Cache of letters

tjbrn · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca,

One of Gaetano's sisters, Grazia, married Gaetano Scafidi. Could be one of Ignazio's nephrews.

Hmmmm... nephrews must be a southern derivative of nephews Embarassed

Luca · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

4 Feb 1945

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[Nota: Stefano usa il "lei" nei confronti dello zio]
Belmonte Mezzagno 4 Febbraio 1945.
Mio caro zio, durante la sua assenza all'età cui mi trovo da anni 95 (!!!!!!!!), ho giusto alle condizioni in cui mi trovo il piacere di venire a trovare affari [presso] l'americani senza che lei lo voglia, che io li vengo a cercare perché qua siamo sforniti di lavoro. Perciò quando lei ha il suo piacere [cioè: quando desidera lei] se mi vuole far fare senza nessun xxx se mi vuole mandare un certificato con richiamo, che lei richiama a suo nipote sempre xxx a dire se lo può [fare], anzi spero di venire insieme a mio padre perché qui c'è lavoro scarso; che si può partire per il mezzo ...

( Shocked

ma quale siciliano? Questo è arabo! Mr. Green

Scherzi a parte: non so se sono riuscito a comprendere il senso delle parole di Stefano.)

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... del certificato di richiamo.
Intanto mio caro [zio], dopo tanto tempo che lei non ha scritto a sua sorella Grazia, lei le manda a dire che stiamo tutti bene in famiglia, così pure i cognati, e lo stesso le posso assicurare di sua cognata Carmela e la sua famiglia. E spero che questa mia lettera [quando giungerà a destinazione] vi trovi bene ed in perfetta salute a lei e sua moglie e i figli, che sperando di ricevere buone notizie termino del mio dire, baciandole le mani a lei e sua moglie e tanti saluti ai miei cugini; intanto riceva tanti saluti da mio padre e in particolare da mia madre, tanti saluti anche da mio fratello e [da tutta la] famiglia.

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E mentre mi firmo suo mi xxx Scafidi Stefano.
Nel caso che questo favore che io le domando lei non potesse farlo, cerchi in tutti i modi di farlo sapere a mio zio Giuseppe Scafidi, cosicché anche lui possa provarci.
Rinnovo tanti saluti da me, mio padre e mia madre e mi dico suo nipote Stefano Scafidi.
Buone notizie di nuovo chiedo la Benedizione con le sue risposte [il senso: spero di ricevere delle risposte positive da lei].
Se mi scrive questo è il mio indirizzo:
Scafidi stefano
Via Ospizio
Belmonte Mezzagno

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Egregio caro Antonino, ti prego di far capitare questo biglietto al tuo padrino Dragotta Ignazio.
Saluti da me
Stefano Scafidi

Carole · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

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From Luca's transcription.

(Note: Stefano uses the ‘lei’ (3rd person singular) towards his uncle)
Belmonte Mezzano 4 February 1945.
My dear uncle, during your absence at the age that I find myself of 95 years (!!!!!!), I have just the conditions in which I find myself the pleasure to come and find business (with) the Americans without your liking it, that I will come and look for because here we are deprived of work.
Therefore when you have your pleasure (that is: when you want to) if you want me to do without anyone xxx if you want to send me a certificate with an appeal, that you always appeal to (recall) your nephew to say if he can (do), in fact I hope to come to join my father because here there is little work; that we can leave by ….

(but what Sicilian? Very Happy

This is Arabic! Mr. Green

But joking apart: I’m not sure that I have managed to understand the sense of Stefano’s words.)

Carole · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

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From Luca's transcription.

…from the certificate of recall.
In the meantime my dear (uncle), after a long long time that you haven’t written to your sister Grazia, she says to tell you that we are all well in the family, as are the cousins too, it is the same I can assure you for your sister-in-law Carmela and her family.
And I hope that this my letter (when it reaches its destination) will find you well and in perfect health you and your wife and children, that hoping to receive good news at the end of what I say, kissing your hands and your wife’s and best wishes to my cousins; meanwhile accept many wishes from my father and in particular from my mother, many wishes also from my brother and (from all the) family.

Carole · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Both from Luca's transcription

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And while I sign yours my xxx Scafidi Stufano.
In the event that you cannot do this favour that I am asking, look for any way to let my uncle Giuseppe Scafidi know, so that he too can try.
I renew many wishes from me, my father and my mother and I say your nephew Stefano Scafidi.
Good news again I ask the Benediction with your reply (the meaning: I hope to receive a positive reply from you).
If you write this is my address:
Scafidi stefano
Via Ospizio
Belmonte Mezzagno

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Dear kind Antonino, I beg you to get this note to your godfather Dragotta Ignazio.
Best wishes from me
Stefano Scafidi

tjbrn · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca,
I love the smilies at the end of your translation. Nice touch. I'm still laughing lol

tjbrn · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:21 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

The final letter -- 3/7/1945

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Carole · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:32 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Well this last letter, while sad, brings us to family news once more.

Luca - I have read them and I (think) I understand al of them - but to be certain I will await your transcription if you don't mind. That way Tom will also have a better understanding of any words in dialect.
Carole

Luca · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:47 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Beh, Carole, qui c'è poco da trascrivere: è talmente scritta bene che non credo io sarei riuscito a fare meglio (anche impegnandomi).
Penso che ti convenga fare subito la traduzione perchè è già una meravigliosa lettera.
Ciao
Luca

Carole · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:19 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca wrote:

Beh, Carole, qui c'è poco da trascrivere: è talmente scritta bene che non credo io sarei riuscito a fare meglio (anche impegnandomi).
Penso che ti convenga fare subito la traduzione perchè è già una meravigliosa lettera.
Ciao
Luca

Well Carole, there is little here to transcribe: it is really so well written that I don't think I could do better (even if I tried) I think that it will pay you to translate it now becuse it is a wonderful letter.

Thank you Luca - I didn't want to 'cut you out' of this, the last letter, but I will certainly translate it (probably this afternoon). And you are right - it IS a wonderful letter!

And thank you for taking this interesting journey with me. Your company has really been appreciated!

No one peson can ever be perfect - but a TEAM can be!

Carole · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:22 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Well here is the final part of the story for you Tom.
It has been an interesting journey for us all and I thank you most sincerely for sharing it with us here on "Gente di Mare".
Carole

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Belmonte Mezzagno 3.7.45. (July)

Dearest brother,
After many, many years of silence, today I have been pushed by a mysterious force to write to you, and why shouldn't I write to my brother? Doesn't the same blood flow in our veins?
When the american forces entered Sicily, I asked them what their name was, because I thought that you have many children and possibly one of them might have found himself here in the crowd. The reason for my silence is also because I didn't have your address, being that our sister-in-law Peppina, wife of our brother Gaetano, even having your address, has never ever wanted to...

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... give it saying that she didn't have it.
But it ends well, now I have it and if you would like to give me your news I will accept it willingly. Our sister Concettina died with a wish to see you. I would like to have news of our nephews (and nieces?) children of our sister Filippa (good soul)
Dear Ignazio how I would like to see you all, who knows if before I close my eyes I will get to embrace you one more time.
Write to me, write to me about your wife, about your children, about everyone - make me happy.

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I, you see have five children two married and two not - the eldest (Giuseppina) has two little boys and is expecting another. The other married one Stefano has only one very little one -
Rosetta and Bettina are young ladies Pietrino is a bachelor.
After the storms of the war and the cease fire (?) we all looked like a lot of stunned /dazed people, we seemed many shadows this dreadful war has reduced us to a naked harshness and hunger, the war it should have ended before, not now after we have nothing left - no patience ---- we have life, the rest the Lord will think of.
In Sicily the disoccupation is indescribable, why....

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...I don't know, my son Stefanino and Pietrino are both out of work, you can't find any work even having gone around looking for it, one is an electrician/mechanic and the other is a radio telegraphist/mechanic, but they are unlucky. I don't want to load you anymore with my troubles and moaning. I kiss you and your wife and children, many kisses to the nephews and nieces Filppa's children, kisses from all of us.
Angelina Greco
Piazza Garibaldi #31
Belmonte Mezzagno.

written on the left at the bottom - two notes from two others:

Best wishes from your sister-in-law. Carmela and her family are well.
Best wishes from your sister Grazia and Stefania and everyone in the family.

BillieDeKid · V.I.P. Joined: Oct 26, 2007 Posts: 1221 Location: Illinois

Great job Carole and thank you for keeping everyone on the forum informed of all the news by translating to english for us. I, for one, am very grateful that you showed no selfishness which allowed everyone on Gente to feel the emotions of Tom's relatives.

Thanks again for everything you bring to Gente.

Baci - Elizabeth

alex · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Ciao!
leggendo le ultime lettere postate da Tom, mia madre purtroppo ricorda soltanto le sorelle di Tano e Ignazio menzionate al fondo e cioè Grazia e Stefana. I figli di cui parla (Giuseppina, Pietrino,...) erano tutti cugini di mia nonna (cioe la mamma di mia mamma), di cui mia mamma assolutamente non ha alcun ricordo.
In compenso oggi è andata a trovare una sua zia, cioè la sorella di mia nonna, un'altra figlia di Tano, che ricordava esattamente le volte in cui Ignazio mandava qualche soldino dall'America: appunto questa zia di mia madre dice che a Belmonte, per la famiglia di Tano, era una gran festa perchè quei soldi li facevano mangiare per diversi giorni.
Sempre questa zia di mia madre dice che fino a quando lei è stata in Sicilia, cioè fino al 1950 (dopo si è trasferita qui a Torino), ricorda perfettamente un cofanetto dentro il quale erano custodite le lettere e le fotografie di Ignazio...
Ultima cosa che conferma la zia, è che da quando i due fratelli si sono separati, non si sono mai più rivisti...
Questo è quanto possiamo dirvi fin'ora..
un saluto affettuoso a tutti,
ale e maria.

Luca · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:47 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

alex wrote:

... ricorda perfettamente un cofanetto dentro il quale erano custodite le lettere e le fotografie di Ignazio...

Vuoi vedere che le troviamo!!!

Luca

alex · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Ciò che ti posso dire è che forse mia madre, dopo circa 15 anni, forse ques'estate tornerà in Sicilia...credo mossa da questa storia!!! insomma grazie a voi!!