Rīga
Daugavpils iela 74, Apt.11

From the text of the letters one can conclude that the author was the mother of two daughters, and her first name was Zete or Jete. The first names of the daughters were Šura and Nadja i.e. Aleksandra and Nadežda. The name of her husband was Aleksandr. In the return address on one of the envelopes the name of Nadežda was used and on the other one the name of Rainen E.G. I think that E.G. are the initials of the author and that E. stands for Elizabete (in Russian Jeļizaveta) that could be shortened to Zete. G. stands for the patronymic but, of course, one letter is not enough to say the first name of the father. From the addressing at the beginning of the letters one can conclude that B.Kalniņš should be the mother or a sister of Zete.

Rainen is neither Latvian nor Russian name. May be it is a transcription of the German name Reinen, but the Internet searchers give the name Rainen also.

The author of the letters used the old orthography of the Latvian language, evidently acquired before the WW1, and one can easily see that she was not awfully educated. I allowed some mistakes in my translations, but less than they were in the originals.

Sveika mihļja mahschel. Juhs mani pawisam eseet aismirsuschi ka nemas wairs neraksteet. Es no Jums neesu sanehmuse wehstuli ka dezembera beigās. Es neesu wairs Wisherā. Mehs aisbrauzam, 11 maijā us Leningradi. Kortelis mums ir labs leela istaba 3 logi, guļam-istaba 2 logi, leels ķehķis 1 logs un leela gaischa preekschistaba ar logu. Te ir leels elektrofabriķis "Svetlana" un tani paschā sehtā taisa stiklu fabriķi. Stiklu fabriķis sahks strahdat tikai rudeni oktober mehnesi bet Aleksanderu peeņehma wiņu suhta schur un tur pa ziteem sawodeem matrijalu peeņemt. Winsch nupat ir Lesatschow un buhs tur weselu mehnesi. Es dzihwoju tagad ar savam meitenem kopā bet tomehr dikti garsch laiks. Meitenes sawā technikumā es weena pate wisapkart sweschi ļaudis un swescha weeta nekur aiseet tahlu es newaru kahjas sahp. Mehs tur Wischera newarejam wairs dziwot. Pat maises nebija kamehr wezee milti bij tad wehl kaut ka wilkamees. Te wineem dod wiseem trim pa 500 gr. maises un 300 gr bulkas pa deenu es wehl 3 mehneschi neko nedabonu. Dod wehl zukuru tehju siļķes putraimus un wehl kahdus smalkumus es wel nesinu zik un kā. Malka te ir dikti dahrga ja ir ko wahrit tad wahru us primus. Mums te ir auksts un saus laiks nekas neaug. Waj tu manu wehstuli saņehmi ar masu Shuras bilditi. Ko runat buhtu dauds bet ko rakstit naw it neka. Pasweizini manu mihļo mahmiņu wezo onkuli un wisus sawehjus ari Folkmaņus un Slawas un raksteet es dikti gaidischu. Mana adresse
Sete.

Leņingrad 18 Vyborgskaja str.
B. Objezdnaja ul. No 28
Rainen Nadežde Aleksandrovne

Ja Juhs man neweens atpakal nerakstiseet tad es ar wairs nerakstischu. Es jaw trescho wehstuli rakstu.

Hello, dear sister! You have completely forgot me because nobody of you writes to me. The last letter I received from you in the December. I do not live more in Višera. We left it for Leningrad on 11^th May. We have now a good flat. A good great room with 3 windows, a bedroom with 2 windows, a big kitchen 1 window and a great light anteroom with a window. Here a great electrical factory is situated called "Svetlana" and in the same court a glass factory is also build. The glass factory will begin to work only in autumn in October but Alexander was hired now they sent him in any direction to other factories to get materials. Currently he is in Lesačov and will be there for a month. I live together with my girls but nevertheless it is dull. The girls go to their technikum I stay alone. I do not know anybody here and the place is also unknown . I can not walk far because my legs ache. We could not live more there in Višera. We had even no bread. It could last till our old reserves of meal run out. Here all three of them receives bread 500 g. and 300 g. of white bread per day. I am not receiving for 3 months yet. Additionally the ration contains sugar, tea, herrings, groats and other articles. I do not know how much. Firewood here is very expensive if I have something to cook I use the primus. The weather is cold and dry nothing grows. Did you receive my letter with a small photograph of Šura. There would be a lot to talk about but I have nothing to write. Best regards to my dear mother, old uncle and all your folk including Folkmanis and Slava families and, please, write I am waiting eagerly. My address: Zete.

Leņingrad 18 Vyborgskaja str.
B. Objezdnaja ul. No 28
Rainen Nadežde Aleksandrovne

If you do not answer I stop writing. This is my third letter.

Dear sister! I wanted to write to you long ago but the time is running fast if one looks around then not only days or weeks have passed but months while I do not write to you. We are living as it was the girls are working and the salary has grown now they earn 300 per month. Aleksander has a leave from the work for a year the doctors have found he should have a rest. He does not work beginning from the April. He gets 290 r. per month and enjoy life. You are writing that you are busy with weaving while you can but you will not be able what then? You see, here we have no problems in old age all the workers men or women receive pension and rather good one it is enough for life without doubt. The payments for apartment are also twice cheaper. Now our life is good everything grow cheaper. Here in Russia everyone wants to wear the best possible clothes. My girls have also bought a lot have new autumn and winter coats and various dresses, skirts, blouses. Even I already have dark blue and gray woolen dresses and a skirt of sand color and silk blouse and knitted woolen jacket and two other dresses not sewn yet one dark green and the other - checked half-silk I buy nothing the both girls buy. Everything would be great but the health is bad the legs are aching. All the spring I visited clinics and had electrical baths but it grew worse. Now I am visiting the famous doctors called "gomeopaths" I am drinking three kinds of medicine and fourth bottle is for rubbing in. When I started drinking great ache began in legs now it is better with legs but in general I myself am quite sick in the morning not so bad but to the evening I become very weak wet with sweat feel faint and the eyes become swollen and all this began when I started to drink these medicines. I do not know the illness will end or will be worse here it is possible to receive any treatment what one wants the doctors and hospitals are without charge. I still can not went anywhere all the time sitting in my house formerly I thought I have nothing to wear now I have all except legs. At home I am doing everything. After all we are four humans one should cook wash sew for everybody I during May and June have sewn 5 dresses and one skirt and when all is done I have a box with regular crochet work. Last winter I crocheted coverlets for the chest of drawers for both sewing-machines for the bookshelf and 4 wide laces for pillows. Now again I am crocheting very nice item for the chest of drawers big roses will be over. Please write how are all of you. That time you wrote that Vera should have throat operation, was it successful? What little Vilnis do? He should live in the countryside, I think. Best regards to Folkmanis family to young Kalniņš family and to all of you old Kalniņš from all of us four. Bye. Zete.