1920 Letter: Italian in São Paulo invites sister after earthquake

Meta description: In a letter dated 17 Oct 1920, Stella Giannotti, from São Paulo, invites her sister from Vagli Sotto to emigrate after the earthquake in Tuscany; excerpts were published by the Fondazione.

In a letter dated October 17, 1920, an Italian immigrant in São Paulo calls on her sister, who lived in Vagli Sotto, Garfagnana (Tuscany), to join the family in Brazil after the strong earthquake that struck the region in September of that year. The excerpts were published by Fondazione Paolo Cresci and reproduced by Italianismo.

Context and origin of the letter: 1920 letter and Tuscany earthquake

The correspondence was written in São Paulo on 17/10/1920 by the immigrant Stella Giannotti, addressed to a sister who lived in Vagli Sotto, in Garfagnana (Tuscany). The letter explicitly refers to the earthquake that occurred on September 7, 1920, which affected Garfagnana and Lunigiana and caused damage and casualties in several localities, including Vagli Sotto — the event is cited as the catastrophe that motivates the emigration invitation.

The excerpts published were preserved and published by Fondazione Paolo Cresci, which maintains documentary collections on Italian migrations, and were later reproduced by the site Italianismo. According to the Fondazione, the disclosed excerpts retain the original spelling of the letter, providing valuable material for studies on writing and orality of Italian emigrants.

Content and relevant excerpts: invitation to emigrate

Stella's letter contains a clear and emotional appeal for her sister and the family to leave Tuscany:

• Stella describes the "devastation caused by the earthquake", using the transcribed form "fragellazzioni", a term that highlights phonetic writing and the intensity of the impact.
• The proposal is direct: "if you are not in good condition, the best is that you all come to Brazil", a phrase that expresses the logic of a migratory network — a settled relative calls the others to restart.
• The description of Brazil in the letter is emphatic and strategic: Stella states that "no matter how bad things are, you always live better" and that "even the poorest live like gentlemen", a typical image from emigrant letters projecting the South American country as a land of opportunity.
• On the family plan, Stella argues that the sister's children are of working age and, together with the husband, could "live a really good life" in Brazil — a pragmatic argument focused on the economic viability of the move.
• The ending is affectionate: the letter closes with "a million kisses" and the signature "forever, your sister, Stella Giannotti", reinforcing the emotional ties that moved many migratory decisions.

The excerpts disclosed by Fondazione appear with some parts omitted, indicated by ellipses, as per the institution's edition. Italianismo reproduced the excerpts made available by Fondazione.

Linguistic elements and documentary meaning: spelling and orality

The letter is documentarily relevant not only for content but also for the form:

• The unstable spelling — consonant doubling and orthographic variations — reflects the phonetic writing of the emigrant who writes in Italian while still influenced by dialect, education, and the emotional urgencies of communication.
• Forms such as "fragellazzioni" (for "fragellazioni" or "feralizzazioni" per interpretations) and "miglioni" (for "milioni" or "milioni di baci") were highlighted by Fondazione as elements that emphasize both the fear in the face of disaster and the affective grandeur of the letter’s ending.
• Preserving the original spelling and publishing with ellipses signaling omissions make the document useful for research on linguistics, oral history, and migratory epistolary practices.

Relevance for Brazilians and descendants of Italians

The document holds direct relevance for researchers tracing family histories and the history of Italian immigration in Brazil:

• It illustrates the logic of migratory currents: a relative who has already settled calls other family members to reconstitute homes and work relationships in the new country.
• It shows how letters were central instruments in departure decisions, conveying images of Brazil that blended practical information and idealization — common elements in transatlantic migration networks.
• For genealogists, social historians, or material culture scholars, the excerpt is a primary source that can help identify routes, departure chronologies, and personal motivations.
• Those seeking practical information about recognition of Italian ancestry or family trajectories will find in the Fondazione Paolo Cresci collection and publications a starting point; for citizenship-related topics, also consult the Italian Citizenship pages on Cidadania Italiana at Raízes Italianas and coverage in Notícias da Itália.

Final notes

Stella Giannotti’s 1920 letter functions both as a witness to a local catastrophe — the Garfagnana earthquake — and as a document of migratory imagery that helped sustain flows between Italy and Brazil. The excerpts published by Fondazione Paolo Cresci and reproduced by Italianismo offer material for historical, linguistic, and family research, preserving the original spelling that makes the document especially valuable.

Source: Italianismo