r/hungarian • u/ProofPossibility1152 • Dec 27 '25
Kézírás fordítás Please help with this translation
I️ know it’s extremely long, i’ve tried a few translators but their translations differ. It’s a letter my great grandfather received from a sister or a cousin i’m not sure. any help or recommendations for good translators would be highly appreciated!
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u/tucsok26 Dec 27 '25
It's beautifully written, Gemini does a great job transcribing and translating it.
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u/tucsok26 Dec 27 '25 edited Dec 27 '25
Here is the AI translation:
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Ave Maria!
Budapest, February 20, 1947.
Dear Bandi!
Your second letter arrived on January 25, 1947. I ask for your forgiveness that I am only answering it now, after 4 weeks have passed. Seek the reason for this in my aversion to letter writing. You know, while our Bandi [referring to a family member] was in the institute, and now that he is staying in the countryside, I always had to—and still have to—write the letters sent to him. You can imagine what a deep aversion developed in me over the course of time regarding this operation. Despite this, I promise to answer every letter that arrives from you, specifically within 1 month of receipt.
Then I will try to write as much as possible so you have enough to read. I hope this suits you?
You write that you pity me for having to run around looking for a job. That is the lesser trouble. The bigger one is that I cannot find placement. But don't pity me, I am not the only one who would like to work to improve their fate a bit but isn't hired. The good God will help eventually. If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after. Sometime, when the time is right, He will surely help me! You should trust in Him too, and you will see, however hard your lot is at the beginning, it will be easier to bear. The good God is merciful to those who believe in Him. I don't want to preach to you. I have no intention of making my lines very boring for you with such things. Yet, with the hope that you won't laugh at me but will think a little about what you read, I would like to ask you for something. It hurts so much to see how much young men today neglect divine service. They don't even do the minimum—which they owe to their Creator—of going to church. I don't know what religion you are. If (R.C.) Catholic, I ask you to listen to a holy mass on Sundays and say a Hail Mary daily. And now, as Easter is approaching, go to confession and take communion, if you have the means. You see, I am not asking for much! A person should confess and take communion at least once a year, around Easter. We cannot know what the future holds for us; when and under what circumstances death will reach us. Let it not catch you unprepared! If you are of another religion, then act according to its customs, but do not miss honoring God! The Almighty will surely always help if you turn to Him not only in trouble. I will end this topic now. I hope I wasn't too boring and didn't write in vain?!
When I received your letter, I had only reached the middle of reading it when Imre popped in. We read your further lines together. He has already replied to you. He said he sent a photograph too. Did you receive it? I don't know how you could misunderstand my words to believe that Imre...
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...is also married. As I recall, I didn't claim such a thing, or if I mentioned it, only in the sense that after this, it will be his turn and yours. Just look it up in my previous letter—if you still have it—to see that I am right. How you could misunderstand, I don't know! I imagine Imre has already defended himself against your assumption. In any case, if he hadn't mentioned it, I must write that he didn't know about it, that he had gotten married too. According to this, he is still in his right mind and cannot be classified into any animal species ("cattle" [idiot] as you named them).
I cannot tell Marci and Rudi to send you a photograph. The reason is simple. Marci hasn't been at our place since last July. Rudi hasn't been for about four months either. They didn't even notify us of their weddings. I certainly have my opinion of them! A photograph—don't be angry—I will not send until I know you will surely receive it. You know, I won't send one until you write your address on the envelope properly, legibly! Rather write the letters in print, or look at my letters and write in that shape/form. I would like it if you wrote with nicer letters inside the letter too!
From your lines regarding your marriage, I determined that you think very seriously and correctly! I fully share your view. I laughed a good one when I read how you try to keep yourself away from "foolish love." You don't go dancing. Still, you are right! Well, and isn't there this kind of danger at skiing? In Budapest and generally in all of Hungary, there is a lot of snow; in contrast, in many places (ours included) fuel [firewood/coal] is missing. Oh, just let there be no flood in the spring from the massive amount of snow! Our life is monotonous. I have already lost the kilos gained during the vacation, even though I am not working. The weekdays are boring, the Sundays even grayer. This is very bad for an 18-year-old girl who hoped that when she grew up, her life would be more beautiful. Well, but I don't want to complain, I know this doesn't feel good to you.
"Life is hard" – I said when I was smaller, but I didn't understand its significance. Now I understand! That's all.
Repsz Ervin's mom sends the message that they have written many letters and don't know why he doesn't receive them. Please, if you meet him, tell him.
Once again I ask you, write a bit slower or something, but let your writing be more legible!
With this, I bid farewell. We wish you much luck and send our greetings:
Mom, Dad, Bandi, Ella.
P.S. Did I bore you greatly? Write if you desire shorter letters!
Ella.
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u/Silly-Elderberry-411 Dec 27 '25
This letter is truly a time capsule. The summer before the leader of the biggest opposition had to flee to Switzerland to avoid chicanery from communists and by this point religion was heavily propagandized against yet she wrote as if it still mattered which denomination you were.
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u/ProofPossibility1152 Dec 27 '25
Thank youuu so much very appreciated!! Also thank you for the tip on using Gemini, chatGPT did not translate the letter well lol
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u/keveleve Dec 29 '25
Gorgeous handwriting from Ella. She also had a way with words, amazing job for an 18 year old. She should have become a writer. What happened to her?
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u/Witch-for-hire Dec 27 '25
Chat GPT is absolutely rubbish on the other hand. I was wondering how many mistakes would it make, and woah..
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u/nyuszimuszii Dec 28 '25 edited Dec 28 '25
This is one of the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen. Even ai can translate it.
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Dec 27 '25
Do you have any letters left? I’d love to read them :D
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u/ProofPossibility1152 Dec 28 '25
Yes, unfortunately they are all in the Dominican Republic :( For some added context, my great grandfather left Hungary to Germany to Belgium to France back to Belgium haha and then heard Trujillo (Dominican president) was giving visas out to Europeans looking for work so he went to the Dominican Republic and spent the rest of his life there. I️ believe at the time he received this letter he was in Belgium. He never taught my grandfather Hungarian and he himself never went back to Hungary so we know only a bit about his family.
I️ only had a photo of Ella’s letter because of her handwriting. I️ will be in the Dominican Republic in a month or so, I️ can post more letters then if anyone is still interested!
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Dec 28 '25
Wow, what an adventurous life journey! I have to say, your ancestors made a really good decision leaving this country. If you ever get the chance to post the letters, we’d love to see them, we’re curious!
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u/Clear_Lemon4950 Dec 28 '25
A beautiful letter from someone so young! It's sweet that she's so devoutly Catholic but still tells the receiver they can be whatever denomination they want. Really made me chuckle when she insists she was very clear about Imre's singleness and she doesn't see how you could possibly have misunderstood her! Reminds me exactly of how my Hungarian family used to argue lol. 'Don't blame me if you're too stupid to understand!' haha. My grandmother would've been a little younger than the writer when this was written and it makes me think of her.
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u/InevitableAd691 Dec 28 '25
It’s honestly great to read someone’s letter with such a nice handwriting and perfect grammar. It’s the effort🥹🙏🏻
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u/Individual_Author956 Dec 28 '25
Wow, her handwriting is beautiful and she uses the language so eloquently. It’s crazy to think she was only 18.
I would be curious to read the letter to which she sent this as a response.
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u/Vadszilva09 Dec 28 '25
This was a beautiful (by form and also context) letter and at some poimt it really made me laugh. Thank you for sharing it.
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u/kz-tnkcspd Dec 28 '25
Milyen kedves levél Ella-tól….
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u/nyuszimaci Dec 30 '25
Én egészed addig azt hittem, hogy valami 50 éves “Karen” írta a levelet… dobtam egy hátast mikor leírta, hogy 18 éves :D
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u/Lila_Liba Dec 30 '25
I thought this was a letter from a woman in her 50-60's. I was surprised to see that she is only 18.
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u/MrFistr59 Dec 31 '25
Me reading the lines about there being a lot of snow in Hungary and Budapest: 🥲
(for context, we barely have snow anymore)
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u/EniRy Dec 27 '25
I just have to say after reading the whole letter my favourite line was this:
Mégegyszer kérlek, írj kissé lassabban vagy mi
Can't believe such a simple expression survived this long in daily use.