Letters from Latvia - Nica 17th of September 1947

Janis CIRKSIS was a displaced person (DP) after the Soviet union annexed Latvia and the Baltic states during WWII. This is a continuation in the series of letters that he received from his homeland, translated into English. To see the other letters in the series click HERE.

This the 6th letter in the series, is a little unique from the other letter so far in that it appears to be a response to a letter Lidija (Janis's new and somewhat controversial wife) wrote to Kate (Janis' sister). Most of the letter is about this relationship with a little bit at the end addressing the day to day life in Nica at the time.

I just had a look at the original letter associated with this translation and it is a marvel that the very small writing was legible! No doubt being able to zoom in on the digitised copies played a crucial role in their translation. For more information on having your old Latvian documents translated please click HERE

17.9.47, at Nica

My dear brother and dear sister-in-law!

Yesterday, on the day of our threshing party, we received a letter from you, my brother’s life partner. Every day we wait to receive letter, for another one to come from you, our dear ones far away. That is perhaps what we wait for so very much,  now that you, our dear Janis, have had a change in your life, you have found yourself a life partner. And yesterday we were happily surprised by the letter written by Lidija alone. It is good that you have thought to do that. Since we are now members of one family all together, but God has destined us to still be living apart,  we must try ourselves to somehow strengthen the new bonds, by writing even a few lines. So yesterday your letter, our dear Lidija, left me with such a feeling.   I was convinced that my sister-in-law would be Vera. Yes, that was definitely to be expected, but we actually wished, that that would not happen.   I don’t know, Janis, if you knew that or not, because we did not want to oppose your wishes. We thought, Janis, that you would not have an easy life with Vera. She wanted everything to happen as she wished. And mum says that perhaps this now is really your happiness  and that for Lidija, after a hard life with the first husband , God has granted  a happier life, that you have earned it. And in my opinion Janis will be a good husband. That is why Vera wanted Janis, and maybe also because of our farm. But one thing I really can’t understand is whether Vera was truly without love and whether she really forced and influenced Janis  in everything. But I do know that in her love there were many dark threads which could have made your life with Vera bitter, Janis. And I really can’t believe that she wanted you for a husband  out of love only  and that you could love her  with no doubt or bitterness. I know you had your differences of opinion. And we really quietly hoped that on returning home Janis would have become free of her influence or that he might even marry while away. And now that has happened, but don’t be angry that we are a bit concerned that your wife is so much older than you. We are not angry but we are afraid that this might cause tears and pain later on both sides.  But we don’t want to believe that you would have joined your lives together without considering everything.  Pure and true love stands above everything, it is the only thing that can keep two people happy to the end of their lives. May God grant you that! Lidija, tell us something about yourself sometime and I would like to ask for a family photo of you, if not an individual one.  We  would be very please  and interested to see it. If you can, my dear ones, please send it. God only knows how much longer we must live apart. Last night we celebrated the end of the threshing, the Pavils’ lad played, we danced a bit, but we had pain in our hearts too, how much happier we would be if you, Janis, were with us and you too, Lidija, and your son with  you. Then we would be infinitely happier. Soon we will start to lift the potatoes, we will manage the work. Our choir went to Ventspils to sing. I will never forget the trip through Kurzeme. So live well and happily, our dear ones. Your family.