation of the letter she denies it, because the husband is no in good health.
She complains because she hasn't heard from her since July, no response, In the previous letter she informed her that their mother had died, and she feels alone and has assisted her by keeping her clean and with everything she needed, and now that she is left alone feels "her back against the wall" (this expression is taken from the way in which the condemned were shot), She writes on the second page that she has 8 children, all young, barefoot and without clothes and they have shame of poverty, and that she cannot help them except to feed them, as her husband is in bad health and very ill. So he begs her to think about how much she is in pain without any help, and asks her if he can send her packages/parcels even with old and used clothes, and writes her to do it (here not very legible words) but for their mother's soul( alms in suffrage for the soul of the dead mother), that the family has no shirt to wear (or similar meaning), and that everyone in the town receives packages(parcels from America (from emigrated relatives) with so much stuff that they don't even know where to put it, and she who has her "blood" (that is, same blood because she is a sister) does not receive even one with which to dress her poor children. She has nothing else to add but she begs you to give this letter to the nephews of her deceased sister Bambina as well. Many kisses from all her children, one by one, as well as her to sister's children, and a big hug .
suanj
The letter is from Maria Conforti who is addressing her sister.
And initially the phrase of practice is that everyone is fine, but then in the continuation of the letter she denies it, because the husband is no in good health.
She complains because she hasn't heard from her since July, no response, In the previous letter she informed her that their mother had died, and she feels alone and has assisted her by keeping her clean and with everything she needed, and now that she is left alone feels "her back against the wall" (this expression is taken from the way in which the condemned were shot), She writes on the second page that she has 8 children, all young, barefoot and without clothes and they have shame of poverty, and that she cannot help them except to feed them, as her husband is in bad health and very ill. So he begs her to think about how much she is in pain without any help, and asks her if he can send her packages/parcels even with old and used clothes, and writes her to do it (here not very legible words) but for their mother's soul( alms in suffrage for the soul of the dead mother), that the family has no shirt to wear (or similar meaning), and that everyone in the town receives packages(parcels from America (from emigrated relatives) with so much stuff that they don't even know where to put it, and she who has her "blood" (that is, same blood because she is a sister) does not receive even one with which to dress her poor children. She has nothing else to add but she begs you to give this letter to the nephews of her deceased sister Bambina as well. Many kisses from all her children, one by one, as well as her to sister's children, and a big hug .
suanj
Envy is the most flattering of flattery
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