Hello! Could somebody help me translate my grandfathers’ diary from when he fled during WWII? Sadly none of my family speaks Latvian and my grandfather passed away over 50 years ago. This would mean a lot since we don’t know much about him and his life.

18 comments

  2. He did collect 4 liters of berries and apples.
    Looks like it was boring.

    Nothing happened or collected berries and apples.

    Also he played cards until 10pm.

    Edit. He also bought apples.

  4. This ain’t all correct probably. While I took no liberties, I also do not have TOO much time, so to speak.

    Sunday – Kitchen duty

    Monday – nothing special

    Tuesday – Made a mast for a boat. This type of sail (picture of the square sail.)

    Wednesday – Early mornin drove with Arvīds to fish. Till lunch we had just 4 perches. (Translators note: getting just 4 fish and them all perches? Worst thing that happened in 1945, I tell you what.) Both worked hard. After lunch we both picked berries. got 4 (?) cowberries. Got a bucket of apples.

    Thursday – nothing special.

    Friday – Before lunch picked 4 cowberry litres. After lunch – 5 litres of cowberries. In the evening dad and mom invited me to say my goodbyes at Eriksones house (could be that someone has died.) Played cards till 22.00, then went to buy apples.

    Saturday – Clear weather. Today kitchen duty and sauna. All day cleaned and warmed (threw firewood to keep up the heat) the sauna. At 21.00 in the evening everyone’s clean and at 22.00 me and Vita (not sure) went to Eriksones to have coffee. Joked and played cards all night till 1 am. Today (just guessing the names) Mateuss, Skalde and Federis went away. Dad went with my mom when she went to Goteburg (expression meaning that he took her to the bus station or so.) They went at 13.30. Mom has kitchen duty.

  5. So, this is what I made out:
    2nd- kitchen duty today
    3rd- nothing special
    4th- made a boat mast (from looking up zēģeles is sail, so I guess it means) sail type (picture where the text says rope)
    5th-Today early morning went fishing with Arvīdu (name). Till noon we caught only 4 perches. Both (couldn’t make out). Afternoon went berry picking, picked 4 (not sure what measurement). In the evening got an apple.
    6th- nothing special
    7th- today before noon picked 4 litres lingoberries, in the afternoon 5 litres. In the evening dad and mom invited to a goodbye coffee with Eriksonas (female surname). Played cards till 10pm. Then went to buy apples.
    8th- the weather is clear. Today kitchen and sauna duty. Spent the entire day cleaning and preparing (sauna). Till 9 in the evening we all washed and at 10 with Vita(female name) went to Erikson for coffee. Made a lot of jokes and played cards. At 1am went berry picking(maybe, something to do with berries).
    Today went Matis(not sure of this name), Skalde and Federi. Dad saw off Federi’s mother to Geteborg. They left at half to nine. Mom on kitchen duty.

  6. If you want the whole journal translated I would suggest to hire a translator. It is quite a lot of work and your grandfather uses expressions and words that aren’t common nowadays (you can see other redditors arguing already)

  7. Thanks for sharing and everyone’s help translating! Please post more pages. My grandfather was also from Latvia and I know very little about his life.

  15. He might be coming from Kurland (Kurzeme – west part of Latvia) because i understand this old words he was using

  16. **Update #1**
    Sorry for taking some time to get back to you.

    Here is the beginning of the diary, I’ve scanned them so it could be easier to read. He was a very frequent writer in the beginning.

    [Page 1](https://imgur.com/m0xCi1S)

    [Page 2](https://imgur.com/a/9FSUbpL)

    [Page 3](https://imgur.com/a/IE89Exe)

    [Page 4](https://imgur.com/a/YplkD0s)

    [Page 5](https://imgur.com/a/qQBEEM4)

    [Page 6](https://imgur.com/a/Z0Qg9Es)

    [Page 7](https://imgur.com/a/3okaqjm)

    [Page 8](https://imgur.com/a/MxgAgDf)

    [Page 9](https://imgur.com/a/ZMGcjep)

    [Page 10](https://imgur.com/a/UTbnNzr)

    Some content in his text that might be useful. I don’t any names of friends or so, just his family.
    His name: Gunars Leo
    His sister: Vita
    His brother: Alvils
    His mother: Marija
    His father: Herman

    Some cities he might mention that I know he stopped at or was a resident in a refugee camp:
    Allingsås, Visby, Glumslöv, Läckeby, Gnosjö, Fårösund, Rådmansö, Hudiksvall and Vikarbyn.

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