from Salvaged Pages: Why Write"
REPRODUCIBLE 1: Why Write?
1. To “set things right”; to be accountable to oneself for time, conduct, or character
Undated introduction
“At the urging of my teacher Mr. Roubicek I have decided to keep a diary. Why haven't I
kept one before now? I think the main reason was fear of other people: to write a diary and
burn it—I didn't want that; and to write a diary and hide it—I could never do that. Besides,
I think that a fighter (if I’m not one now, I want to become one) shouldn’t look back too
much. Despite this, however, when it was absolutely necessary psychologically, I took pencil
to paper and set things right—with myself, completely; with the world, as much as my
strength allowed. I was, of course, forced to burn those pages.
I write ‘decided’ and not ‘agreed’ because I want to continue with this even when not at the
behest of my teacher.” —Vera Segerova
(Segerova, Vera. Unpublished diary. [in Czech] Translated by Benjamin Herman. (Beit
Theresienstadt, Israel.)
August 13, 1940
“I, Ruthka Lieblich, am a plain girl, a bit wild, a girl of thirteen. Under the influence of Maya
Weisberg, one of my older friends, rather, my leader, I came to the conclusion that I must
get to know myself. Truthfully, to get to know oneself is a rather dirty business; however,
since the decision is mine, I thought that the only way to succeed in such a complicated
procedure is to start a diary.” —Ruthka Lieblich
(Lieblich, Ruthka. Ruthka: A Diary of War. Translated and edited by Jehoshua and Ann
Eibeshitz. Originally published in Polish.)
November 24, 1942
“It is because I hate being idle that I have started this diary so that I can write in it every day
what I do and think; in this manner I shall be able to account for all I have done each day.
Now the introduction is over, and I shall begin my diary tomorrow.” —Moshe Flinker
(Salvaged Pages, p. 100.)
2. To confide private thoughts or feelings
June 12, 1942
“I hope I will be able to confide everything in you, as I have never been able to confide in
anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support.” —Anne Frank
(Frank, Anne. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Translated by B. M. Mooyart.
Originally published in Dutch.)
May 5, 1941
“I have known for a long time that [my younger sister] Sabinka wanted to have a diary like I
have. Today when she saw me writing in it she came closer to me and said: ‘Renia, when I’m
grown-up like you will you let me read you your diary?’ ‘I will let you read it.’ ‘And will you
let me publish it?’ Then I started to laugh and declared that in view of her intention I’ll never
let her read it. Because she made a plaintive face, I told her that I’ll give her a notebook and
she could write her own diary. She agreed to it and began to write immediately. In the
1beginning she had some doubts, asking if it is not stupid to write about oneself. I explained
to her that she will be the only one who will read it and certainly she is not ashamed of
herself. My speech had such an effect that Sabina sits quietly by my side and writes…
—Rena Knoll
(Kroll, Rena. Unpublished diary. [in Polish] Translated by Malgorzata Markoff. (Jewish
Historical Institute, Warsaw, Poland)
3. For parents or loved ones, to feel closer to those far away
Belonging to FEIGL, PIERRE August 27, 1942
This diary is written for my parents in the hope that it will reach them both in good health.
Their son: Pierre FEIGL.
(Salvaged Pages, p. 69)
February 9, 1945
“Today I’m really in the mood for writing. I’d like to have someone to whom I could tell
everything, absolutely everything, someone to open my heart to. My Mummy is the only
person to I could tell everything, but unfortunately I’m not with her, so I’ll have to confide
in my diary.” —Eva Ginzova
(Salvaged Pages, p. 185)
February 8, 1944
“After thinking about it for a long time, I decided to write a diary. I’m doing it for my Mom,
Dad, and Eva, to whom I cannot write everything I would like in a letter because, first, it is
not allowed and, second, my German is not good enough. I’m also writing it for myself so I
won’t forget the great number of incidents and types of people that I have come into contact
with.” —Petr Ginz
(Salvaged Pages, p. 167)
4. Expressing despair about the purpose of writing, yet the need prevails
Tuesday, July 15, 1942
“I know that all my writing is meaningless. Nobody will read my journal and, as for me,
should I escape alive from here, I will throw into the fire everything that will remind me of
the damned time spent in Djurin. And still, I write.” —Miriam Korber
(Salvaged Pages, p. 266)
June 9, 1942
“Well, this whole scribbling doesn’t make any sense. It is a fact we are not going to survive.
The world will know about everything even without my wise notes.” —Elsa Binder
(Salvaged Pages, p. 327)
5. For the public, as a testimony to those who were not there
Thursday the 5th [November 1942]
“…I consider that everything should be recorded and noted down, even the most gory,
because everything will be taken into account.” —Yitskhok Rudashevksi
(Salvaged Pages, p. 212)
June 11, 1944
“I go on dreaming, dreaming, about survival and about getting fame, in order to be able to
tell ‘the world’ . . . to tell and ‘rebuke’, to ‘tell and to protest’, both seem at present moment
remote and unbelievable—but who knows maybe, perhaps. I dream about telling to
humanity but should I be able? Should Shakespeare be able? And what yet I who am only a
little proud of understanding Shakespeare?!” —Anonymous Boy, Lodz Ghetto
(Salvaged Pages, p. 371)
November 1, 1944
“…I will try to bear written witness as best I can so that it will survive me. That is what
occupies my thoughts—not to have the world take notice of me—not to say: there was one
who was beautiful and smart and open to the world, and she was seventeen and was snuffed
out before her life could even start. No, to say to the world and time what was accomplished
here; to read to them a chapter out of the Golah [exile] dated 1944…”—Alice Ehrmann
(Salvaged Pages, p. 406)