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History > Old Letters > Konstantin Bernardos letter to Yiannis & Marigo Alfieris in the USA 1951

History > Old Letters

submitted by Vikki Vrettos Fraioli on 26.01.2007

Konstantin Bernardos letter to Yiannis & Marigo Alfieris in the USA 1951

From: Konst. Bernardos
To: Yiannis Alfieris
Date: 15.05.2051

This letter was written by Konstantin Bernardos to my grandparents Yiannis and Marigo Alfieris, in the USA. They had lost contact for many years after Yiannis and Marigo immigrated to the USA. K. Bernardos somehow finds their address and writes this letter.
Marigo's mother was Efrocene Bernardos from Christoforianika.
Any information on the author or his descendants would be appreciated.

Translated the letter reads:

Konst. E. Bernardos
Athina 8
27 Odos Aiginis, Sinikia Kypselis

in Athens on May 14, 1951

Dear John and Marigo,

As they say, only the mountains cannot get together. After 35 or 38 years, all of a sudden Vasillis, Regoulas husband, came to my house. I did not recognize him right away. He told me that Regoula has a correspondence with you and that you were asking about me. I was so emotional and surprised. Even my eyes were watering – because after the Second World War for about five years the question was going around in my mind; how was Diamandis, John, Marigo and their children doing? Also the child of Panayiotis (I think Panayioitis is Diamandis’ brother that lived in San Francisco). I have an album that has all the pictures that I took when I was with you. I have pictures of John, Marigo and their child, Kostaki they call him, I don’t remember.

How are you? Years and years have gone by. Then I as a young boy and today I am in my 60’s with a family (3 boys). I didn’t have your address to write. When I learned the address of our relatives in Baltimore and New York to learn if you had a correspondence with anybody and if they knew anything about you. Some of the relatives said they didn’t know you, others didn’t answer. Maybe they were afraid that I would ask them for favors or something. Well the point is, after so many years, I have heard from you and I would like you to write back to me. Don’t be lazy! Write for everybody and how they are doing. I am 26 years married and as I mentioned, I have three boys. The first one was in the Army and was just discharged 3 months ago.

God saved my life during the war. Greece these days is going through the Civil War. A lot of damage was done during the war. We didn’t have any water, phones, bridges were destroyed, and people were in misery. Probably you know through the newspapers. I hope we will not have any other wars like this. Things started getting better now. They are working on transportation and factories are open again. Villages in northern Greece have had catastrophic problems.

Write me about our relatives. How is the unfortunate Despina? How is she now that her husband died and they brought him to Tsirigo and then she went back to the USA?

My family sends sincere regards to you and to our relatives. Tell them to write back.

With lots of love,

Kostas

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