ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 95937 - Translation - Russian - China - Harbin - Kaspe


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Russian
Approval Date: 11/10/2021 3:51 PM
Family Surname: Kaspe
Country: China
Town: Harbin
Date of Image: 1933

Click the picture to enlarge

I'm not sure if the resolution is high enough (It's the best I've got), but I would appreciate a translation by a kind soul who reads Russian. This was a ransom note sent to Lydia Shapiro, the girlfriend of a young Jewish man who had been kidnapped in Manchuria, and was probably intended for his father, Josef. I'm working on a book about this family.

Response

11/11/2021 9:39 AM

Mr Kaspe,

If you want [to see -misprint?] your son, pay the money on time and abandon all your attempts to find him. We know for sure that you have been giving money for the search to the police agents, that you have been conducting your own search and promising them as well as your friends a large reward for finding your son and for catching us. We can tell you more - we know them all by their names and we are tracking them better than they are tracking us. Stop it - it is a waste of money in the first place, and secondly, you are putting your son's life in danger and you are not safe yourself, no matter how well you are guarded. Remember - this small trick of yours - not to pay the ransom or trying to approach us with any provocations - it presents no danger to us, it is dangerous for you and your son who is STILL being kept in good conditions.
The deadline for paying the ransom is August 28[?], 8 o'clock in the evening. The conditional sign "the ransom money is ready" is known to Mrs Shapiro.

[after the blacked-out lines]

For every day the ransom is not paid the sum will be increased and the conditions in which your son is being kept will be getting worse. Pay the ransom, and your son will come back or - you understand it yourself, we didn't take him as a joke but to get a ransom and if the ransom is not paid in full you can blame yourself for your son's death. You will get additional instructions as to how to hand us the money.

Translator's note. I have tried to keep as close to the Russian text as possible, even if it doesn't make for very good English.
I wish you success with your book.

ViewMate Posting VM 95937

Submitted by Scott D Seligman

Learn more about our organizational leadership, mission, and values. There are numerous opportunities to get involved yourself!

Search millions of records from around the globe, including more than 4 million records related to the Holocaust, and more than 4.2 million burial records. Records are continually added each month - check back often for new information!

Discover your ancestral town, explore geographic/regional based sections of the JewishGen site (Research Divisions), and explore what daily life was like for your ancestors - and what we can learn from them today.

Enhance your research with online classes and dozens of helpful articles. University students can apply for the Bennett & Robin Greenspan L'dor V'dor Legacy Program, and those "out of school" can help preserve Jewish Heritage in Poland with unique study & volunteer experiences.

Connect with tens of thousands of other JewishGen members via the Family Finder, Discussion Group, Facebook Group, and ViewMate. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community.

The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. If you are in a position to do so, please consider a contribution today - your support will make a difference!

ViewMate Posting VM 95937

Submitted by Scott D Seligman