Old Postcard

[wolcottdigger]

I have this old postcard that I found in a box of old family photos
and was wondering if any one can read what it says. I think its in
Lithuanian because my mothers side of the family was from there.
Their last name was Swazey and I think I see that name in the
upper left corner but I cant read anything else. Also about how
old do you think it is?

Joe

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It looks Lithuanian. My Moms side was also Lithuanian. We used to have a member "Crab" that could read it. Crab may have changed her avatar name. I dont know if we can reach her.

Swazey is probably a shortened version. They often shortened the names at Ellis Island to look more American.

 

[wolcottdigger]

I just noticed the words "MODERN KOWNO" embossed in the upper left part of the card.
I did a google search and Kowno is the old name for Kaunas which is a city in Lithuania.
My mothers maiden name of Swazey has a strange story in our family. My grandfather
and one of his brothers spelled their names Swazey and the other two brothers spelled
it Swasey but their parents spelled it Svezas. I never found out why my grandfather and
his brothers spelled their names so differently from their parents.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I just noticed the words "MODERN KOWNO" embossed in the upper left part of the card.
I did a google search and Kowno is the old name for Kaunas which is a city in Lithuania.
My mothers maiden name of Swazey has a strange story in our family. My grandfather
and one of his brothers spelled their names Swazey and the other two brothers spelled
it Swasey but their parents spelled it Svezas. I never found out why my grandfather and
his brothers spelled their names so differently from their parents.

Thats not unusual. My Grandmas married name was Zaliadounis but when she came through Ellis Island it was shortened to Zaladonis, the name my Mom used and I have seen it spelled several different ways on old official papers. My Grandma married at age 15 to get passage on a ship to escape the Germans and then the Ruskis (Russians) who she says were much worse. She was asked what her name was and she accepted whatever they wrote at Ellis Island because many were turned away and she so much wanted to be an American. I would imagine your family had similar experience. Some of her (my)relatives died in prisons, at least one in Siberia.. My Grandad used to write to them.



My Dads side of the family was here in America back to the 1600's but thats getting off topic...

My neighbor is Lithuanian but shes old and I dont see her much lately but Ill try if I see her outside.

 

[daroofa]

Is that a date in the lower left corner...looks like 25 Something 1922

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Looks like a studio portrait.

 

[Mackaydon]

Here's a 1921 Dated Lithuanian pic showing Two (2) Soldiers W/Trenchcoat Indoor Studio Photo.
The photographer has embossed the lower left corner with his name as: "MODERN - KOWNO" in a rectangle shape--so early 20s is a good start for dating your card.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140652051452&_trksid=p2992.m753
Don....

 

[TheDane]

I am quite sure the language is Polish !!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I am quite sure the language is Polish !!

oops.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Maybe the Swazeys were Polish and the Svezas Lithuanian.

 

[Mackaydon]

Polish writing; that's consistant:
Kaunas (Kowno) passed to a united Lithuanian-Polish state in 1569 and to Russia in the third partition of Poland (1795). From 1918 to 1940, Kaunas was the provisional capital of Lithuania-Vilnius (which Lithuania claimed as its rightful capital) being held by Poland until 1939.
Don.......

 

[wolcottdigger]

Thank you everyone for all the great info.

Joe

 

[TheDane]

I am quite sure the language is Polish !!

Althou it is Polish, it has indeed something to do with Lithuania.
I do not read or speek Polish but I found out this:

Litwie means Lithuania in Polish. Siostra means sisters.

The text in the upper left says something about: Don´t forget sisters in Lithuania (...or somthing like that)

Maybe someone in this forum reads Polish and can confirm this.

Further more the text on the right could say:

Na pamiątkę Drogiej Siorszczyce i Szwagru
Panstwa Stanijewskich

In memory of dear Siorszczyce and Szwagru
Your Stanijewskich

Na pamiątkę Drogiej migth be understood like: with friendly regards (?)

 

[wolcottdigger]

Thank You "TheDane" for the information.

The part you translated with the word "Stanijewskich" is very interesting to me.
I wonder if it is a family name, my grandfather Joseph Swazey was married to
Vera Stanis my grandmother. I know that my Great Grandfather Bernard Stanis
originally spelled his last name "Stanijauckas" but he shortened it after he came
to the United States. Here is a photo I took a few years ago, it is the grave of
my Grandmothers sister Helen who died in 1915 at the age of five months.
If Stanijewskich is the same as Stanijauckas I'm thinking this card is from my
Grandmother Vera's side of the family.

Joe

 

[TheDane]

I think you are right !

Do you know what year you Great Grandfather Bernard Stanis went to the US?

 

[mick56]

My Father was full blooded Polish, but I only learned three words. Not sure of the spelling.

Peeva=Beer
Busha=Grandmother
Bubushka=A scarf worn on the head, usually by a Busha

 

[sagittarius98]

My Father was full blooded Polish, but I only learned three words. Not sure of the spelling.

Peeva=Beer
Busha=Grandmother
Bubushka=A scarf worn on the head, usually by a Busha

Beer = Piwo
Grandmother = babcia (your spelling may be from a regional dialect)
Babushka=an English term for the scarf, etymology Russian

I speak Polish.

 

[sagittarius98]

Date = January 25, 1922

Address line text= In memory of dear sister and brother-in-law
Mr. and Mrs. Stanijewski

From sister Geni (Genowefa) W.

Upper left text= Any time you will look at the faces on the picture, you will never forget your sister in Lithuania.




This is approximate as this is old Polish.

 

[TheDane]

Wow, I was kinda close, even thou I don´t know one word of Polish !

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

My Father was full blooded Polish, but I only learned three words. Not sure of the spelling.

Peeva=Beer
Busha=Grandmother
Bubushka=A scarf worn on the head, usually by a Busha

Beer = Piwo
Grandmother = babcia (your spelling may be from a regional dialect)
Babushka=an English term for the scarf, etymology Russian

I speak Polish.

I grew up in Pittsburgh


Grandmother = Bubba

Babushka= head scarfs that woman wore (scroll down to "Babushka Power") http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Prince

Beer= Cole Ahrn (Iron City) http://pittsburgh.about.com/library/weekly/aa071200a.htm