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KAMENSHCHIK
DON
NEMENCHINSKI
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K A U N A S,
L I T H U A N I A |
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HOLOCAUST TESTIMONY - ZVI GOLDBERG |
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Kovno Letters From 1938 |
By Zvi Goldberg |
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Preface (By Abbye Brenner): There are two letters, one from October
1938 and the other from December 1938. The December
letter was the last one my grandmother received
from her brother Israel (Zvi) Goldberg. The letters
were written in Yiddish and were translated for
me by the uncle of a Rabbi in California.
My grandmother "Bessie" Goldberg lived in New
Bedford, MA. She married Abraham (Abram) Miller and
had five children, four boys and a girl (Martha, my
mother). If anyone remembers the Zvi Goldberg family
from Kovno or Semeliskes, please
contact me, Abbye Brenner.
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The First of October 1938
Beloved, Dear Sister, Brother-in-Law and Beloved
Nephews and Nieces. In reality my beloved dear
Sister, I already 2 weeks late in answering you.
Besides the letter I just got from you can probably
understand, my beloved and dear Sister how crazy my
life is and I hit the wall. I feel totally isolated.
I leave At 6 in the morning to go out to work and I
was in Semelishok [Semeliskes] but I find myself remain hungry.
Now beloved Sister, how are you doing, all my
dearest and healthy, they all ask about you who are
living high up. Imagine my beloved Sister, they are
all thinking that everything is fine. I Imagine my
Beloved Sister that we are all doing thankfully
well.
We came up with fear, imagine my beloved sister with
your poor health and so much fear that happened to
you. So we need to permanently accept. Don’t think
my dear sister that I refused your advice to go
shopping. With the various troubles the whole world
forget you.
You are in America and your life is safe and you
have a democracy and you are safe and relaxed at
home. Until now it was here not bad as well but
going forward is a question. We are not looking at
better times.
Now my dear sister write me all that is happening by
you and with your health and how is our dear
brother-in-law, your husband doing, and also your
kids and grandkids.
You are thank G-d a grandmother, until 120 years,
write me dear sister of everybody.
You don’t know how happy you make me with your
letter and there will be something to read. Now I
can write you that Mendel’s daughter came to us. She
makes a living, she bakes at home. She lives with
the child Rachel. She is using the clothes that you
have sent my dear sister. The shoes were too small
for Rachel and thank you for all my dear sister.
We are all wishing you good health, and strength and
wealth to you and your entire family. I enjoy
writing you and I wish that my letter finds you in
good health.
From me your brother and brother-in-law and uncle
Zvi Goldberg.
Now a special greeting from Rachel and the kids. She
wanted to write herself but she does not feel good
for two days already. She wishes you health and good
business from me as well.
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Return
Address on Envelope
Italijos gatve N 79B5 |
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December 9, 1938
Dear Sister, Brother-in-law, Nephews and Nieces, you
should live happily and satisfied.
Dear Sister I don’t know what to think that such a
long time I did not hear from you. So please write
me a letter so that I will not be worried and filled
with fear and that will know what is happening with
you. So that I will know that everything at yours is
all right.
We are now in Kovno and not in Semelishok because
my wife is having the other thing G-d forbid. We did
not know what it was so she went to the Doctor. He
said they need to give her a shot and they need to
operate on her or she will die. They said that maybe
the last operation was not good and needs repair. I
can’t tell you what it is but I thought it was much
less serious. My wife has refused to go to him and
show him what she has. She also refused the shots
and the operation. She went a second time to a
second Doctor and the second doctor also told her
the same thing. Now she is talking about going to a
third one and it is going on for five weeks already.
Hershel is staying up with me and never mind, what
shall I write you, I called the doctor over and the
other doctor and imagine my dear sister that doctors
have told us how the operation will come out and
they are asking me to sign. What shall I do, they
are making me crazy so I telephoned my brother from
Semelishok and I asked to come right away on
Saturday morning at eight. They immediately operated
and took three and a half hours. Now it is Shabbat,
five weeks ahead and she can’t even be alone. You
have to watch her like a little kid. It is a wonder
now that she is still alive, never mind the high
cost and we did not have to ask anybody for
anything. Imagine my dear sister that the five days
and the operation cost me four hundred LIT. The best
doctor of Kovno operated on her and now we have to
pay the most expensive and the best but she is with
us again. So much fear and troubles. So I begging
you my dear sister write me soon what you are all
doing and your health. Why my dear sister I get all
these troubles that I am so unlucky. Write me soon
why, why and what you are doing .
Be healthy. Your brother Zvi Goldberg. |
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Postscipt: Zvi Goldberg,
wife and family were all killed in the Holocaust. |
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