We now have translations for two letters written to John in Czech, asking for information about his life in America. The translation for the 1923 letter was obtained from Lawrence & Nettie Stehlik of Table Rock NE in September of 1984, three months after my mother Marjory passed away. The letter dated 1920, originally posted untranslated in the Blog Updates section, was kindly translated by Tomas Zvolanek of the Czech republic in October of 2010. (Tomas and I are both researching our ancestry, but we do not know if our families are related.)
Both letters reveal that the Briz family - writing from New Ransko - wants to know why John Zvolanek has not answered their letters to him. Did he not answer them - or were his letters to Czechoslovakia also undelivered? In John's returned letter to his parents in Russia, he asks them to please write to Antonin to let him know how he's doing. Is this the same person? Perhaps a relative (on John's mother's side?)
Scans of the original letters follow the translations.
LETTER ONE:
Page 1January 25, 1920Dear and precious friendaccept from us many cordial greetingsI write to you after four years and wish that the letter will be deliveredI still expect that you know about yourself but we do not have any report from youno message about you but we are still remember you what you are doingwe expect that you are married and you have your own home and nice wife with childrenPage 2By me a lot of things change, girls are bigger, Františka is 21 year old, Tonička 18 year old and Růža is 11 year old. Me and my father is very old, he was 18 months at war in Russia and for all that time he wasnt at home, I can't write how was it terrible. Now is little bit better but my type of work is still not going well, father was going to sawmill and must work at Ždírec.All is very expensive especially clothes and boots.Good old times passed away when you visited us we never not remember you.Page 3We wish you all the best and when you obtain our letter and you answer to uswe after send you our photoswe will be waiting for your answerwith Godfamily BřízovaAntonín Bříza, Nové Ransko in this time under Ždírec
LETTER TWO:
We beg you hand this letter on to Mr. (?) Zvolanek we're sending it to him.
In New Ransko
May 10, 1923
Dear and treasured friends,
Receive from us thousands of heartfelt greetings. Continually we think of you what has happened to you in that time as about you we know nothing, are you alive you have not let us know about you. When you were leaving us you promised us that you would continue writing we continually wait to no avail are you mad at us?
I would have much to write to you but do not know if you will receive my letter. That much we hope for that we can at least get together with letters. Our girls are all big. Frances is 24 years already, Toni is 20, Rose is now 14 years.
We have them at home yet unmarried. If God grants that you will receive our letters we will send you their photographs.
Our Father is already very old as am I. We would like while we are still alive to learn something about your family we beg you write to us write real soon write everything in detail.
Father until now is still weaving but this year we have to wait a long time it was bad this winter cotton was high demand was slow.
Otherwise our lives remain the same work. Memories of you with worries that you have forgotten Cesky no wonder because you are constantly talking American you have no idea how we would like to see you which we will probably never realize. We beg you you are alive and received our letter write us very soon and a lot. We will await your letter.
Receive once again heartfelt greetings from Frances, Toni and Rose also from Ludmila and Mary from Ransko. Your aunt Madam Muttl (Muttlova) no longer lives she died last year. There have been many changes here since you left Cechy but it can be no other way.
Once again I beg you to write to us.
Good Bye,
Your sincere relatives
Anton and Frank Briz.
