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Brenda Salamon
Bruria Junior High
Elizabeth, NJ
Bruria Junior High
Elizabeth, NJ
 | |  |
Holocaust Diary
May 10, 1940
Dear Diary,
The German troops marched into France today. It was not so long ago that the war
seemed like a mere distant unpleasantness. Just yesterday I was peacefully reading a
book to seven year old Maya and nine year old Josh. Rachel was sewing and humming
in the background, and Mama was feeding baby Levi.
I listen to the radio whenever I can, but that is not often. As the eldest child, I have
many responsibilities, and Papa does not want the younger children to hear what is
going on.
It will be hard to keep this from them, though. From where I sit at the windowsill, I
can see the war planes and hear the explosions. Maya could not fall asleep last night
and was crying in her bed because she is afraid of loud noises.
May 12, 1940
Dear Diary,
Last night, the most horrible event took place. We were just eating dinner when we
heard a loud banging on our door. “Open up, Jews. I know you are in there,” yelled our
neighbor Pierre. We heard German voices outside our door, too. When we moved from
Holland to France five years ago, Pierre was a pleasant man-until he foun d out we
were Jewish. That was when he started being nasty.
Papa opened the door calmly and asked, “How can I help you?” Without answering,
the Nazi troops barged in and told us we had to get into the trucks outside. Papa did not
want any harm to come to us, so he took Josh and Mama’s hand and left the house. I
scooped up Maya and signaled for Rachel to follow.
Now I am writing from the truck. Levi and Maya are crying for food. We were not to
bring any possessions, but I hid this diary and a pencil in my skirt. I may as well get
some sleep and see what tomorrow will bring
May 13, 1940
Dear Diary,
When I woke up this morning, I did not realize where I was. Then I heard a German
man barking at us to get up. I took Maya in my arms and sighed. Is this madness ever
going to end? The officers told us to get into the cattle cars a few feet away. Mama, who
listened to the radio when they talked about where the cars lead to, started yelling and
screaming at us not to go in.
One of the soldiers pulled out a gun and… and… HE SHOT MAMA!!!!! Oh, how can
people be so cold-hearted? Papa pushed us in, tears streaming from his eyes. Rachel
went to comfort him. I am worried about Rachel. She was never strong, and now she is
white and shaking. I tried to tell her to sit down, but she would not listen. I cannot write
anymore out of grief, so good night, Diary.
May 15, 1940
Dear Diary,
I now have a little ray of hope. One of the female officers felt a spark of mercy when
she saw Levi. She knew what our fate was going to be, so she offered to adopt Levi as
a son. With his blond hair and blue eyes, he would fit in perfectly with all the other little
German babies. She promised to keep him safe and remind him who his family was.
Father and I had a quick discussion and decided that he would be worse off here, so we
accepted. I took off my necklace with the Star of David, and put it on him. I kissed Levi’s
head and turned away to hide my tears.
Afterwards, the rest of my family and I went to the line where the infamous Dr. Mengele
was ruining lives. When our turn came, I was sent to the right, while Rachel, Papa,
Maya, and Josh were sent to the left.
Up in the front, a woman was arguing with one of the officers, so nobody was looking
when I pulled Rachel from the left side to the right. I knew that I could not take any of the
younger children; they would attract too much attention, and they needed Papa. So
Rachel and I got numbers tattooed on our arms and made our way to our barracks.
The barracks are tiny, by the way. I am used to having a small bed as I shared one with
Rachel for the past five years, but this one was a quarter of that size. There are about
seven beds stacked up on each other, so if one breaks, the whole thing can come
crashing down. I am very exhausted so I will go to sleep now. Good night, Diary.
May 16, 1940
Dear Diary,
We were woken up early this morning and had to stand outside in the cold morning
rain for three hours while the soldiers counted us. When we were let go, we got online
for a meager breakfast of slop and black coffee. I did make a few friends, mostly other
girls who lost their parents as well.
Oh, no! One of the soldiers is taking Rachel to a car! I must help her!
March 28, 1959
Massachusetts Post
Diary of Holocaust Victim Found
Harvard University student, Levi Baum, is a survivor of the Holocaust because an officer
took pity on him when he was a baby. “I do not remember much of my family, but my
sister gave me a necklace before she left,” says Levi. “I always wanted to know more
about my past, so when we had a spring break, I visited the concentration camp where
my sister was starved, tortured, and eventually killed. A few friends of hers told me
where it was. While I was walking around, I spotted a book on the ground that had her
name on it. I picked it up and saw that it was her diary.” Levi is one of the lucky few who
escaped the horrors of the Holocaust.
May 10, 1940
Dear Diary,
The German troops marched into France today. It was not so long ago that the war
seemed like a mere distant unpleasantness. Just yesterday I was peacefully reading a
book to seven year old Maya and nine year old Josh. Rachel was sewing and humming
in the background, and Mama was feeding baby Levi.
I listen to the radio whenever I can, but that is not often. As the eldest child, I have
many responsibilities, and Papa does not want the younger children to hear what is
going on.
It will be hard to keep this from them, though. From where I sit at the windowsill, I
can see the war planes and hear the explosions. Maya could not fall asleep last night
and was crying in her bed because she is afraid of loud noises.
May 12, 1940
Dear Diary,
Last night, the most horrible event took place. We were just eating dinner when we
heard a loud banging on our door. “Open up, Jews. I know you are in there,” yelled our
neighbor Pierre. We heard German voices outside our door, too. When we moved from
Holland to France five years ago, Pierre was a pleasant man-until he foun d out we
were Jewish. That was when he started being nasty.
Papa opened the door calmly and asked, “How can I help you?” Without answering,
the Nazi troops barged in and told us we had to get into the trucks outside. Papa did not
want any harm to come to us, so he took Josh and Mama’s hand and left the house. I
scooped up Maya and signaled for Rachel to follow.
Now I am writing from the truck. Levi and Maya are crying for food. We were not to
bring any possessions, but I hid this diary and a pencil in my skirt. I may as well get
some sleep and see what tomorrow will bring
May 13, 1940
Dear Diary,
When I woke up this morning, I did not realize where I was. Then I heard a German
man barking at us to get up. I took Maya in my arms and sighed. Is this madness ever
going to end? The officers told us to get into the cattle cars a few feet away. Mama, who
listened to the radio when they talked about where the cars lead to, started yelling and
screaming at us not to go in.
One of the soldiers pulled out a gun and… and… HE SHOT MAMA!!!!! Oh, how can
people be so cold-hearted? Papa pushed us in, tears streaming from his eyes. Rachel
went to comfort him. I am worried about Rachel. She was never strong, and now she is
white and shaking. I tried to tell her to sit down, but she would not listen. I cannot write
anymore out of grief, so good night, Diary.
May 15, 1940
Dear Diary,
I now have a little ray of hope. One of the female officers felt a spark of mercy when
she saw Levi. She knew what our fate was going to be, so she offered to adopt Levi as
a son. With his blond hair and blue eyes, he would fit in perfectly with all the other little
German babies. She promised to keep him safe and remind him who his family was.
Father and I had a quick discussion and decided that he would be worse off here, so we
accepted. I took off my necklace with the Star of David, and put it on him. I kissed Levi’s
head and turned away to hide my tears.
Afterwards, the rest of my family and I went to the line where the infamous Dr. Mengele
was ruining lives. When our turn came, I was sent to the right, while Rachel, Papa,
Maya, and Josh were sent to the left.
Up in the front, a woman was arguing with one of the officers, so nobody was looking
when I pulled Rachel from the left side to the right. I knew that I could not take any of the
younger children; they would attract too much attention, and they needed Papa. So
Rachel and I got numbers tattooed on our arms and made our way to our barracks.
The barracks are tiny, by the way. I am used to having a small bed as I shared one with
Rachel for the past five years, but this one was a quarter of that size. There are about
seven beds stacked up on each other, so if one breaks, the whole thing can come
crashing down. I am very exhausted so I will go to sleep now. Good night, Diary.
May 16, 1940
Dear Diary,
We were woken up early this morning and had to stand outside in the cold morning
rain for three hours while the soldiers counted us. When we were let go, we got online
for a meager breakfast of slop and black coffee. I did make a few friends, mostly other
girls who lost their parents as well.
Oh, no! One of the soldiers is taking Rachel to a car! I must help her!
March 28, 1959
Massachusetts Post
Diary of Holocaust Victim Found
Harvard University student, Levi Baum, is a survivor of the Holocaust because an officer
took pity on him when he was a baby. “I do not remember much of my family, but my
sister gave me a necklace before she left,” says Levi. “I always wanted to know more
about my past, so when we had a spring break, I visited the concentration camp where
my sister was starved, tortured, and eventually killed. A few friends of hers told me
where it was. While I was walking around, I spotted a book on the ground that had her
name on it. I picked it up and saw that it was her diary.” Levi is one of the lucky few who
escaped the horrors of the Holocaust.