1Translation
Dearest Laje’u, my only one!
I was very anxious about you because I couldn't wait for your dear answer; every noon I came home to see if perhaps a letter from you had arrived, and the landlady always told me there was no mail for me. Today, the 10th of May, I received two letters from you at once; your dear letters are as sweet as you are to me, very sweet. Yesterday I wrote a letter to Mr. Carlson asking him to write to me about what is going on with you, whether you are still with him or somewhere else, because up until now I didn't know exactly what was happening with you or why you were getting upset. You shouldn't get upset about Monziw [Moncsi/Manci]; make an effort to live well with your sister, and if she is engaged, then send a _Mazel Tov_ from you as well as from me, because everyone does as suits them.
About me, dearest Laje’u, you shouldn't get upset; no one has proposed any match (_shidduch_) to me, and Rózsi is a woman like all women—don't take it to heart, Laje’u, people talk a lot and do little. Winkler is her husband; he isn't a _tsaddik_ [saintly person], but he is a fairly good person. If someone wrote a letter to you, I know nothing about it, you must believe me, and I have not looked for another Laje’u for myself!
I wrote to you that if you travel to the U.S.A., in my opinion you won't wait for me, and many say so, and your dear uncle will not let you leave the U.S.A. for Czechoslovakia (C.S.R.). And then, if you write to me that there is no longer any prospect, then I would have to, for example, find another Laje’u; but don't be so childish and don't take everything so to heart, don't be so disheartened, be as you were! I will never abandon you, it's just that we are far apart from each other—you can think about that too—but I am steadfast in that I only want you, for I know your loyalty, and I know your past, and I knew your late (God rest her soul) mother—she was such a good mother, she spoke with me many times. For if you had been here together with me, I would have been happy already. I am not rich, and that is why I have not once called you to come to me in Czechoslovakia, but here...
1 / 4I was very anxious about you because I couldn't wait for your dear answer; every noon I came home to see if perhaps a letter from you had arrived, and the landlady always told me there was no mail for me. Today, the 10th of May, I received two letters from you at once; your dear letters are as sweet as you are to me, very sweet. Yesterday I wrote a letter to Mr. Carlson asking him to write to me about what is going on with you, whether you are still with him or somewhere else, because up until now I didn't know exactly what was happening with you or why you were getting upset. You shouldn't get upset about Monziw [Moncsi/Manci]; make an effort to live well with your sister, and if she is engaged, then send a _Mazel Tov_ from you as well as from me, because everyone does as suits them.
About me, dearest Laje’u, you shouldn't get upset; no one has proposed any match (_shidduch_) to me, and Rózsi is a woman like all women—don't take it to heart, Laje’u, people talk a lot and do little. Winkler is her husband; he isn't a _tsaddik_ [saintly person], but he is a fairly good person. If someone wrote a letter to you, I know nothing about it, you must believe me, and I have not looked for another Laje’u for myself!
I wrote to you that if you travel to the U.S.A., in my opinion you won't wait for me, and many say so, and your dear uncle will not let you leave the U.S.A. for Czechoslovakia (C.S.R.). And then, if you write to me that there is no longer any prospect, then I would have to, for example, find another Laje’u; but don't be so childish and don't take everything so to heart, don't be so disheartened, be as you were! I will never abandon you, it's just that we are far apart from each other—you can think about that too—but I am steadfast in that I only want you, for I know your loyalty, and I know your past, and I knew your late (God rest her soul) mother—she was such a good mother, she spoke with me many times. For if you had been here together with me, I would have been happy already. I am not rich, and that is why I have not once called you to come to me in Czechoslovakia, but here...
2Translation
...is such an order that one can always earn one's daily bread. I am always writing that I have nothing against it, or you should consider for yourself whether you should come to me if I do not get an emigration [visa]. I have already received very many letters from you that are very dear to me, but I am still alone; these affidavits drag on for a very long time, I really cannot wait for a result on those copies, and you have more hope that I can come to the U.S.A. faster than to Sweden. From my relatives I hardly believe I will get any help, and your dear uncle—it may be that he did do something, but now he is certainly angry because of Moncsi, and certainly at you too. So write to Cismannen [Eizman/Cizman], he should try to do something; he should go to my Aunt Jisa Rubin and Simon Ilkovits and clarify things with them. But he shouldn't think that I love America—I only love you, for over there one has to work hard for the luxury there, but I don't want to act wiser than you, and I will try to make arrangements so that you will be satisfied.
Write therefore to Cismannen that he should try to go to this Aunt J. Rubin; she is very rich, one can persuade her because she is very stingy, and old, and if it doesn't succeed, for example, then dearest Laje'u do not blame me! I love you, but I cannot help myself to come to you—understand me. I write everything out to you truthfully and exactly, and I don't write long letters to you because I don't care for you as much or because I've changed my mind—if I wanted to mislead you, I would have no interest in writing you secrets.
Dearest Laje'u, my only one, I really cannot wait for you, to be together with you, but I am not to blame, just as you aren't. From the beginning you wrote to me that you would visit me and then travel to the U.S.A.; you didn't succeed in that, and I know that you are not to blame. On my end, I will wait for you for another 1 year to 2 years, and write to me how long you will wait for me, and whether you still intend to come to Czechoslovakia (C.S.R.) if I cannot come to Sweden or to the U.S.A.
Dearest Laje'u, my heart aches enough for you, but I reproach myself that I didn't act like a real man (_männisch_) and start writing to you: _"If you want me, then come to me"_—then you would have already been here long ago, wouldn't you? My Laje'u!
2 / 4Write therefore to Cismannen that he should try to go to this Aunt J. Rubin; she is very rich, one can persuade her because she is very stingy, and old, and if it doesn't succeed, for example, then dearest Laje'u do not blame me! I love you, but I cannot help myself to come to you—understand me. I write everything out to you truthfully and exactly, and I don't write long letters to you because I don't care for you as much or because I've changed my mind—if I wanted to mislead you, I would have no interest in writing you secrets.
Dearest Laje'u, my only one, I really cannot wait for you, to be together with you, but I am not to blame, just as you aren't. From the beginning you wrote to me that you would visit me and then travel to the U.S.A.; you didn't succeed in that, and I know that you are not to blame. On my end, I will wait for you for another 1 year to 2 years, and write to me how long you will wait for me, and whether you still intend to come to Czechoslovakia (C.S.R.) if I cannot come to Sweden or to the U.S.A.
Dearest Laje'u, my heart aches enough for you, but I reproach myself that I didn't act like a real man (_männisch_) and start writing to you: _"If you want me, then come to me"_—then you would have already been here long ago, wouldn't you? My Laje'u!
3Translation
I think that in the end we will live together in Czechoslovakia (Č.S.R.), for there are great difficulties for us; but try and do whatever you can, so that later you will have no regret.But one thing I beg of you: stay calm, do not be upset, be good, so that you remain in good health.I was like that before the war too, but now I am completely calm, because I have convinced myself that being upset doesn't help at all.
My cousin, who is well known here in Bratislava, wants to give me an apartment, i.e. provide for me, because it is hard for me to find one. In any case, I assure you that as soon as I have it I will write to you; that doesn't mean you must come right away, but if I do not succeed in getting out [emigrating], then if you wish to come here, it is good if one has somewhere to live.
Helenke [Helena] left through the _Agudath [Israel]_; what else does she write, where does she want to go?Piri has not written to me to this day.I don't want to demean myself before anyone, so it is hard for me to decide to visit her now, although I cannot complain about her—she accompanied me to Žurke Simkovic when I came back from Russia and gave me your dear address, so if it happens, I will—just like you—be thankful to her...
3 / 4My cousin, who is well known here in Bratislava, wants to give me an apartment, i.e. provide for me, because it is hard for me to find one. In any case, I assure you that as soon as I have it I will write to you; that doesn't mean you must come right away, but if I do not succeed in getting out [emigrating], then if you wish to come here, it is good if one has somewhere to live.
Helenke [Helena] left through the _Agudath [Israel]_; what else does she write, where does she want to go?Piri has not written to me to this day.I don't want to demean myself before anyone, so it is hard for me to decide to visit her now, although I cannot complain about her—she accompanied me to Žurke Simkovic when I came back from Russia and gave me your dear address, so if it happens, I will—just like you—be thankful to her...
4Translation
...be thankful. Therefore I beg you, my dearest, if you wish to be mine or if you wish for me, then may God help you and me to achieve that; and how long that will take I do not know, and what do you think? How long? I feel sorry for your dear uncle for all his effort, and I am of the opinion that you are independent enough to decide a matter yourself, without anyone else’s unwanted advice. Consult with your sister, and she will talk the matter through well with you, and then write to me what I should hold on to, and what your goal is if I do not succeed in coming to Sweden. Try whatever you still can; I wrote to the Joint [American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee] in Stockholm a long time ago, but an answer has not come yet.
To my relatives, Aunt J. Rubin and Simon Ilkovic, you can write everything about how things truly stand between us and even more, only you should remember what you wrote. I agree with you on all matters, ever since the time you wrote to me for the first time that you wished to be my wife. And please excuse that I write this letter so poorly—I am not nervous, only impatient about our future. I end my writing to you with many warmest greetings and kisses from your Martin.
Extra greetings to Manczi [Moncsi/Manci] and congratulate her, and please ask her to be helpful to you in all things.
_(Margin note:)_ Is a photo in here?
4 / 4To my relatives, Aunt J. Rubin and Simon Ilkovic, you can write everything about how things truly stand between us and even more, only you should remember what you wrote. I agree with you on all matters, ever since the time you wrote to me for the first time that you wished to be my wife. And please excuse that I write this letter so poorly—I am not nervous, only impatient about our future. I end my writing to you with many warmest greetings and kisses from your Martin.
Extra greetings to Manczi [Moncsi/Manci] and congratulate her, and please ask her to be helpful to you in all things.
_(Margin note:)_ Is a photo in here?
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