Unknown Sep 4

Most Beloved Bronisia

I’ll inquire about you dear health and welfare. I am, thank God, healthy, which I also wish for you, dearest Bronisia. I can tell you that on Wednesday I paid rent also on Thursday I worked all day. Write me if yours were at home and what they said to you that you didn’t come all day, and I greet you warmly and kiss [you] I remain forever [your] faithful and beloved Theodor

Goodbye, my only heart

Unknown May 26

The Day the 26^th

Dearest Bronisia

[My] beloved heart, write me anything interesting there is to hear about you, how you’re doing I, thank God, am healthy, which I also wish for you. I can tell you that I won’t be working on Friday and on Saturday because some sort of holiday falls then. I still don’t know for sure, but it seems that not. For the rest, I’ll tell you by telephone on Thursday in the evening. I greet you warmly and kiss [you] 1,000 times sincerely loving you forever.

Theodor                   Goodbye Sweetheart

Unknown Jun 30

Woodhaven 30/6

Most Beloved Bronisia

My Dearest Heart, I’ll inquire about your dear health and welfare, how work has been and anything interesting there is to hear about you, my beloved treasure, because I, thank God, am healthy and my welfare as usual is constantly one and the same. Beloved Bronisia, since you’d have a car it would be good if you went on Friday, because I won’t be working on Friday and on Saturday. For the rest, when it’s good for you and when you have more time, by beloved angel, I greet you warmly and kiss your face a million times

Goodbye [my] Heart XXXXXX

Unknown Date XX

Most beloved Bronisia [my] only heart, I’ll inquire about your dear health and prosperity, how you’ve been sleeping, and on Sunday whether you felt good, whether you weren’t tired, really couldn’t get enough sleep. I, thank [God][1] am healthy, which I also wish for you. Dear Bronia, I can tell you that this week I will be working overtime hours every day. I greet you warmly and kiss [you]. Yours, loving you forever, Theodor

Goodbye [my] heart XXXXXX

---

[1] The word “God” is missing in the original (!)

Unknown Date XVIII

The Day 30/12

Most Beloved Bronisia,

May happiness[1] simply flood you[2], me on the other hand, don’t give me more just always love me dear Bronia, I wish you from [my] whole heart. Whatever is most desirable to you, and that this new year will scatter all the sadness that has oppressed you up to this time. Be happy like that wild bird, and may God grant that the new year brings you everything your little heart might desire. This I wish you[3] This wishes you the one who loves you more than everything in the world. Forgive [me] that I can’t put that prettily since I, a poor peasant, don’t know how to make congratulatory remarks, just how, Bronia darling, to kiss you on the lips.

I remain forever

yours, Theodor

Goodbye [my] heart

And forgive [me] that I’m sending you this kind of

Postcard, since I couldn’t get anything else here

Bye   XXXXXXXXXX

---

[1] Or “good fortune”

[2] Literally “flow for you”

[3] Crossed out in original

Unknown Date XVII

Most Beloved Bronisia

My only heart how much I would feel happy and how blissful it would be in my soul if I could on Sunday talk with you and if nobody would disturb us in [our] conversation. I thank you very warmly, my dear angel, for your coming to visit me. I greet you warmly and kiss [you] a million times. I remain, with respect, yours, loving you forever,

Theodor

Goodbye [My] Dear XXXXXX

Unknown Date XVI

Most Beloved

Bronisia! Dearest and most precious treasure mine, you are my life, you are my everything in this world I send you my warm greetings and kiss your sweet little mouth like that on this post card. Yours Forever,

Teodor

Goodbye, treasure, keep yourself well, only I beg you don’t worry without need because you worry, even if I don’t see it, then however my heart feels it

Goodbye, Sweetheart

XXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXX

Unknown Date XV

I don’t have much more of anything interesting to write, just I greet you and kiss [you] a million times and similarly I beg you very much don’t be sad because I love you ardently. Oh! I love you from [my] heart my Bronisia, when you are happy, then also I am the same. But when you say that for you there’s

Nothing to be happy about, that you are always [so] sad that already no one comforts [you], at that time you poison my heart so powerfully that my life is simply torment. Be healthy Bronia keep yourself well and [don’t][1] be sad anymore, that I very much beg you

I remain forever faithful and loving you, Teodor

Goodbye, [my] heart XXXX

                                XXXXXX

---

[1] The word “don’t” appears to be missing

Unknown Date VII

Winthrop, ME

Brighten your face,[1] my dear angel. Stop shedding tears, longing and being sad after all, we have already lived through many bitter moments. Let’s begin today to hum a song of hope beloved Broninieczka, I beg you, don’t despair God will comfort us, perhaps not long,[2] this all depends on you. Be healthy, I wish you the best success. I send warm wishes.

Goodbye

Theodor 6/12[3]

---

[1] Literally “forehead”

[2] i.e. soon

[3] = Dec 6th

Unknown Date IX

The Day 20

Most Beloved Bronisia

My dearest treasure, I wish you from my whole heart happiness[1], health, the best[2] prosperity and also I desire ardently to keep[3] you, dear heart, always happy like a nightingale singing in the hazelnut trees[4] because when I see you sad then I feel a great pain in [my] heart I wish you Happy Easter [and] happy amusements. I remain forever

T.G.

Loving you until the cold grave

Goodbye [my] heart XXXXXX

I kiss you warmly XXXXXX

In the address line—

For my Darling

Bronisia[5] Ru

---

[1] Or “good fortune”

[2] Literally “good”

[3] Literally “have”

[4] Or “branch”

[5] Last vowels inflected for the genitive case (=Bronisi)

Unknown Date VI

Winthrop, ME 4/11[1]

Beloved Bronia

My downcast heart does not feel much more than sorrow, and sadness poisons all my days. I greet you warmly and kiss [you]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Theodor G.

My Beloved Bronislawa Rudnicka

Woodhaven

NY

---

[1] = Nov 4th

Unknown Date V

Dear Broninieczka

When I address you with words, like these here in this card, do you boldly reply to me? Or are you lost in thought, like that girl who stands beside that young man?

Theodor

The Honorable Miss Bronislawa

Winthrop

ME

Unknown Date IV

13[1]

My Beloved Little Heart

I’ll inquire about your dear health and prosperity I am, thank God, healthy, which I also wish for you, and my prosperity you yourself perhaps know how that Sunday, it then went so sadly for me. I was thinking only of you, my little flower, [and] whether for a long time yet I would have to be so alone. I greet you warmly and send you [my] deepest regards, I kiss you a million times.

Yours forever, Teodor Gee[2]

Goodbye [my] heart XXXX

---

[1] A part of a possible date?

[2] This looks more like the (English) name for the letter “G” spelled out using Polish orthography than the letter “G”

Unknown Date III

The Day 25/11

Dear [Girl-] Friend[1],

Today, your name-day wishes you happiness[2] and prosperity which only your soul governs may it catch fire in your heart and may it take from you all sorrow and unhappiness[3].

I wish you this

Z.M.D.

---

[1] Female friend

[2] Or “good fortune”

[3] Or “misfortune”

Unknown Date II

Dearest Bronisia,

I leave you my my most sincere well-wishes and also, I love you beyond my strength. I greet you lovingly and warmly, my heart, [and] kiss [you] a thousand tons of times.

Yours forever

Loving you like a prisoner T.G.

Goodbye dear sweet heart XXXX

                                              XXXX

My Dear[1]

Bronisia Rudnicka

In Woodhaven L.I.[2]

N.Y.

---

[1] I have also translated these two words in Polish preceding Ms. Rudnicka’s name.

[2] =Long Island

Unknown Date I

Warm Greetings from [your] acquaintance to you. T.G.

I kiss you warmly Good bye XXXXXXX

                                                XXXXXX

1923 Dec 20

New York 12/1923

Wishes for happy holidays and happy amusements on Christmas and Happy New Year

J.K. J.R.

1920 Jul 23

N. Monmouth

July 24, 1920

Beloved wife

I was in Augusta and stopped also in Waterville. I looked for work but there everywhere is slack. Well, today I’m in North Monmouth. I’m looking at a farm later, and I’ll find out more.

Teodor Pa

1915 Feb 17

New York the 17^th Day

Beloved Bronia, I got the card from you for which I thank you. I am, thank God, healthy, which I also wish for you. And from the country I don’t have, and not in the least, any news and I don’t know if we will see our parents anymore because if it’s all true what the newspaper writes then may the Lord God protect [us]. Even my bank, I myself don’t know if the will be paying out or not, because they’re already closed. But everyone says that they’re paying out all the money to the penny and on top of that, there’s interest. Good bye, Broninia

1915 Aug 11

Jersey City 11/8

My most dear wife

I thank you for the card which I got. Your words are like a precious balsam applied to my heart. My treasure, don’t worry because I’m not thinking anything about you. I certainly love you with [my] whole soul and my heart burns from grief when I remember that because of me you went through so much worry. But don’t worry[1], I’m sincerely convinced of your true marital love

Your husband, Tedor

---

[1] Or “trouble, grief”

1914 Oct 22

New York The 22^nd Day

I got the letter from you and don’t worry, my beloved Bronia I am, thank God, healthy[1] [and] on [my] legs, and you, don’t worry Bronisia, because I don’t know if we’ll see our parents anymore because my boss[2] got a card from our parents. To travel together with [other] people they escaped as far as Hungary, then they left from there but I don’t know how far away[3] from us they’re going to arrive, because then he says that he doesn’t have anything left to travel to the country with, but let’s pray to the Lord God, perhaps we will still see our parents. He finishes his writing [saying] I greet you[4] warmly, until I fondly see you[5] and I greet Pawloski, a write me, Pawlisio, how you like America

Pa, Pa….. Bronia also to you Paw, pa, pa, pa Until I see you[6] again

---

[1] Male form

[2] Based on my notes, in the postcard referring to seeing “our parents” again, the word translated as “our” is a general Polish possessive meaning “his, her, their, our, mine, your (etc.)” according to the context. While the context of the card fairly clearly dictates the reading “our” in most cases, the phrase following “my boss got a card” could be translated as “from his parents,” who would then be the people escaping to Hungary, with concern about the writer’s and addressee’s parents implied indirectly by analogy, or perhaps more directly as people traveling in the same group. This reading might help explain the reference to “Pawlisio,” as someone more closely related to the boss’s family [?].

[3] Literally “how much”

[4] plural

[5] plural

[6] singular

1914 Apr (Day Unknown)

Jersey City 10/1914

Most beloved brother and sister-in-law, I’m today writing a few words and I will inquire about your dear health and prosperity. We are, thank God, healthy. Beloved brother and sister-in-law, I beg you very much to come to our place to enjoy something in the way of eggs. We were at your place on Christmas and [so] you come to our place for once, because I can’t travel because I have [my] dad’s people coming, so for us and you it would be fun. We wish you Happy Holidays and pleasant amusements      P.P.

M.A.K.[1]

---

[1] Marginally legible at best