September 1, 1939

Dear Diary,

The most terrible tragedy happened 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 has always 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 to go 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 was playing with toy soldiers,talking to his hamster,Fuzzy, and once 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 to tell me about this "Kristallnact."

Sincerly,

Hans Kurtz

By: Suzanne Flood

November 15,1935

Dear diary,

Hi it's me again. Today My Mom 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't be 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 going on. 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 I am 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

Dear Diary

9-2-39

Today was the worst day in 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 was gone. He hasn't been back since. So hear I am, rifle in hand, 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 that horrid camp. I never seem to have enough food to feed them and they just keep getting skinnier and skinnier every day I go to the camp. The people in the camp are so gaunt it is unbelevable and frightning. Could this horrid thing happen to me?

Sincerely,

Kurt Kraus

Dear Diary,

Yesterday, 12-10-43, people By our camp were sent to Poland where my Polish brother lived. Before they transported me, he came to the camp and said I was Russian. That was true, I really was Russian and a little bit Polish. The Germans thought I was a Jew because my middle name was Jewish. I am not happy at all. I was crying all these ten days! On October the 2, 1943 when some 7,220 Danish Jews and German Jewish refugees were saved By deportation by the Danish underground, the Germans killed my whole family. First of all, I found out that my son was in the children's house in the concentration camp. I was very sad and heart broken, because on October 2 the Germans killed my son in the CREMATORIUM!!! Also, my husband was killed while he was fighting I don't think I can think about it anymore or I would get a disease By worrying, or being scared. I think I am going to stay with my brother till 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 primary grades. Today, her school was filled with Nazis. The Nazis burned the school to the ground. Luckily, Margot got out, but unfortunately her best friend, Kalina, who was Slavic but treated like a Jew, was burned dead. Lots of crying tonight, and everyone was sent to bed early. They didn't close down my school today, but I'll be ready. We all mourn for 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 dreadful war. I am petrified about it. My neighbors have been sent to a concentration camp in Lublin, Poland. Nazis keep searching our house. So far they have found nothing to show that we are Jews. My mother sent me up to the attic to hide. She too, is very worried.She says I shall have to stay here until morning. All I have to do in this dim candle lit room is, write, listen, hope, and sleep, The Nazis have insisted on taking a look up here, but I have faith in Mamma. She has kept me hidden up here for a long time. I feel safe up here with the other valuables.

Yours,

Frieda Katz

February 11, 1940

Dear Diary, I am in my apartment, hearing the screams and gun shots echo in the still of the night. I have just finished my meeting with my fellow resistors. As in all my entries, I can not tell you where we have our meetings, for if 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. They were trying to get us to help them by capturing Jews. I thought which should I choose, yes or no. I immediately knew my answer, NO! I remembered that when I joined the army I made a promise to my country to serve and protect and I am a man of my word, so I will never break that promise for as long as I live. Though four-hundred got taken, we did well and saved many more peoples' lives.

Hajda

By: Ingrid Bergatt

April 3, 1933

Dear Diary,

Hi! It's me Rivka. Today was one of the worst days of my life!!!!!!!!!!! Papa's store got boycotted. No one is buying By him. He said if business doesn't go up we'll lose the store. We've had the store for ten years. I think it is unfair that just because we're Jewish we have to lose our family store. My great-great-great-great grandfather started that store. I'm so scared!!!!!!!!! Then, a few days ago I found out they opened up some kind of camp called Dachua. I don't know whether to be happy or sad. I don't know what to think anymore.

Sincerely yours,

Rivka

July 16, 1937

Dear Diary,

I am so scared. They've opened another concentration camp and we might not be so lucky to stay away By them since we live in Frankfort, Germany. My family, Peter who's 15, Joel who's 40, and Abraham who's 45, have discussed going into hiding and will if we can find someone to hide us. This is hard to do because everyone's against us and others wouldn't take the risk. I wish someone could stand up to the Nazis and free all Jews. Oh Diary, I still can't wait for the War to end.

Sincerely,

Saule

By: Lisa Owens

11/11/38

Dear Diary,

Last night businesses and synagogues were destroyed. We, Jewish people call this night Kristallnaucht. Of the businesses that were demolished, my mother's and father's business was burned down. My mamma and pappa's store, Rovenwig Shoemakers no longer exists. Worst of all, my best friend, Martha lost her father last night. Her father was working late and decided not to come home 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 still inside. Our synagogue was destroyed, also. I'm afraid of staying here. Mamma and Pappa say we're going to escape to the 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 yike righting. Today we are going to Ooshwits! Hooray!! We are going to CAMP!!! Yipppeeee!!!! I cant wait. And we are going on a train!!! Yayyy!!! This is the best day of my life! Mama and papa dont look to happy. I think they are going to be home sick But camping is so FUN!!! Well I have to go soon. Mamas saying bad words about something. I maybee would tell you what she is saying but Im not aloed to say those words Bye!!!

Sined

Norbert (Age 5)

By: Judith Donovan

January 30, 1933

Dear Diary,

One day, I looked in the newspaper and it said Adolf Hitler is appointed Reichs Chancellor by President Hindenberg. I heard of him before. He's mean and I knew right that minute that President Hindenberg made a choice that 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 our new Prime Minister or Reich's Chancellor. People say how mean he is and unequal he is. Everywhere I went, I saw Adolf Hitler's poster and pictures. If he was supposed to be so mean why did President Hindenberg appoint Adolf Hitler to Reich's Chancellor or Prime Minister?

Sincerly,

Gavoise

November 15,1938

Dear Diary,

This morning my mom came into my room and told me to sit down on my bed.I thought she was going to tell me about going somewhere and leave me home, but when she told me to sit 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. When I came home that evening I told my mom that some weren't in school.Then she told me that Jewish children are getting expelled By German schools. I will never forget this.

Love,

Agata

September 1, 1939

Dear Diary,

Today the Nazis are attacking. When mummy told me, I started to cry. We shall go into hiding. Maciek, my baby brother, also cried. This might sound funny but, I think Maciek understands mummy. Tomorrow is my birthday. I shall be nine. All that I want for my birthday is this to stop! In my family we had four people but, my father died in a war in our town. Mummy is twenty- nine,Maciek is one, and I'm 9, well tomorrow at twelve'0 five I shall be nine. I really miss papa. Papa was thirty-one. I still cry about what happened to him. He badly got hit right in the chest. It is bedtime right now so I have to go.

Yours,

Alinka

Feb. 23, 1935

Dear Diary,

Yesterday was horrible. As I watched out my window I saw the Germans knocking on every door. If a Jew was home and came to the door, the Germans would put them in concentration camps. My sister doesn't care at all. She doesn't even know what is going on. The last time I heard 400 Jews were taken. I'm so scared they came to our house last night and we hid in our secret basement. 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 crematoriums at Aushwitz today. I, being what I am, an exterminator, am not supposed to have pity on the Jews, but it's impossible to 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, "The world'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 is coming!

Your personal writer,

Hans