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A Dane in Little Italy

Old Ways: Staying Danish

Although Chris immersed himself deeply into the Italian–Canadian community, he remained a Dane with strong ties to his hometown. He continued to write and receive letters from family and friends (Connie now joined him in the correspondence), and to see his Danish–Canadian friends. He travelled to Denmark many times, sometimes with Connie and sometimes on his own.

Dear Connie and Kedde, Thanks for the letter and the cards for father. He was very happy, fine letters from abroad are noticed and father was very proud and besides that he walked around in fine pyjamas that he has gotten from Canada once and the nurse teased him that he was so handsome that you would think you were from America, and he thought they had it almost right and bragged a lot. It was the only clothes he wore over there and as soon as they had removed the last tube from his side, he was allowed to come
home . . . . The people from Copenhagen ask when you arrive, perhaps it will be during the autumn break they think, and that would be nice, because then they will be at home . . . . Lots of love and thanks to the Colangelo family for the attention. We are looking forward to see you.

Frederik and Anna Bennedsen to Connie and Chris Bennedsen, September 6, 1973.
(CMC, Christian Bennedsen Collection, Correspondence series, Box P-29, 13th group, translated from Danish)

Old Ways: Staying Danish

First of all, thanks to little mother for all her letters . . . . We are still having a hard winter here with lots of snow and really hard frost, and there is no sing of spring yet. Many of the side streets have been filled with snow and ice so that it is almost impossible to get through in cars. Connie's mother fell on the ice this morning and broke her right arm in two places, so she had to go to the hospital and have her arm put in plaster, so she will have to take it easy the next six weeks. Connie has not been feeling well this winter. She is having trouble with her weight, she does not want to listen to the doctor and try to cut down on the food, so it will be the worse for her. I am enclosing a small photo of my workmates and my boss which we took last autumn when we were at his summer house for the weekend.

Chris Bennedsen to Frederik Bennedsen, March 22, 1965.
(CMC, Christian Bennedsen Collection, Correspondence series, Box P-29, 16th group, translated from Danish)

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