Need help deciphering private letter of German social-democrat political leader circa 1915! His wife committed suicide under suspicious circumstances so I’m ploughing through his personal correspondence to find out more… Anybody who could help me decipher?

by IJzerenFelix

6 comments

  1. I can’t read it either but sounds like an interesting topic, good luck!

  2. Amsterdam, 2/12 02 (12?)

    Mein werther Gerhard,
    Herzlichen Dank für Ihre Zuschrift.
    Bedauere recht sehr, das (sic!) Ihre liebe Frau nicht auf dem Dam (?) (sic! Damm) ist und der (?????) unter (?????).

    In den nächsten Tagen will ich mir gestatten einmal bei Ihnen vorzusprechen.

    Auf baldiges Wiedersehen,
    Ihr
    J. Bahlmann.

    This is what I could make out. Maybe someone else can get to the part about the wife. Did she die immediately or did it take a while. Because the expression I may have decyphered (“nicht auf dem Damm”) – unsure if this is 100% – would be an expression that means she is unwell.

    My dear Gerhard,.
    Thank you very much for your letter.
    I regret deeply that your dear wife is not doing well and (?????…????)…

    I will allow myself to come by personally during the next days.

    See you quite soon.
    Your
    J. Bahlmann.

  3. Mein werter Gerhard, herzlichen Dank für Ihre Zuschrift!
    That’s how far I come.

    But interesting topic! Could you tell us more, please?

  5. try the twitch streamer geschriebenegeschichte he is specialised in this kind of writing and letters

  6. Chat GPT came up with this.
    Sure, I can help with that. Here is the deciphered text from the old German handwriting:

    —

    9/12 04,

    Mein werther Gebhardt!

    Herzlichen Dank für Ihre Nachricht!

    Bedauer es sehr, Ihre Bitte jetzt nicht erfüllen zu können. Das Zeit und der Haus drückt sehr.

    In der nächsten Reise, wie ich mir gedacht, will ich Ihnen versprochen auf baldiges Wiedersehen.

    Ihr A. Brahmann

    —

    Translation to English:

    —

    December 9, 1904,

    My dear Gebhardt!

    Heartfelt thanks for your message!

    I regret very much that I cannot fulfill your request at the moment. The time and the house press heavily.

    On the next trip, as I thought, I will promise you to see you again soon.

    Yours,
    A. Brahmann

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