Email in Italian........

[lilbees]

I received this email early am today. (Well, I now know they never lost my address) I know it is in response to my research of my family who immigrated to Tunisia late 1800s.

From: Stella Gregoretti <statocivile.tunisi@esteri.it>

Subject: Re: Ho la Chiesa, ma richiedono la registrazione civile record

Gentile signora,

Le colunico che gli atti di battesimo e di matrimonio, rilasciati dalla Prelatura di Tunisi, rispettivamente entro il 01.01.1920 e 01.08.1958 sono da considerarsi a tutti gli effetti validi come atti di stato civile.

Puo' quindi inviaici per posta i documenti originali in suo possesso e quest'ufficio provvederà a convalidarli e a ritrasmetterglieli, per la successiva trascrizione al Comune italiano competente.

Cordiali saluti.

My family never naturalized or became official citizens of the country. Dates involved are 1885 - 1930.

First, I want to be clear on what they are saying and second, to comply with the proper information, do I send copies of the records I have.

It has been very frustrating to deal with the Italian Embassy or Italian Stato Civile in Tunisia and they would be of no assistance to me in the past 4 or 5 years so this has come as a surprise. My contacts with them have included the Italian Embassy in Washington DC as well with no assistance or in most cases no response.

Thank you for any assistance.

lilbees

[PeterTimber]

The non-literal translation is as follows:
" I wish to advise you that the baptism and marriage acts issued
by the Tunisian prelates office for the period of 1-1-1920 to
1-08-1958 are to be considered as valid as acts of the
Civil Registration Office (uffico di Stato Civile).

Please mail the original documents in your possession to
us. This office will then see to it that they will be validated and
resubmitted to the proper Italian comune.

Cordially yours,

=Peter=

[lilbees]

Thank you Peter for answering.

Still leaves me with the question about the earlier documents I am in possession of prior to those dates which were never registered in the Comune of birth. Should I take the chance to also include those in my packet?

lilbees

[elba]

Hope this helps,
elba


Translation:

Dear madam,
I must advise you that the Baptism and Marriage Acts, left by the Office of the Prelate of Tunisi, on the 01.01.1920 e 01.08.1958 respectively are to be considered in every way as valid as are the Acts of the State Registrars office.

You can therefore send us the documents that you have in your posession by post and this office will see to the validation and returning them to you for the subsequent registration by the competent Italian Comune.

Best wishes

[lilbees]

Thanks Elba.

In other words, send what I have, they then will certify and then either I can forward them to the comune or do they forward them?

lilbees

[PeterTimber]

It seems to me that the documents you have should fall in between the dates mentioned so that they can be considered valid and eligible to be further validated and mailed to the appropriate comune.....This is my reading.

If you have documents outside this date parameter make copies and segregate them and ask them and see what they say =Peter=

[elba]

Thanks Elba.

In other words, send what I have, they then will certify and then either I can forward them to the comune or do they forward them?

lilbees

I read it that they will validate the documents and return them to you and you should then forward them to the Comune concerned.

[lilbees]

Thanks Elba and Peter.

Now to pull the records and send them off.

lilbees

[PeterTimber]

Dear Elba and lilbees I just checked my grammar book and I think your interpretation that the documents will be sent back to the sender for mailing to the Comune is correct since the expression "Te gli daranno=they will give them to you" so ritrasmetterglieli means return them to you. =Peter=

[lilbees]

Thank you all again.

lilbees

[elba]

Dear Elba and lilbees I just checked my grammar book and I think your interpretation that the documents will be sent back to the sender for mailing to the Comune is correct since the expression "Te gli daranno=they will give them to you" so ritrasmetterglieli means return them to you. =Peter=

Thank you for doing that Peter - it's reassuring to know that I managed to get it right! I took the word 'ritrasmetterglieli' as the key to my interpretation of the phrase. This quite clearly indicates that the comune wild resend (ritrasmettere) them (gli).
elba