Axel Holm to Alma C. Wilson 1946.12.7
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LETTER FROM AXEL HOLM DATED DECEMBER 7-1946, TO ALMA. WRITTEN ON STATIONARY FROM THE BAKERY. NO ENVELOPE. A LOT OF CONFUSING LANGUAGE IN THIS ONE; I’VE TRIED TO STAY TRUE TO THE ORIGINAL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANS.
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Stjørdal den 7-12-1946
Kjære Alma.
Tak for dit brev, og alt de di sender os. Fik forige dagen brev fra Johan vor han forteller os at han er sykelig, det er litt leit når det er hjertet det er ifra de livet uttgår siger den gamle bibel bok. Her er det på det gamle, Ole er lit skral, men er vist litt bedre, det er nu enstund siden jeg var og besøkte ham. Laura fik nu pakke en dag fra Inez? Nilsen (Vilson?). og hun styre veldigt. Her er det et meget deiligt veir det er ca 5 gr varme nu strax før jul har ikke hatt sne enda.
Min hustru er nu litt bedre, Jeg siger hun er som en Lerke en vakker Mai morgen, du må si Johan dette så drømmer han om gamle Norge. Vil du vere snild og spørge Johan vad måned og årstal han reiste og vor gammel han var og om han var utlært smed og hvem han lærte hos, og vor han blev fødd om det var på gammle Palastina grensen imott Porktrøa mott syd og Kamnesset i vest, Merakerbanen i nord med trøplass (mener han Holmstrø?) og Stjørdalselva og sme Hans i bak grunden, ja dette blev mange spørsmål men tror at det frisker op gammle minder, og det har vi ikke nogen skade av, og sammen ligne den gammle tid da folket var sparsom, taksam, og nøisom, og gudfryktig og var redd det onde. I dag er det Kravets tid, misnøie, bitterhed, hovmod, utakk, streik, og lite tak for vi har det så bra intet er rett. alle klager. og lite gudsfrykt og få har bruk for frelsen i Jesus Kristus. (Jeg har en mistanke om at den egentlige grunnen til at Axel spør alle disse spørsmålene er med tanke på å skrive noe om han i avisen etterat han er død. Det han spør om her er omtrent nøyaktig de tingene som er nevnt i et avisutklipp jeg har, som jeg fikk av Axel’s sønn, Einar, for noen år siden)
Ja nu har vi slakettet Julegrisen en stor rugg 180 kg. Jeg stelte den meste selv. både sylte og pølse, jeg gjikk i lære hos min kjære Helga og da hun desverre ikke er hjemme må mann greie sig selv, og det gjikk bra, nu har jeg kokt såpe og den blev fin. Jeg er godt over til rengjøringen og er nu såpkokar, du må hels store bror med det. Helga er nu litt bedre en før vor lenge det varer vett ingen. for 6 uger siden trodde jeg det blev hendes Jordeferd. men jeg fik hende tilbake en tid så Gud er god mot os. Ja nu er det snart Jul. Di for ha en velsignet Jul og et rikt Nytt ar, med kraft ifra Herren både til at leve og til at dø.
Min kraft fulendes i din skrøpelighed.
Beste Julehilsen fra os alle
Helga. Axel. Es 43: 1-2
Skrevet av Herborg: Kjære Alma! Jeg ønsker dere allesammen en riktig God Jul og godt n ytt år! Du må hilse onkel Johan med at nu har både tante Laura og jeg fått pakkerne med sko – kalosjer – strømper etc. Tusen takk!
Hilsen fra Herborg.
Stjørdal 7-12-1946 (Dec. 7-’46)
Dear Alma
Thank you for your letter, and everything you send to us. Had a letter from Johan the other day where he tells us he’s not well, it’s not good when it’s the heart that’s where life comes from the old bible book says. Here everything is the same, Ole is a little under the weather, but apparently doing better, it’s been a while since I’ve been to visit him. Laura has gotten a package from Inez? Nilsen (Vilson?). and she’s so excited. We’re having wonderful weather it’s 5 degr now just before Christmas haven’t had snow yet.
My wife is a little better now, I say she’s like a Lark on a beautiful May morning, tell Johan this and he’ll dream about old Norway. Would you please ask Johan which month and year he left and how old he was and if he was a trained blacksmith and who he learned from, and where he was born if it was at the old the Palestina border (the name of an area in Hegra, just below the Nedre Hembre farm, where Ola Markussen Hembre was from) to Porktrøa towards the south and Kamnesset in the west, the Meraker railroad in the north with trøplass (this may be the same as Holmstrø) and Stjørdalselva (the Stjørdal river) and sme Hans (Blacksmith Hans) in the background, yes this was a lot of questions but I think that it’ll bring up old memories, and that wont hurt us, to compare the old days when people were thrifty, thankful, and frugal, and god fearing and were scared of evil. Today is the time of Demands, displeasure, bitterness, arrogance, ingratitude, strike, and little thanks for what we have nothing is right. everybody complains. and little fear of god and few have a need for the salvation in Jesus Christ. (I suspect that the real reason behind him wanting to know these things about John is that he’s already thinking about writing a piece about him in the local newspaper after his death. I have an old copy of John’s obituary from the Stjørdal newspaper, given to me by Einar Holm, Axel’s son a few years back. All the above things that Axel is asking about John are mentioned in this obituary).
Well now we have butchered our Christmas pig a thumping big one of 180 kg. I made most of it myself. both the mock brawn and the sausages, I was an apprentice with my dear Helga and as she unfortunately is not at home the old man has to manage on his own, and it went well, now I have cooked soap and it turned out fine. I’ve gone on to the cleaning up and am now a soap maker, tell big brother that. Helga is a little better now than before how long it’ll last nobody knows. 6 weeks ago I thought it was her last day. but I got her back for a while so God is good to us. Well now it’ll soon be Christmas. Have a blessed Christmas and a rich New year, with strength from the Lord to both live and to die.
My strength will be complete in your fragility (no idea what he means).
Best Christmas wishes from us all
Helga. Axel. Es. 43: 1-2
Written by Herborg: Dear Alma! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy new year! Tell uncle Johan that both aunt Laura and I have received the packages with the shoes – galoshes - stockings etc. Thanks a lot!
Best wishes from Herborg
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- 1940s, Alma C. Wilson, Axel Holm, Bible passage, blacksmith, Christmas, God, Herborg Holm, Jesus, John Holm, Kamnesset, Meraker, Norway to US, Palestina, pig, politics, porktrøa, postwar, railroad, sausages, sickness, Stjørdal, Stjørdalselva, strikes
Citation
- Axel Holm, "Axel Holm to Alma C. Wilson 1946.12.7," in A Shoebox of Norwegian Letters, Item #41, https://huginn.net/shoebox/letters/items/show/41 (accessed December 11, 2024).
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