Cache of letters

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

tjbrn wrote:

This letter is more difficult to read. The ink has faded on two of the pages.

12 May 1936

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Four more letters remain.

Sorry I took so long Tom

Page 1

Belmonte Mezzagno 12 May 1936
My dearest brother,
I reply to your awaited letter and I am pleased to hear that you are in good healthtogether with your dear bride and your beloved children; As also up to today I can say about me too, and my bride and my dear children, Dearest brother regarding that which you tell me you are right that I haven't seen your bride that which was treated for your bride when she found herself in the city, the house with your mother-in-law, dear brother you must do God's will that when you're in health you have everything and we must always do that which gives me ..... Tano

Page 2
My dearest brother I thank you for your thoughts that you send to me, I dear brother have told you everything in the letter that the saintly Holy Mary in the condition in which I find myself but all this I wont make you hear that we have gone for two or three days without eating bread that we only eat fennel and we are at the (mpiere) xxxxxx of not dying but because I have told you all this my heart is mortified, I give thanks from my heart to you and your bride that you have towards me and God will give you health and guidance.....

Page 3

Dear brother, it only remains for me to tell you I togehter with my bride and my children salute you and I kiss you together with your bride my children kiss your hands and many kisses to your cousins we also send our wishes to your mothe-in-law and all the family, best wishes from your sister-in-law Carmela and her husband kissing the hands of your mother-in-law and (it seems to read 'do manta la ifzi' I can't understand the word(s) - I'm sorry), while all of us kiss you and your bride and children. While I say and am your affectionate brother who always thinks of you your brother Gaetano.
Goodbye, goodbye, kisses.
So kisses always from my heart for most dear ????

Page 4

Dearest sister-in-law we exchange respective wishes and strong embraces and kisses together with my brother as from my bride many kisses and my dear children, as indeed kisses for thier cousins, sister-in law in as much as my bride finds hereself out of danger and all is going well, dear sister-in-law you must excuse me that God has sent me to say all this because God wants it this way that my dark life and for days he has given me fennel and filled up my children, Enough sister-in-law forgive me for all this that I have told you, a wish and a thought I am your dear brother-in-law Tano who always thinks of you. Goodbye, goodbye kisses together with my brother, fexcuse my poor writing, write to me and forgive me for all that I have said.

Note for Luca... Non sono sicuro per niente esattamente quello che diceva Tano in pagina 2. Ovviamente e molto giu di morale a causa della mancanza di cibo per i suoi figli... ma non vorrei sbagliare il senso di quello che sta scrivendo.

Note for Luca... I am not at all sure exactly what Tano is saying in page 2. Obviously his morale is very low because of the lack of food for his children.. but I wouldn't want to make a mistake the sense of what he is writing.

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Please, please, no apologies. I am being given a great gift through the kindness and generosity of all who have patiently helped me throughout this journey to discover more about my ancestors. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude; however, they are as Tano has said often in his letters, "from the heart".

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

pag. 2

Carissimo mio fratello, ti ringrazio del pensiero che hai per me [probabilmente nella lettera di Ignazio c'è una risposta a qualcosa che Tano chiedeva a suo fratello o qualcosa di cui Tano si lamentava (ad es. la fame dei figli) e che ha ricevuto consolazione (forse anche soldi) da parte del fratello oltre-oceano], se ti ho detto quelle cose nella mia lettera il vero motivo lo conosce soltanto Maria Santissima, che mi trovo in una condizione tale che stiamo anche due o tre senza mangiare pane, e mangiamo solo finocchi e dobbiamo stare in piedi per non morire [a dire: se ci lasciamo vincere dala fame e ci mettiamo a letto, rischiamo di non rialzarci], ma dirti tutto questo mi mortifica il cuore; ringrazio della bontà che avete verso di me sia te che la tua sposa e Dio vi darà salute e provvidenza.

Ciao
Luca

alex · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca wrote:

What a wonderful morning!

Per Alessandra e Maria

Sono veramente felice che abbiate letto questa magnifico topic. Ho insistito molto ieri con Maria affinché trovasse la motivazione per farlo perché sono il primo a rendermi conto che sentirsi "piombare" in casa uno sconosciuto che ti snocciola parentele è duro da digerire; io stesso mi sono sentito in imbarazzo in alcuni momenti perché mi sentivo un po' fuori luogo. L'amore di Tano per quel suo fratello lontano e la struggente angoscia nelle sue parole, mi hanno però convinto a fare la "faccia tosta" e intrufolarmi nella vita di gente a me (e io a loro) sconosciuta. Voglio tributare un elogio alla disponibilità e sensibilità di Giusy Dragotta (e sua cugina Francesca) di Belmonte, che ha capito il senso delle mie parole e mi ha dato la possibilità di poter parlare con Maria.
Un grande abbraccio a tutti i "Dragotti"

Ciao
Luca

Siamo noi che ti dobbiamo ringraziare per il tuo esserti "intrufolato" nella nostra vita facendo la più gradita "faccia tosta" che potevamo aspettarci.
Il sapere di avere un parente americano ci riempie di gioia e speriamo di riuscire a mantenere i contatti con lui e con tutti coloro che si sono appassionati a questa storia, te compreso.

ale e maria

Luca · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Ciao Ale,
ho risposto anche alla mail che mi hai mandato ieri sera ma è ritornato un messaggio di errore per cui è probabile che tu non abbia ricevuto niente. Per qualunque problema scrivimi quando vuoi.

Luca

alex · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca wrote:

;-)

Ciao Ale,
ho risposto anche alla mail che mi hai mandato ieri sera ma è ritornato un messaggio di errore per cui è probabile che tu non abbia ricevuto niente. Per qualunque problema scrivimi quando vuoi.

Luca

infatti non ho ricevuto niente, ma come vedi tutto è andato a posto.
ti ringrazio ancora per la tua disponibilità e per la tua purezza...non capita spesso di trovare persone affabili e gentili come te.
a presto...e se ti va puoi scrivermi anche tu se hai delle curiosità sulla storia del mio bis-nonno (o anche altro)...chiederò volentieri a mia madre tutto ciò che si ricorda!
grazie mille ancora.
ale

goganga · Dev Joined: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 226 Location: North Italy

Benvenuti Alessandra e Maria!

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

8 June 1937

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Luca · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Beh, a questo punto penso che l'onore della traduzione (sono ammessi anche "piccoli" errori Wink

) possa spettare ad Ale.
Che ne dite?

Luca

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca wrote:

pag. 2
Carissimo mio fratello, ti ringrazio del pensiero che hai per me [probabilmente nella lettera di Ignazio c'è una risposta a qualcosa che Tano chiedeva a suo fratello o qualcosa di cui Tano si lamentava (ad es. la fame dei figli) e che ha ricevuto consolazione (forse anche soldi) da parte del fratello oltre-oceano], se ti ho detto quelle cose nella mia lettera il vero motivo lo conosce soltanto Maria Santissima, che mi trovo in una condizione tale che stiamo anche due o tre senza mangiare pane, e mangiamo solo finocchi e dobbiamo stare in piedi per non morire [a dire: se ci lasciamo vincere dala fame e ci mettiamo a letto, rischiamo di non rialzarci], ma dirti tutto questo mi mortifica il cuore; ringrazio della bontà che avete verso di me sia te che la tua sposa e Dio vi darà salute e provvidenza.

Ciao
Luca

Thank you Luca... I wasn't so far off, but I felt it was so important that it MUST be right!

Page 4
From Luca's transcription.
My dearest brother, I thank you for the thought you have for me (Note from Luca: probably in Ignazio's letter there is a reply to something Tano asked his brother or something about which Tano had complained - for example the hunger of the children - and he recieved consolation - perhaps even some money - on behalf of his brother overseas), if I have said those things in my letter the real motive only the holy Mary knows, that I find myself in a such a condition that we are two or three days without eating bread, and we eat only fennel and we must stay on our feet so as not to die (Note from Luca: to say - if we let hunger win and we go to our beds, we risk never getting up again), but to tell you all this my heart is dying; I thank you for the kidness you and your wife have shown me and God give you health and providence.

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

alex wrote:

Luca wrote:

What a wonderful morning!

Per Alessandra e Maria

Sono veramente felice che abbiate letto questa magnifico topic. Ho insistito molto ieri con Maria affinché trovasse la motivazione per farlo perché sono il primo a rendermi conto che sentirsi "piombare" in casa uno sconosciuto che ti snocciola parentele è duro da digerire; io stesso mi sono sentito in imbarazzo in alcuni momenti perché mi sentivo un po' fuori luogo. L'amore di Tano per quel suo fratello lontano e la struggente angoscia nelle sue parole, mi hanno però convinto a fare la "faccia tosta" e intrufolarmi nella vita di gente a me (e io a loro) sconosciuta. Voglio tributare un elogio alla disponibilità e sensibilità di Giusy Dragotta (e sua cugina Francesca) di Belmonte, che ha capito il senso delle mie parole e mi ha dato la possibilità di poter parlare con Maria.
Un grande abbraccio a tutti i "Dragotti"

Ciao
Luca

Siamo noi che ti dobbiamo ringraziare per il tuo esserti "intrufolato" nella nostra vita facendo la più gradita "faccia tosta" che potevamo aspettarci.
Il sapere di avere un parente americano ci riempie di gioia e speriamo di riuscire a mantenere i contatti con lui e con tutti coloro che si sono appassionati a questa storia, te compreso.

ale e maria

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

From Luca:
For Alessandra and Maria

I am truly happy that you have read this magnificent topic. I insisted a lot yesterday with Maria until I found the motivation to do it because I am the first to understand that to feel yourself 'dropping in' to the house as a stranger and who drags things out of the family is hard to digest; even I felt embarrassed at times because I felt a little out of place. The love of Tano for that distant brother of his and the tormented anguish in his words, did however convince me to be cheeky and slip into the lives of people who did not know me (or I them).
I would like to bestow an eulogy to the availability and feelings of Giusy Dragotta (and her cousin Francesca) of Belmonte, who understood the meaning of my words and gave me the chance to speak to maria.
A big kiss to all the "Dragotti"
Ciao
Luca

And from Alessandra:

It is us who must thank you for having "sneaked" into our lives making the most pleasant "cheeky face" that we could have expected.
To know that we have american family fills us with joy and we hope to be able to keep in touch with him and with all those who are passionate about this story, you included.
ale e maria

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca wrote:

Beh, a questo punto penso che l'onore della traduzione (sono ammessi anche "piccoli" errori Wink

) possa spettare ad Ale.
Che ne dite?

Luca

Well, at this point I think that the honour of the translation (some 'little errors' are permitted Smile

) might be left for Ale.
What do you think?

I think that is quite right Luca. Though from a purely personal point of view I will be sad to no longer be involved. But Alessandra should now be the one to continue this moving and at times desperately sad story. A story which isn't over yet and which I know that all of us here on "Gente" will be avidly following!

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Carole,
I understand perfectly what you mean. Inexplicably, the task of translating these letters has grown far beyond what I think any of us would have expected. I knew that my skills at translation were really nonexistent and yet I could grasp flashes of wonderful colors but not the whole tapestry which, I thought ought to be seen.
Eavesdropping on Tano's anguish wrenches one's soul as one is powerless to assuage his sense of utter abandonment. Tano was about 12 years old when his brother Ignazio left, never again to know his embrace; yet, I believe in the end it is always love that motivated Tano and not his despair. Perhaps, the connection made between the descendants of those two brothers, which was made possible by the efforts of so many wonderful people on this forum, may reunite them at last in spirit.
Ale and I have already exchanged emails, even photos are coming and going at the speed of electrons. I can already tell that Ale abounds with energy and she has cheerfully taken on the task of translating my long winded orations for Maria and her family--I am doing the same with my family although they are quite used to my chattering. Meanwhile, I will have to begin to learn Italian, just in case I happen to find myself in Italy in a couple of years.
I believe I'm supposed to say ciao, here, con gusto!

Carole · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:37 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Thank you for those words Tom - it seems almost a lifetime since I tried my best to translate the Sicilian dialect in that letter you sent me via e-mail before you joined us here on "Gente". How pleased I am that you did decide to join us and share this wonderfully poignant part of you family history with us all here.

One favour - if I may? When, and if, possible could you satisfy my curiosity - and I'm sure, everyone else's too - by posting some photographs of this family that I feel I have come to know so well over the last couple of months. Perhaps a photo of Tano and Ignazio would be a nice way to start!

I remember writing this at the end of that very first translation I did for you at the end of January:

"But here is your translation - you know one thing shines through and that is that they were very, very close and missed each other!"

How true that was... their love does shine through and seems to help them overcome the pain of how life had treated them. I do hope that we will be allowed to share the ongoing story as it unfolds in the times to come.