1Translation
**Dearest Laje'u of mine! B"H** _(Baruch Hashem / With God's Help)_
I called you on the phone today and you did not answer; from 10 to 8 o'clock I waited at the post office, surely you were away on a trip. Dearest Laje'u, the reason for my phone call is/was your two letters—one from the 15th and one from the 17th of this month. For at the last minute, when I received the 3-month visa for Sweden and also the affidavit for the U.S.A., you started warning me that I will have to work hard in Sweden, and that roasted pigeons don't fly into one's mouth—meaning I will have to be sadder there and other things. I am no deceiver/deceiver of minds, not as you...
1 / 8I called you on the phone today and you did not answer; from 10 to 8 o'clock I waited at the post office, surely you were away on a trip. Dearest Laje'u, the reason for my phone call is/was your two letters—one from the 15th and one from the 17th of this month. For at the last minute, when I received the 3-month visa for Sweden and also the affidavit for the U.S.A., you started warning me that I will have to work hard in Sweden, and that roasted pigeons don't fly into one's mouth—meaning I will have to be sadder there and other things. I am no deceiver/deceiver of minds, not as you...
2Translation
...take me for, and I am playing no theater/games with you. I played theater when the time was right for it, but at such a distance one certainly plays no theater. If you have another reason, write to me, Laje'u—perhaps you have found someone better, and that is why you call me only for a visit, meaning a luxury trip? Now, my dearest, is not a time for beautiful, sweet letters; I am writing to you openly everything that I will do.
Above all, I note to you that you brought this to my attention too late, and I am not afraid. It can only cost me 20,000 to 25,000 Kč [Czechoslovak korunas] if I turn out not to be to your liking. Above all, I am determined to receive the passport and to come to Gothenburg. The money...
2 / 8Above all, I note to you that you brought this to my attention too late, and I am not afraid. It can only cost me 20,000 to 25,000 Kč [Czechoslovak korunas] if I turn out not to be to your liking. Above all, I am determined to receive the passport and to come to Gothenburg. The money...
3Translation
..I will leave here, for if I want to take it with me, I lose almost 3/4 of it; or I will try to lose the 3/4 and bring 1/4 part along, but over this I still have a month's time to figure out. You, my Laje'u, I will not abandon; I want to have you if you want me. At your place we will discuss everything, and you have full right to your word before we are even married.
What do you think, Laje'u, if in the meantime—God forbid—misfortune should strike you, would I abandon you?No! I do not want you as a slave; I want to spare you to the best of my ability. I am not as you imagine, but I certainly do not want to be a slave for anyone in Sweden either; about that we will...
3 / 8What do you think, Laje'u, if in the meantime—God forbid—misfortune should strike you, would I abandon you?No! I do not want you as a slave; I want to spare you to the best of my ability. I am not as you imagine, but I certainly do not want to be a slave for anyone in Sweden either; about that we will...
4Translation
...discuss everything in detail together, and I hope you will agree. Furthermore, I have a plan to come to the U.S.A. through you; should I succeed, the gain will be realized, and if not, then you will travel with me from Sweden to where we can have a better existence. To this letter, do not send your reply to Bratislava, but only:
To Humenné, to Joli Lefković care of M. Ilković, separately—not together with her letters—and express [by express mail].
I am not giving up my good position, and even if I return in half a year, they will take me back, for I have gained enough goodwill here. As for the kitchen items, I do not know if I will be able to take them with me; I will do everything that one can, but against the law...
4 / 8To Humenné, to Joli Lefković care of M. Ilković, separately—not together with her letters—and express [by express mail].
I am not giving up my good position, and even if I return in half a year, they will take me back, for I have gained enough goodwill here. As for the kitchen items, I do not know if I will be able to take them with me; I will do everything that one can, but against the law...
5Translation
..I will attempt nothing against the law, Laje’u. My goal is you and my relatives in the U.S.A., for I have no one else. It is unfortunately bitter enough for me when I must pour out my heart to you in such exact detail.
Today I was at the doctor from the health insurance office (_Krankenkasse_) because I complained that my back hurts. A young woman was there too, and they laughed at me; then I said that I have rheumatism, so they gave me a voucher for Piešťany for 10 mineral baths. That is truly a worker's right—under the old Czechoslovak Republic (Č.S.R.) one could never have obtained that!
First I will take care of all my official business, and then I am going to Piešťany; I hope to have the passport in 2 weeks, and in 1 or 1 1/2 months to be with you at Chalmersgatan 19, if you still love me.
5 / 8Today I was at the doctor from the health insurance office (_Krankenkasse_) because I complained that my back hurts. A young woman was there too, and they laughed at me; then I said that I have rheumatism, so they gave me a voucher for Piešťany for 10 mineral baths. That is truly a worker's right—under the old Czechoslovak Republic (Č.S.R.) one could never have obtained that!
First I will take care of all my official business, and then I am going to Piešťany; I hope to have the passport in 2 weeks, and in 1 or 1 1/2 months to be with you at Chalmersgatan 19, if you still love me.
6Translation
...and if you have not given your heart to someone else. For all these Jews who have fled from here are swindlers who had heavy millions in money, and all of them fear that everyone will have to work, each according to their ability. I am in no political party and I will not be, but I am from a working-class family and cannot think otherwise. For you write to me that [I am coming] "from hell into heaven", and you [went] "from heaven into hell" and there one must work hard—why am I going to a spa treatment then?Did you not suffer enough in the concentration camp?Everywhere is good, but in hardship/sorrow it is not.
What you should not write to me... I am traveling on Sunday to Humenné, perhaps earlier. I want to have the shirts tailored/remade here, for in Bratislava I have...
6 / 8What you should not write to me... I am traveling on Sunday to Humenné, perhaps earlier. I want to have the shirts tailored/remade here, for in Bratislava I have...
7Translation
..a good well-known seamstress, a Slavic woman, so tomorrow I am going to her. Do not send me the poplin skirt, for I will have enough things to lug around, and besides, you didn't want to send it to me with a full heart anyway.
You must understand me, my dearest Laje'u, and not treat me like this in the decisive hour, when I dispatched the telegram to you with such overwhelming joy—just like the first time you were on the phone, when I could not even speak for joy! At noon I received the papers, and in the afternoon I did not go back to work. That is the promise I kept, that I would not work another hour, just as I wrote to you. I immediately ran to the post office, and to the Joint or HIAS...
7 / 8You must understand me, my dearest Laje'u, and not treat me like this in the decisive hour, when I dispatched the telegram to you with such overwhelming joy—just like the first time you were on the phone, when I could not even speak for joy! At noon I received the papers, and in the afternoon I did not go back to work. That is the promise I kept, that I would not work another hour, just as I wrote to you. I immediately ran to the post office, and to the Joint or HIAS...
8Translation
..will arrange the passport for me. That it costs money, I know; I was and am determined to risk it, and for all that money, we could exist in Czechoslovakia (Č.S.R.) for 3 years without working.
Once again, I note to you clearly:
When I receive the passport, I am traveling to you, and I love you as before, if you still love me; the rest we will discuss together in joy. Regarding the money, you can certainly advise me; regarding that, I will also try to travel once I have the passport. I have given you information on everything, not because I am afraid, but only because, as far as I am concerned, you are already entitled to know about it. Awaiting your fast express letter at Joli Lefković's in Humenné.
Excuse my nervous letter, but with great love for you, and I greet and kiss you from my nervous heart, your Mojšu.
8 / 8Once again, I note to you clearly:
When I receive the passport, I am traveling to you, and I love you as before, if you still love me; the rest we will discuss together in joy. Regarding the money, you can certainly advise me; regarding that, I will also try to travel once I have the passport. I have given you information on everything, not because I am afraid, but only because, as far as I am concerned, you are already entitled to know about it. Awaiting your fast express letter at Joli Lefković's in Humenné.
Excuse my nervous letter, but with great love for you, and I greet and kiss you from my nervous heart, your Mojšu.
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