Found a piercing woman's letter about life in Russia of the 30s
The story told from the first person, most often appears a little (or completely) differently than in textbooks - even if we are talking about the most prosaic things and details of life. This confirms the accidentally found letter from the past, which Alexander Popov, the author of the book “Two Petersburg” about urban legends and traditions of the Northern capital, published on Facebook. Having bought on the collapse of an old wooden frame with a photograph, he found under the picture the yellowed pages of an unsent letter, possibly addressed to the man depicted in the picture.
This is a letter of a woman, written, presumably, in the years 1932-1935, from Leningrad to the area of Lake Baikal. The tone of the letter gives the impression that it is addressed to a brother or another relative who has moved in. As Popov notes, “this is hardly a link, but, most likely, judging by the constant change of addresses, the journey was not entirely voluntary.” We know nothing about the addressee, the woman who wrote the letter, or why it was never sent. But the intonation, the manner of speaking and the events described tell about these people and the time in which they happened to live, better than a dry historical reference. With the permission of the author of the find, we present the whole letter, the spelling and the author’s style are preserved.
***************** June 17
Dear Mitya, thank you for all your letters and Irochkina and Alisina. I did not answer the last letters, because I did not know where to address the answers. In addition, until Easter, I was busy in the evening work and, of course, did not have time to write. From the very beginning of the letter, I must repent before you so that it would be easier to write further. The fact is that by Easter I received 20 kroons from Dmitry Efimovich, 10 p. In gold for our money. 32 kopecks I transferred them to Torgsin and bought there a woolen knitted jacket for myself, and for the rest of the penny those export candies Irochka put in the package. I had to share this money in half with you, as it is some belated interest from land or buildings in Lähtra and Falkenau (the question, of course, remains unclear - where were these revenues so far ???). But what I had to buy for 5 p. 16 k. And that at 5 p. 16 to you? Only a trifle - nothing more. And I was sorry to miss such an event, which may never happen again. After all, with Soviet money, a wool jacket costs 180 rubles. And they are nowhere to be found, but by chance they come at a “commercial” price. Lena, although she wrote to me that this money was put on her daughters, nevertheless, it doesn’t reassure me at all, because we probably don’t know anything, and indeed I should have asked for your permission before making this purchase for myself . I'm sorry, please. If possible, I will pay you what and how. For example, now there are a lot of galoshes. I could have Irishka buy galoshes both small and tall, I don’t know the numbers, and when I find out, maybe there will be no galoshes.
Unfortunately, absolutely sweets have disappeared now, at the beginning of the morning, queues at the shops lined up to get some sweets, and the last days, when I go to work, there are no more queues. In the shops where they sold sweets, silence and emptiness reigns, they trade in wine a little or by chance in cigarettes, and the clerk and cashier spend the whole day sleeping at their posts. However, clerks and cashiers have been sleeping and recovering in all other stores for a long time, because apart from the portraits of Ilyich, decorated with ribbons and coated with chicory and artificial coffee, nothing. But, as soon as there will be a sale again, as finances will allow, I will send a parcel. One of these days Katya will send you two parcels: one - Zhukovsky - full. assembly, publication inferior; the second, one book by Pushkin, ed. 20s of the last century - an excellent edition. I haven’t found the complete meeting yet, but somehow I’ll send a full one if I am lucky enough to get it. As for Lermontov, I hurried to send him a little, since he had to be bound, because you won’t guess what to do and after a short time the book would turn into a pack of padded paper. Zhukovsky - the same type, but already intertwined.
How glad I am for all of you, that you feel good in a new place, and judging by your letter, it even seems to me that it is good there. Just think about it! What a happiness to live in an area where there is no dirt, and rain sprinkles only from above (this is something you can put up with!), And not at the same time from below and above!
I was told that in the south of Siberia, at Baikal, amazing vegetation and its abundance, they also said that there, due to atmospheric influences and the sun, white flowers change color, from white they are made pink and purple. Do you think I would not want to come? Well, of course, I would be happy - yes sins are not allowed. After railway the tariff has been increased again, incredible queues are behind the tickets, you need to be on duty for a day and, let's say, having achieved your goal on the 1st of the day - you can get a ticket for the 15th. And imagine that by this time my vacation may be over. But, the main thing, both minor and third-rate - is money, money and money. After all, do not forget, I will need to take a vacation at my own expense, since the maternity, 2 weeks is not enough to cover the two ends and rest from the road. And finally, I didn’t move to another service at the wrong time (back to where I served and where you came to meet me) and because of this I lost my vacation at all. Unless I can earn and ask the authorities to let me go out at my own expense. But, alas, I still don’t see earnings, because I don’t consider salaries to be earnings. While I worked until late in the evening and earned up to 200 rubles a month, then we still somehow went out with money, since I reported everything to the farm: I paid for washing and all the costs of the cemetery (I spend a lot on the cemetery - I’m serving for cleaning, and changing wreaths, and requiem services, and now I also make a wooden fence for 100 rubles.) I have sewing - rubles for 50, and besides you need to do something for yourself. Well, now it comes very tight. I switched to this service because of 20 rubles. superfluous, hoped that there would be additional gains, but it is not yet.
I am surprised that you are not particularly eager for extra work, we all here who can recruit second services or temporary classes. Otherwise you will die of hunger and go barefoot. Now for a commercial price shoes are 223 p., 232 p., 176 p. Men have for 232 p. and for 176 p. About the products and not talk - terribly expensive. Lena helped me with parcels, and since June 10 the duty has increased so much that I don’t know if it makes sense to receive. And besides, since January 1, much has been excluded from the norm, so what would be important to receive - it is impossible, for example, to get white flour and butter, but this is the most important thing.
And this prohibition and a sudden increase (after all, usually the duty rate has not changed during the year, so that the recipients know that from 1/1 to 1/1 they have nothing to worry about, they already know what to expect) - everything leads to completely eliminating the package and all those who receive help from abroad are transferred to the supply through Torgsin, since in this way the government receives the currency. I still happily received the last package, apparently because it is my happiness on the day of the Angel (I congratulate you on the last day of the Angel and on the birthday of the family). If Lena had sent on the 10th or later - I wouldn’t have bought it back. Got cheese, margarine, homemade cookies and a pair of gloves. Katya gave me White Night powder and another dry powder and a piece of export soap. (We now have a lot of export toilet soap, if you knew, you could buy for you, there is also baby soap). And Nick. You. (I didn’t marry him, he doesn’t offer me, and I really wouldn’t want it to come to mind) exactly conspired with Katya - the White Night perfume. It is a pity that he did not warn me, I would have pointed to others. But on bezrybe and cancer fish - I really love to cushion and have not had this pleasure for a long time, and it smells nice, but I would like others. And what perfume dear! These "White Night" 23 p. 35 K., and what I like, "Festival of Flowers", 37 p.
Yes, it is envious of me that you can walk so much, but we have no place to go because of the overflow of Petrograd. Everywhere in the gardens, and even on the islands, as if on Khodynka, and to go outside the city on a free day ... damn everything and everyone!
If you come by impromptu to Petrograd, remember: how do you get out of the Nicholas station, go by the sidewalk, turn to Ligovka and cross the street there; we are strictly forbidden to walk around the square; Well, keep in mind that you are not fined right off the bat. Will invent the same! Even abroad, in large centers, where the beauty of the city is followed more closely than here - and then people walk through the square!
Katya's day is healthy, the day groans, and when she is ill, then she will rise again, and then she will die down again. For a long time, I didn’t see the whole days, and forgot about her illness, now I see that she keeps everything on a string - just about, it seems, the thread will burst and Katya will crumble.
Now, as I know the address, I will write more often and carefully not answer all the letters. Kiss you all
Fields.
Why did your dog die and which one? Your favorite Barmaley? Or another? I took out nitric acid but have not yet consumed. What do you think will happen if I pile on the corn? Does anything special happen or not?
Photo: cover image via Shutterstock