Holocaust Diaries by Students: The Stories are Fictional, The Learning is Not

No one knows what it was like back then. What’s important is the effortsthese students are making now. Thanks for the contribution.

Thank you,

Michael Dunn

September 1, 1939

Dear Diary,

The most terrible tragedyhappened in Krakow, Poland. We were invaded by Germany! I’m completely saddened. I saw poor Jews taken to camp. Worst of all, father was taken! They must have found out that he had helped run away Jews, but I pledge I will help those unfortunate Jews.

My loving father helped the Jews by giving them our extra food. He was gone many nights. Mother hasalways said when he left ” Bless his heart.” I wondered what she meant. Now I understand. Father also gave them our old clothes. I once seen my father bring a girl to our home for two days. She was very thankful for my father. Mother is terribly sad. I refuse to cry. Mother has cried for all of us. I must know where they have taken my Father. I will devote myself to find my father. My sisters don’t really understand.

Sadden,

Asia Zak

11/10/38

Dear Diary,

Yesterday,while I was babysiting Joseph,my 6 year old neighbor,we heard lots of noise in the street.I told him togo to his room until it was over.I looked through the window shades, and saw a riot in the street. Some people were smashing the windows of the tavern Pa goes to.The riot had already passed the store,or what was left of it.The riot had ripped down the doors, and burned part of the second floor.Upstairs, Joseph wimpered, and I rushed upstairs.Riots had broken into our synogoges and businesses all over Munich.I learned this by simply looking out his window.This went on until Joseph’s parents came home. They paid me and I went home. I asked Pa where Cristian and Jonathon were.He said “Look upstairs.”Jonathon had his arm around Ana, his girlfreind,and they were looking out the window.When I opened the door and asked where Cristian was,he kind of jumped and gave me a look that said, “Get out of my room!”I walked over to my seven year old brother’s room.He wasplaying with toy soldiers,talking to his hamster,Fuzzy, andonce in a while looking over the window pane. He didn’t feel like talking, so I went to my room. That was all yesterday.Pa told me that last night’s riots were government organized acts.I was shocked and mortified. He went on totell me about this “Kristallnact.”

Sincerly,

Hans Kurtz

By: Suzanne Flood

November 15,1935

Dear diary,

Hi it’s me again. Today MyMom and Dad lost their voting rights. They’re mad. I wish the people who are doing this would stop. I wish it would stop some day. Even if I was old enough to vote I wouldn’tbe able to vote. I want the Nazis to leave us alone. My family can’t do that much any more. If anyone reads this,please help us.

Yours truly,

Max

By: Loreeta Brammeier

April 28,1945

Dear Diary,

Today Dachau is liberated by Americans. Today Rita is happy because she is pretty sure we are near the end of the War.I am feeling good too, because Dachau is liberated. My mother has been scared the whole time.She’s still scared. I can’t belive how long this has been goingon. I feel like I have been controlled almost my whole life.Rita is 20 and she is still a little scared. I am 17 and Iam as scared as Rita. My mom is 50 and she is very scared. I can’t wait until this is over.

Albert

By: Lisa Owens

DearDiary

9-2-39

Today was the worst dayin the world. First Dad and I were listening to the radio when we heard that Germany had invaded Poland. To think,what did we ever do to those Germans? Dad got really mad. He took his shotgun got in his car and yelled out, ” Lean, you take the hunting rifle and take care of your sister,your mother, and the house till I get back.” Then he wasgone. He hasn’t been back since. So hear I am, rifle inhand, waiting. Just waiting.

Yours truly,

Lean

By: Lisa Owens

Dear Diary,

It’s been 10 days since I last wrote to you and I have been seretly feeding the prisoners in thathorrid camp. I never seem to have enough food to feed them and they just keep getting skinnier and skinnier every day Igo to the camp. The people in the camp are so gaunt it is unbelevable and frightning. Could this horrid thing happento me?

Sincerely,

Kurt Kraus

Dear Diary,

Yesterday, 12-10-43, people By our campwere sent to Poland where my Polish brother lived. Beforethey transported me, he came to the camp and said I wasRussian. That was true, I really was Russian and a littlebit Polish. The Germans thought I was a Jew because mymiddle name was Jewish. I am not happy at all. I was cryingall these ten days! On October the 2, 1943 when some 7,220Danish Jews and German Jewish refugees were saved Bydeportation by the Danish underground, the Germans killed mywhole family. First of all, I found out that my son was inthe children’s house in the concentration camp. I was verysad and heart broken, because on October 2 the Germanskilled my son in the CREMATORIUM!!! Also, my husband waskilled while he was fighting I don’t think I can think about it anymore or I would get a disease By worrying, orbeing scared. I think I am going to stay with my brothertill next year and then I am going to return to Russia.

Sincerly,

Olga Sopina

November 15, 1938

Dear Diary,

You wouldn’t believe what happened to Margot,my sister, today. She goes to a small school for primarygrades. Today, her school was filled with Nazis. The Nazisburned the school to the ground. Luckily, Margot got out,but unfortunately her best friend, Kalina, who was Slavicbut treated like a Jew, was burned dead. Lots of cryingtonight, and everyone was sent to bed early. They didn’tclose down my school today, but I’ll be ready. We all mournfor Kalina, but not for my sisters and I, not for us.

Sincerly,

Lore

By: Cynthia Smolka

1/31/94

Dear Diary,

Father is preparing for this dreadfulwar. I am petrified about it. My neighbors have been sent toa concentration camp in Lublin, Poland. Nazis keep searchingour house. So far they have found nothing to show that weare Jews. My mother sent me up to the attic to hide. Shetoo, is very worried.She says I shall have to stay hereuntil morning. All I have to do in this dim candle lit roomis, write, listen, hope, and sleep, The Nazis have insistedon taking a look up here, but I have faith in Mamma. She haskept me hidden up here for a long time. I feel safe up herewith the other valuables.

Yours,

FriedaKatz

February 11, 1940

Dear Diary, I am in my apartment, hearing the screams andgun shots echo in the still of the night. I have justfinished my meeting with my fellow resistors. As in all myentries, I can not tell you where we have our meetings, forif this diary falls into the wrong hands it my be Killed

By: Natalie Jacobsen

February 22,1940

Today a bunch of German troops came to Denmark. Theywere trying to get us to help them by capturing Jews. Ithought which should I choose, yes or no. I immediately knewmy answer, NO! I remembered that when I joined the army Imade a promise to my country to serve and protect and I am aman of my word, so I will never break that promise for aslong as I live. Though four-hundred got taken, we did welland saved many more peoples’ lives.

Hajda

By: Ingrid Bergatt

April 3, 1933

Dear Diary,

Hi! It’s me Rivka. Today was one of theworst days of my life!!!!!!!!!!! Papa’s store gotboycotted. No one is buying By him. He said if businessdoesn’t go up we’ll lose the store. We’ve had the store forten years. I think it is unfair that just because we’reJewish we have to lose our family store. Mygreat-great-great-great grandfather started that store. I’mso scared!!!!!!!!! Then, a few days ago I found out theyopened up some kind of camp called Dachua. I don’t knowwhether to be happy or sad. I don’t know what to thinkanymore.

Sincerely yours,

Rivka

July 16, 1937

Dear Diary,

I am so scared. They’ve opened another concentrationcamp and we might not be so lucky to stay away By themsince we live in Frankfort, Germany. My family, Peter who’s15, Joel who’s 40, and Abraham who’s 45, have discussedgoing into hiding and will if we can find someone to hideus. This is hard to do because everyone’s against us andothers wouldn’t take the risk. I wish someone could stand upto the Nazis and free all Jews. Oh Diary, I still can’t waitfor the War to end.

Sincerely,

Saule

By: Lisa Owens

11/11/38

Dear Diary,

Last night businesses and synagogues weredestroyed. We, Jewish people call this nightKristallnaucht. Of the businesses that were demolished, mymother’s and father’s business was burned down. My mammaand pappa’s store, Rovenwig Shoemakers no longer exists.Worst of all, my best friend, Martha lost her father lastnight. Her father was working late and decided not to comehome because he was afraid he would be caught by a Nazi. The Nazis raided his store. They found him and shot him. After that, they burned down the store with her father stillinside. Our synagogue was destroyed, also. I’m afraid ofstaying here. Mamma and Pappa say we’re going to escape tothe free country, Sweden. I hope we leave soon!

Sincerly,

Helen

By: Lisa Owens

Dear Diary

May 24,1940 This is my second dairy entry. I kind of yikerighting. Today we are going to Ooshwits! Hooray!! We aregoing to CAMP!!! Yipppeeee!!!! I cant wait. And we are goingon a train!!! Yayyy!!! This is the best day of my life! Mamaand papa dont look to happy. I think they are going to behome sick But camping is so FUN!!! Well I have to go soon.Mamas saying bad words about something. I maybee would tellyou what she is saying but Im not aloed to say those wordsBye!!!

Sined

Norbert (Age 5)

By: Judith Donovan

January 30, 1933

Dear Diary,

One day, I looked in the newspaper and it saidAdolf Hitler is appointed Reichs Chancellor by PresidentHindenberg. I heard of him before. He’s mean and I knewright that minute that President Hindenberg made a choicethat was wrong. I was mad about it that whole day. Everywhere I walked there were posters and pictures about Adolf Hitler. I am so mad Adolf Hitler is going to be ournew Prime Minister or Reich’s Chancellor. People say howmean he is and unequal he is. Everywhere I went, I sawAdolf Hitler’s poster and pictures. If he was supposed to beso mean why did President Hindenberg appoint Adolf Hitler toReich’s Chancellor or Prime Minister?

Sincerly,

Gavoise

By: Judith G Donovan

November 15,1938

Dear Diary,

This morning my mom came into my room and told me tosit down on my bed.I thought she was going to tell me aboutgoing somewhere and leave me home, but when she told me tosit down I knew it was something serious.Then it came,”Honey,today your friend Lucy won’t be walking with you.”I asked why,but she made an excuse that I was late. WhenI came home that evening I told my mom that some weren’t inschool.Then she told me that Jewish children are gettingexpelled By German schools. I will never forget this.

Love,

Agata

By: Melissa Marty,

September 1, 1939

Dear Diary,

Today the Nazis are attacking. When mummy told me, Istarted to cry. We shall go into hiding. Maciek, my babybrother, also cried. This might sound funny but, I thinkMaciek understands mummy. Tomorrow is my birthday. I shallbe nine. All that I want for my birthday is this to stop! Inmy family we had four people but, my father died in a war inour town. Mummy is twenty- nine,Maciek is one, and I’m 9,well tomorrow at twelve’0 five I shall be nine. I reallymiss papa. Papa was thirty-one. I still cry about whathappened to him. He badly got hit right in the chest. It isbedtime right now so I have to go.

Yours,

Alinka

By: Helen Murray

Feb. 23, 1935

Dear Diary,

Yesterday was horrible. As Iwatched out my window I saw the Germans knocking on everydoor. If a Jew was home and came to the door, the Germanswould put them in concentration camps. My sister doesn’tcare at all. She doesn’t even know what is going on. Thelast time I heard 400 Jews were taken. I’m so scared theycame to our house last night and we hid in our secretbasement. They will surely come again. It’s very horrible!I hope it’s over soon.

Sincerly,

Jonathan

By: Janith Pelzer

November 26, 1944

Dear Diary,

Himmler ordered the destruction of the crematoriumsat Aushwitz today. I, being what I am, an exterminator, amnot supposed to have pity on the Jews, but it’s impossibleto not. It’s sad to say that these Jews once had a family.I don’t want to have to kill anyone. My brother, however,has no pity on these poor Jews. He says they are, “Theworld’s scum.” He hass always done everything perfectly. Always helping our commander kill people in the gas chamber. He is a robot, like a machine. Oh! No! My commander iscoming!

Your personalwriter,

Hans