Hello! My grandfather immigrated to the US from Calabria Italy when he was 16. His father brought him over and then returned to Italy and the rest of his family there. My great grandfather sent my grandfather a letter in 1935. It was the last letter before my great grandfather's death. My dad is in possession of the letter, but sadly does not speak or read any Italian and all relatives that do have since passed. It would mean the world to my dad, who is now 87, if he could read this letter. Can anyone translate it? I've tried several online translators, but none of them have worked. Any help or ideas how to get it translated would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
There are 4 pages, but for some reason it won't let me upload the last one. If someone is able to translate the first 3 pages I will upload the last one separately. Thank you.
Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
I tried to transcribe the first page, and corrected a few errors, so that you can try to translate via an online translator.
"Borgo Partenope 1935
Mio carissimo figlio
giorni fa di questo volgente mese è giunta
la tua mai tanto desiderata. Sento in
quanto dite che ve la passate alquanto
bene, unita alla tua moglie e bambina.
In quanto a noi, ce la passeremmo bene, solo
che io me la passo meglio, ma devo trattenermi
da tante cose, massimamente liquori
e vino. Poi sento tanto dite quanto
di tua moglie che verrà il giorno
che dovremo essere in
Italy. Ma io non so quale
giorno deve essere, in quanto
a quest'anno non se ne parla
perchè ci sta questo sbaglio
di guerra, ma non appena
che le potenze si fermeranno
a non essere più guerra
e quando si sente il mondo pacifico
dovete essere immancabilmente
a casa."
However, after the usual greetings, he says he is fine, but he can't drink wine and liqueurs.
What I understand is that probably in a previous letter his son said he would like to go to Italy, but the father says he doesn't know what it will be, because of "this mistake of war". He wishes when "the powers will stop, and the world will be peaceful, you absolutely have to come home"
I think he meant the war of Italy against Ethiopia.
"Borgo Partenope 1935
Mio carissimo figlio
giorni fa di questo volgente mese è giunta
la tua mai tanto desiderata. Sento in
quanto dite che ve la passate alquanto
bene, unita alla tua moglie e bambina.
In quanto a noi, ce la passeremmo bene, solo
che io me la passo meglio, ma devo trattenermi
da tante cose, massimamente liquori
e vino. Poi sento tanto dite quanto
di tua moglie che verrà il giorno
che dovremo essere in
Italy. Ma io non so quale
giorno deve essere, in quanto
a quest'anno non se ne parla
perchè ci sta questo sbaglio
di guerra, ma non appena
che le potenze si fermeranno
a non essere più guerra
e quando si sente il mondo pacifico
dovete essere immancabilmente
a casa."
However, after the usual greetings, he says he is fine, but he can't drink wine and liqueurs.
What I understand is that probably in a previous letter his son said he would like to go to Italy, but the father says he doesn't know what it will be, because of "this mistake of war". He wishes when "the powers will stop, and the world will be peaceful, you absolutely have to come home"
I think he meant the war of Italy against Ethiopia.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
Oh my goodness! Thank you! Would you be able to do the other pages? I also attached the last page.
- Attachments
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page4.pdf
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Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
"di tanti e tanti affari
di tua importanza, di tua necessità.
In questi giorni partirò, e devo
a Napoli, nella colossale
Basilica di Pompei, a ringraziare
la madre nostra SS. Vergine del
Rosario, verso la quale devo sciogliere
il mio voto
E quando andrò nel Santuario
di Pompei, devo pure andare
a ringraziare il S. Taumaturgo
S. Gerardo Maiella del SS.
Redentore, anche per voto
che mi hanno guarito dalla mia
malattia
Ripeto anzi (?) non mi prolungo
perchè sono tanti anni che sto
facendo questo discorso
Ricevi i saluti più cari di me e tua
madre. Ti salutano le tue sorelle
e loro figli e cognati"
He says he will go to Pompei to thank our Lady, and to the sanctuary of San Gerardo Maiella, to dissolve a vote, for having been healed from his illness.
Then starts with the usual greetings.
di tua importanza, di tua necessità.
In questi giorni partirò, e devo
a Napoli, nella colossale
Basilica di Pompei, a ringraziare
la madre nostra SS. Vergine del
Rosario, verso la quale devo sciogliere
il mio voto
E quando andrò nel Santuario
di Pompei, devo pure andare
a ringraziare il S. Taumaturgo
S. Gerardo Maiella del SS.
Redentore, anche per voto
che mi hanno guarito dalla mia
malattia
Ripeto anzi (?) non mi prolungo
perchè sono tanti anni che sto
facendo questo discorso
Ricevi i saluti più cari di me e tua
madre. Ti salutano le tue sorelle
e loro figli e cognati"
He says he will go to Pompei to thank our Lady, and to the sanctuary of San Gerardo Maiella, to dissolve a vote, for having been healed from his illness.
Then starts with the usual greetings.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
"Salutiamo il cugino Vittorio con
sua moglie.
Baciandoti caramente
e ricordatevi che qui c'è il tuo
avere non già in America
Tuo padre Raffaele De Paola
Lo stesso faremo con i nostri saluti
affettuosi alla nostra nuora Virginia
e la nostra cara nipotina tanto
desiderio vedervi. Presto risposta
Mio carissimo figlio
è tanto tempo che non ti ho scritto con
la mia mano. E' stato che io sono stata
assai disturbata con la malattia dello
vostro padre, che siamo ad un anno finito
che stiamo combattendo con i medici
e farmacie, e se voi ci credete quando..."
The father sends greetings to the "cousin Vittorio", and finally says to his son "remember what you have is here, not in America"
Then says something about greetings to daughter-in-law Virginia and their granddaughter; what I understand is that the father will salute Virginia for his son, i.e. that Virginia is in Italy, but I'm not sure (you know, their Italian is a bit "twisted".
Then, it's the mother who starts writing, and her Italian is not fully graspable. She says she has not written to him for a long time, but that was because she was worried for father's illness, as they had been busy with doctors and medicines for one year.
sua moglie.
Baciandoti caramente
e ricordatevi che qui c'è il tuo
avere non già in America
Tuo padre Raffaele De Paola
Lo stesso faremo con i nostri saluti
affettuosi alla nostra nuora Virginia
e la nostra cara nipotina tanto
desiderio vedervi. Presto risposta
Mio carissimo figlio
è tanto tempo che non ti ho scritto con
la mia mano. E' stato che io sono stata
assai disturbata con la malattia dello
vostro padre, che siamo ad un anno finito
che stiamo combattendo con i medici
e farmacie, e se voi ci credete quando..."
The father sends greetings to the "cousin Vittorio", and finally says to his son "remember what you have is here, not in America"
Then says something about greetings to daughter-in-law Virginia and their granddaughter; what I understand is that the father will salute Virginia for his son, i.e. that Virginia is in Italy, but I'm not sure (you know, their Italian is a bit "twisted".
Then, it's the mother who starts writing, and her Italian is not fully graspable. She says she has not written to him for a long time, but that was because she was worried for father's illness, as they had been busy with doctors and medicines for one year.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
So interesting! My grandmother never returned to Italy so I assume they were just sending their greetings to their daughter-in-law and new granddaughter. My aunt would have been a baby and my dad not yet born when this letter was written.
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
"...vostro padre stava grave
con la malattia, io quante volte ho desiderato
a casa (?) a voi, che io mi sentivo abbandonata,
massimamente quando siamo andati
alla clinica a Belvedere Marittimo
e ci siamo addimorati 20 giorni
e gli ha fatto l'operazione lo specialista e gli
ha cacciato 8 litri di acqua, figurati come
io mi sentivo che sempre desideravo
a voi vicino a me ed a vostro padre che
io stavo più contenta ??? un giorno finiva
tutto, ma ne abbiamo passato, e grazie
al Signore passa meglio, è guarito perfettamente
non è come prima ma ringraziamo
la divina provvidenza. Mi rallegro che la
mia nipotina ha cominciato a borbottare.
Io desidererei di averla vicina; voi dite
che rassomiglia a me; ne ho tanto piacere,
ma non ne pigliasse di fortuna come
a me. Vi saluto insieme alla tua sposa
e la mia nipotina, e mi dico tua madre
Pasqualina Bonofiglia"
Well, her sentences are hard to understand...
I tried to arrange them, so that you can try with an online translator.
However, she says she had very hard times with father's illness.
They were in a hospital in Belvedere Marittimo, he underwent surgery, and they pulled out of him 8 litres of "water". But now, he has recovered, though he is no more the same as before.
She is very happy to know that her granddaughter has started mumbling and she wishes the have them near.
She is happy to know that the baby looks like her, but she wishes she was luckier then her.
con la malattia, io quante volte ho desiderato
a casa (?) a voi, che io mi sentivo abbandonata,
massimamente quando siamo andati
alla clinica a Belvedere Marittimo
e ci siamo addimorati 20 giorni
e gli ha fatto l'operazione lo specialista e gli
ha cacciato 8 litri di acqua, figurati come
io mi sentivo che sempre desideravo
a voi vicino a me ed a vostro padre che
io stavo più contenta ??? un giorno finiva
tutto, ma ne abbiamo passato, e grazie
al Signore passa meglio, è guarito perfettamente
non è come prima ma ringraziamo
la divina provvidenza. Mi rallegro che la
mia nipotina ha cominciato a borbottare.
Io desidererei di averla vicina; voi dite
che rassomiglia a me; ne ho tanto piacere,
ma non ne pigliasse di fortuna come
a me. Vi saluto insieme alla tua sposa
e la mia nipotina, e mi dico tua madre
Pasqualina Bonofiglia"
Well, her sentences are hard to understand...
I tried to arrange them, so that you can try with an online translator.
However, she says she had very hard times with father's illness.
They were in a hospital in Belvedere Marittimo, he underwent surgery, and they pulled out of him 8 litres of "water". But now, he has recovered, though he is no more the same as before.
She is very happy to know that her granddaughter has started mumbling and she wishes the have them near.
She is happy to know that the baby looks like her, but she wishes she was luckier then her.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
I can't thank you enough for your time and effort. My dad is beyond thrilled.
Re: Help translating last letter from great grandfather to his son
I'm so glad to make him happy!
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.