Polish Peasant Letters

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

From The Polish Peasant in Europe and America by William Thomas and Florian Znaniecki, 1918.

Specimen Peasant Letters

The following letters, or portions of letters, are printed here to illustrate the elements, as enumerated above, that enter into a letter. It will be understood that these specimens are intended to represent the more primitive and elemental types, into which little of the informing and business elements enters. Specimens of informing and business letters are not reproduced at this point, as they are the dominant type in the later series. See, for examples, Wroblewski series and Kowalski series.

No. 1 below is an almost pure type of bowing letter.

No. 2 is of the same type, written to a priest who took special interest in teaching peasants to write informing letters—not very successfully in this case.

No. 3 is sentimental, designed to "warm the frozen blood" of an absent brother.

No. 4 is the ceremonial-congratulatory portion of a letter.

No. 5 is interesting as containing all the norms of a peasant letter, and also as an example of how proper and charming a letter may be within the traditional norms. The letter was written on "Palmer House" paper, but the writer was either a scrub-girl or a chambermaid. She is
barely literate, as shown by the orthography and the absence of punctuation and capitalization. The girl to whom the letter was addressed could not write at all.

No. 6 is from a girl in Poland to her brother-in-law in America, and shows in its most naive form the character of literary effort. It contains indications that the brother-in-law also was attempting literary achievement.

No. 7 is the beginning of his reply to Magdusia.

No. 8 is the rhymed and versified portion of a ceremonial letter to the writer of No. 7. As poetry it is very bad, and toward the end the versification and rhyme break down

Generally speaking, every literate peasant tries at some time in his life to write poetry, but the tendency expresses itself in profusion only when he begins to write for the newspapers, and this situation we treat in Volume IV.

1. Perth Amboy, N.Y., August 11, 1911

In the first words of my letter, beloved parents, we address you with these words of God: "Praised be Jesus Christus," and we hope that you will answer, "For centuries of centuries. Amen."

And now I inform you about my health and success, that by the favor of God we are well, and we wish you the same. We wish you this, beloved parents, from our whole hearts. We inform you further that we received your letter, which found us in good health, which we wish to you. And now we ask how is the weather in the [old] country, because we have such heat that the sun is 110 degrees warm and many people fell dead from the sun during the summer of this year. Now, beloved father and beloved mother, I kiss your hands and legs. I end my conversation with you. Remain with God. Let God help you with good health and [permit me] to meet with you, beloved parents.

So now I bow to you, beloved sister, and to you, beloved brother-in-law, and I wish you happiness and health and good success—what you yourselves wish from God this same I, with my husband, wish you. So now I bow to Aunt Doruta, and to brother Aleksander, and to Jozef, and to you, my grandmother, and I wish you health and good success; what you yourself wish from God the same I wish to you, beloved grandmother, and to you, beloved sister, together with you, beloved brother. Now I bow to brother-in-law Moscenski and to sister Adela, and we wish them all kinds of success; what they wish from God the same we wish them. Now we send the lowest bow to the Doborkoskis, to brother-in-law and to sister and to their children, and we wish happiness, health, good success. What they wish from God the same we wish to them. Goodbye.

Now I, Stanisław Pienczkowski, send a bow to my [wife's] parents, and I inform you, beloved parents, about my health, and that by the favor of God I am well, and the same I wish to you, beloved parents, and I ask you, beloved parents, why you do not write a letter, because I sent [a letter] to the Nowickis a week later, and they received it, and I cannot wait long enough [cannot endure the waiting] to get a letter. Therefore I ask you, beloved parents, to write me back a letter quicker. [No signature]

2. Gerigswalde

I, Leon Wesoły, writing April 28, 1912. "Praised be Jesus Christus." First of all, I lay down low bows to you, Canon Priest, as to my shepherd, and I inform you, Ecclesiastical Father, about our work and health. Thanks to God and the Holiest Mother, I am well. The work that I have is to arrange the bricks for burning. Also I inform you, Canon Priest, that there was a solar eclipse on the 1st of April from 1 to 2 o'clock, but it happened so indecently that even shivers were catching a man. I do not have more to write, only I lay down sincere low bows from everybody with whom I work and live in this [despicable] Germany. Also I send a low bow to my wife, Rozalja. I do not have more to write. May God grant it. Amen. Praised be Jesus Christus. Address the same.

Leon Wesoły

3. Warsaw, April 29, 1914

"Praised be Jesus Christus."

Dear Brother: [Greetings; health]. Although we write little to each other, almost not at all, and I don't know why such coldness prevails between us, still I write this letter from fraternal feeling, not from principle. I was with our parents for the holidays of the Resurrection of Our Lord. I read your letters, the one and the other. Our parents grieve that we live only for our own selves, like egotists. So it is my duty to take the pen into my hand and with God's help to write you a few words. At first, I thank you, dear brother Jan, for your kind memory of our parents—for not forgetting them. Don't forget them in the future. Our father still looks sound and gay. Mother has grown old already, but she does not look bad, either. I have seen our whole brother-in-law [all of him]. I don't know whether you are acquainted with him. Such an [ordinary] boy! Not even ugly, only too small and with a white head. But our sister Marya looks very sickly. I could not recognize her. Stefa is in good health, but she "lacks the fifth stave" [is crazy]. And Franciszka is sick of consumption. I don't know whether it will be possible to save her, because she has been ill for the whole winter and looks like a shadow. And she is our pride, endowed with knowledge and a clever mind. What faculties she possesses for learning and for everything! So, dear brother, we ought to make the greatest efforts to keep alive a sister whom we love exceedingly and who loves us. This is the result my inquiries in the parental home. I write today letters to our parents also and to our aunt in Zambrow. Write to them also. I send them my photograph. Send yours also. I send my photograph also to you. Send me yours. You know the address of our aunt .... and I beg you, dear brother, [write to her]. She loves us so much though she never sees us. Be so good and God will reward you. This will be her whole comfort, because who can comfort her? She prays God for our health and good success. Don't forget her. I kiss you and shake your hand. Your loving brother forever.

Stanisław Nuczkowski

May this letter warm your frozen blood! Let us live in love and concord, and God will help us.

4. Poręby Wolskie, January 30, 1910

"Praised be Jesus Christus."
Dearest Children, and particularly you, Daughter-in-law: We write you the third letter and we have no answer from you. [Greetings; health; wishes.] We hope that this letter will come to you for February 16, and on February 16 is the day of St. Julianna, patron of our daughter-in-law. Well, we congratulate you, dear daughter-in-law, because it is your name-day. We wish you health and happiness and long life. May you never have any sorrow; may you love one another and live in concord and love; may our Lord God make you happy in human friendship; may you be happy and gay; may our Lord God supply all your wants; may you lack nothing; may our Lord God defend you against every evil accident and keep you in his protection and grant you his gifts, the heavenly dew and the earthly fat. May our Lord God give you every sweetness, make you happy, and save you from evil. This your father and mother wish you from their whole heart

Jan and Ewa Stelmach

5. 28, 1912

I am beginning this letter with the words: "Praised be Jesus Christus," and I hope that you will answer: "For centuries of centuries. Amen."

Dearest Olejniczka: I greet you from my heart, and wish you health and happiness. God grant that this little letter reaches you well, and as happy as the birdies in May. This I wish you from my heart, dear Olejniczka.

The rain is falling; it falls beneath my slipping feet.
I do not mind; the post-office is near.
When I write my little letter,
I will flit with it there.
And then, dearest Olejniczka,
My heart will be light [from giving you a pleasure].
In no grove do the birds sing so sweetly
As my heart, dearest Olejniczka, for you.

Go, little letter, across the broad sea, for I cannot come to you. When I arose in the morning, I looked up to the heavens and thought to myself that to you, dearest Olejniczka, a little letter I must send.

Dearest Olejniczka, I left papa, I left sister and brother and you, to start out in the wide world, and today I am yearning and fading away like the world without the sun. If I shall ever see you again, then, like a little child, of great joy I shall cry. To your feet I shall bow low, and your hands I shall kiss. Then you shall know how I love you, dearest Olejniczka. I went up on a high hill and looked in that far direction, but I see you not, but I see you not, and I hear you not.

Dear Olejniczka, only a few words will I write. As many sand-grains as there are in the field, as many drops of water in the sea, so many sweet years of life I, Walercia, wish you for the Easter holidays. I wish you all good, a hundred years of life, health, and happiness. And loveliness I wish you. I greet you through the white lilies, I think of you every night, dearest Olejniczka.

Are you not in Bielice any more, or what? Answer, as I sent you a letter and there is no answer. Is there no one to write for you?

And now I write you how I am getting along. I am getting along well, very well. I have worked in a factory and I am now working in a hotel. I receive 18 (in our money 32) dollars a month, and that is very good. If you would like it, we could bring Wladzio over some day. We eat here every day what we get only for Easter in our country. We are bringing over Helena and brother now. I had $120 and I sent back $90.

I have no more to write, only we greet you from our heart, dearest Olejniczka. And the Olejniks and their children; and Wladyslaw we greet; and the Szases with their children; and the Zwolyneks with their children; and the Grotas with their children, and the Gyrlas with their children; and all our acquaintances we greet.

My address: North America [etc.]

Goodbye. For the present, sweet goodbye.

6. Wólka Sokołowska, April 22

I sit down at a table
In a painted room.
My table shakes.
I write a letter to you, dear sister and
brother-in-law.
A lily blossomed
And it was the Virgin Mary.
I dreamed thus
That my heart was near yours.
First we shall greet each other,
But not with hands,
Only with those godly words.
The words "Praised be Jesus Christus."

I inform you now that it is cold here, hard to plant or to sow anything. I beg you, don't be angry with me for not having answered you [for] so long, but I had no time.

Now I am writing to you, dear brother-in-law, with a smile, for when I read your letter, I laughed very much arid I thought that you must have been in a good school since you knew so [well] how to compose that letter. But all this [that you write] is nothing [cannot come to pass], for is there any boy quite ready to come [and to marry me]?

Now, dear sister Ulis, I inform you that Jasiek went to you and I remained at home, for we could not both go together. And then, perhaps [sister] Hanka will get married, so there would be nobody to work. Perhaps there will be a wedding [Hanka's] when everything is planted. Now I beg you, dear brother-in-law, and you, Ulis, send me a few cents, for when I am a best maid, I should like to treat my .... [illegible word], and I have no money, for at home nothing can be earned. And I think that you don't need much money yet, for you have no children. Now I thank our Lord God that I have got such a good and funny brother-in-law, that we know how to speak to each other in such a funny way in our letters. When I am marrying I will invite you to be my best man. Now there won't be any war. Now there is nothing more interesting at home, only we are in good health, all of us, and we wish you the same. Our cattle are healthy, thanks to God. There is nothing more to write. When Hanusia is married they will write for you [to come] and invite you…

[Greetings.]

[Magdusia]

Now, dear [cousin] Jagus, I write to you. When father was once in your mother's house, your mother talked much against you, for when Makar was coming back to our country Jozef [your husband] wanted to give [send] trousers and a blouse, but you did not give [them]. So your mother is angry with you.

7. April 6, 1914
Go, little letter, by railway
But don't go to the tavern, where people drink beer.
For if you went there, you would get drunk.
And you would never find the way to my sister.
Go, little letter, through fields and meadows
And when you reach Magdusia, kiss her hand.
And now "Praised be Jesus Christus" and Mary, his mother, for she is worthy of it

[Józef Dybiec]

8. Brannau, December 11, 1910

...And now, beloved brother and dear brother-in-law,
On the solemn day of Christmas and New Year
I send wishes to your home.
And I beg you, beloved brother-in-law and sister and dear brother.
Accept my wishes.
For I am of the same blood as you.
On this solemn day I am also rejoicing.
And if I live and come back, I shall wish you by words.
I think that I shall live to come back to you.
And I wish you to live until then,
And to congratulate together one another.
For the day of New Year I wish you everything;

May the Lord God bless you from His high heaven.
I wish you happiness and every good luck,
And, after death, in heaven a heavenly joy.
As many sands as there are in the sea, as many fishes in the rivers,
Even so much health and money I wish you.
As many drops as fall into the sea,
Even so much happiness may, God grant you.
And now I wish you happy holidays
And a happy "Hey, kolenda, kolenda!”
And may you live until a gay and happy New Year.
And may God grant you health and strength for work,
And may you earn much money.
And I wish you a fine and merry amusement
On Christmas day at the supper.
I will not write you more in verses,
For I have to write in other words [i.e., in prose].

Stanisław Dybiec

Thomas, William Isaac, and Florian Znaniecki. The Polish Peasant in Europe and America: Monograph of an Immigrant Group. Richard G. Badger, 1918.

William Thomas and Florian Znaniecki

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