05 Dec 1937, Poland



BIENIECKI Family about 1911. 
Wtadestawa is one of the young girls.



5 December 1937

Dear brother!

I’m very sad that I didn’t have any letter from you for very long time. Why are you forgetting about your sister, when we promised to write to each other. Don’t think that I don’t answer to your letters, as I always responded to each of them. Our mother told me that you said that I don’t answer your letters. But the truth is that I did respond to each of your letters. Maybe we just don’t write often enough to each other, so forgive me.

I would like to get at letter from you every day, and I’m waiting always, but the letter is not coming. So my dear brother, what do you think about that. You probably think that I’m not good person, that I don’t care to write. I would write every day, but when I’m ready to start, Hanka says “mom, just wait and I will write letter too”. However she puts this away for some time, and time is passing by. The letter was not sent and that is the fact. So today I decided to write and not put it away anymore.

I must tell you that next time when you come the train is coming all the way to Rypin. This happened in fall of this year. So now you can get directly by train to Rypin and you don’t have to change to take a bus from Brodnica or Sierpiec.

Because of that Rypin is growing and is not a little hole on the earth anymore. I plan to travel to visit Mom during the holidays. She does not feel good anymore, she does not sit on the chair anymore, only is staying in bed. This makes me sad to see her this way, and it breaks my heart to see how hard this is for her. I have very bad headaches, I’m stressed out because my responsibilities at home don’t allow me to be with Mom and help her. So this makes me think “It is worth to have kids?” The same will happen to us probably. Believe me, I love our mommy so much and I feel for her situation. My life is hard too and I feel the weight of work and responsibilities. Life is like that. The responsibility for taking care of the parents is passed from generation to generation. In this situation the most hurt are the parents. I hope that we will be in a better situation.

John, I wonder if you will come to us this year. Please write to me about that. We all are waiting for you. Write a long letter to me. Now I’m sending hugs and kisses to you all and I wish you all a very Happy Christmas Holidays.

P.S.

Dear Pela!

Please write few words together with John, because when I sent few words to you, I didn’t get any word back. I would like to know you better and hope we could be close. You have a beautiful kids, especially one of your sons.

Please write right away and hope to see you soon my sister.

Wtadestawa

NOTES:

• Wtadastawa BIENIECKI-STOBIECKI was John BINIEWSKI's sister, born in 1884.  She married Leon STOBIECKI and had 2 children: daughter, Hanka, and a son, Wladek.  She died after 1980.
• Daughter Hanka married Dr. Henry HUBER and immigrated to the US much later.
• Pela is short for Pelagia, John's wife.

This letter is from the collection of Uncle Peter J. BINIEWSKI. 
Special thanks to cousin Dan B. for sharing this letter and to my friend Ela N. for translating the letter.