1872
Roald Amundsen born July 16
Letter, 20.8.1925, from Jørgen Jensen
Object reference: RA 318B34
Type: Letter
Sender / Author: Jørgen Jensen
Recipient: Roald Amundsen
Date: 20.8.1925
Language: Norwegian
🔍Large image, RA 318B34 I
🔍Large image, RA 318B34 II
🔍Large image, RA 318B34 III
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English translation
[Handwritten in Norwegian] 30/9 Sorry. Have no time
DET ØSTLANDSKE VANFØRELAG [THE ØSTLAND DISABLED ASSOCIATION]
JØRGEN JENSEN, FORMAND [JØRGEN JENSEN, DIRECTOR]
Hjellum, 20-8-1925.
Mr Roald Amundsen
I have received with many thanks your honorable reply. I was unfortunately unaware that your lecture is organized by the Norsk Luftseiladsforening [Norwegian Aeronautical Society].
From this, I understand very well that you cannot make any arrangement such as I suggested in favour of collecting for “homes for homeless and helpless invalids”. I also fully understand that you cannot make any contribution yourself, and I ask you to excuse me for sending you my previous inquiry in the form it took.
Since I am sure that you have great sympathy for the invalids and their cause, and especially to establish homes for our homeless and helpless invalids, we have come up with an idea that I allow myself here to communicate to you.
If you, who are the man of the hour and to whom Norway’s youth, and especially the sports youth, look up as their ideal, would write a warm appeal in the papers
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and ask everyone who can enjoy the full mobility of the body and especially Norway’s youth and sports youth to support the collection for homes for homeless and helpless invalids.
Such a statement from you, whom everyone looks up to and admires, would greatly strengthen the entire fundraising effort, indeed much more than you might think.
Each region (Disabled Association) is now collecting for such homes. Each of the Vestland, Østland, Sørland, Trøndelag and Nord-Norge disablility teams and associations are working on this and have raised a portion for the homes. But there is still a long way to go before the homes can be built – we still need a lot of funds.
We constantly receive many sad and moving inquiries from our homeless and helpless invalids asking if the homes will not be ready soon – inquiries which I am sure would touch you very deeply if you read them.
Since we are sure that a statement from you supporting the fundraising will attract more attention and sympathy and stimulate the entire campaign, we would be deeply grateful if you would
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write a few words of appeal to support the collection.
In the event that you can in any way spare time for this, please write so that it can bolster the collection for the whole country – for these homes that the disabled associations are striving to set up.
Our friend director Fr Rummelhoff also mentions this idea in a letter to me yesterday.
He says, “Amundsen’s time is very busy and should he want secretarial help on this occasion, I would be more than happy to be of service as such, and could travel out to Svartskog where he lives, or meet him here in the city. The whole thing should then have been taken care of in about 10 minutes or less.” –
As you understand, Dir. Rummelhoff is secretary on the central board for the disabled.
As stated, he is happy to be of service on this occasion if you wish. Director Rommelhoff’s telephone no. is 26021 and office address Ullevålsveien no. 9. Oslo.
As you remember from my previous letter, our friend director Fr Rummelhoff presented a fine
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speech about you and your heroism when we had our convention in Hamar recently.
I am sending you an issue of Vanførebladet “Solglimt” [the association magazine “Sunshine”], where the minutes from the convention can be found and where this is mentioned. I think it will interest you very much to read the report.
[I am] also sending you an example of “Vårbrudd” [“Springburst”], which the Østland disability association has recently published, along with 2 pamphlets from the central board for the disabled, and an “appeal”.
When you have read the central board’s pamphlets, you will immediately see how to write a small appeal in favour of the national collection for homes for the disabled. The best thing, though, would be that you had a 10-minute conversation yourself with director Fr Rummelhoff, it will make your work on this easier. When you just call him and decide the time, he will come out to you.
You will surely be pleased to hear that the invalids have followed your journey and heroic deeds with great admiration. And if you can now set aside a little time to write an urgent appeal to all able-bodied people, sports youth, scouts and schools to support the collection, the invalids will remember you with heartfelt gratitude. <… …>.
Respectfully
For the Østland Disabled People’s Association and disabled people countrywide.
Jørgen Jensen
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