The Diary of Petr Ginz, 1941–1942 Read online

  Lots of people were executed for preparing the sabotage, illegal possession of weapons, and so on.

  2. X. 1941 (Thursday)

  Quite cold. Nothing special.

  3. X. 1941 (Friday)

  Cold in the morning, decent weather in the afternoon.

  In the afternoon I went to my orthopedic exercise class, afterward went for a walk near the slaughterhouse. I met Popper there.

  There was terrible shellfire at night and shots in the direction of Letna. Sirens were wailing like mad. The Turnas were in the shelter. Mummy and Daddy heard the whirring of a motor. But not me. Daddy saw shrapnel bursting into pieces a few times.

  4. X. 1941 (Saturday)

  Fair weather all day.

  In the afternoon I visited the Turnas, and I went to Troja. We were supposed to have a race, but it didn’t happen, because some boy (age 14–15) kept throwing stones at us. On the way, Turna was stopped by a small, about eleven-year-old boy, telling him that he shouldn’t talk to Jews.

  He also said that he knows the law very well and that he will find out Turna’s name.

  From Popper I got as two prizes for the boat race a small English textbook. In Troja I met my parents.

  5. X. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning bad fog, in the afternoon quite chilly.

  Did homework all morning. In the afternoon we went for a walk in Maniny,15 where we met the Hirschs; with them we walked far beyond the Liben bridge. I borrowed “The Mysterious Dune.”

  6. X. 1941 (Monday)

  Quite nice weather.

  It is Sukkot16 and so there is no school. In the morning I was at home, in the afternoon at my orthopedic exercise class and I also went to hand in the solution of the competition in “Paradise Garden,” where I met a lady who looked more like death than a human being.

  There is a new inventory of Jewish linen, furniture, sewing machines, and other things. The Milos family came to visit us this afternoon (only Uncle and Pavel) and Eva II. Mr. Fried came back recently (he had been arrested by the Gestapo) and immediately got married.

  7. X. 1941 (Tuesday)

  Weather quite good in the morning, nice in the afternoon.

  In the afternoon I was with Eva in Maniny; we rode a trolley cycle.

  In the morning I borrowed from Slavek “In a Sailboat across Two Oceans.”

  8. X. 1941 (Wednesday)

  Quite nice weather all day.

  In the morning at school, in the afternoon at Maniny. I picked goldenrod there.

  In the evening Lianka came to look at Eva’s drawings.

  9. X. 1941 (Thursday)

  Quite nice weather.—Morning at home, afternoon at school, wrote Czech composition essay.

  10. X. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning at school, Ehrlich from the parallel class is leaving with the first transport of five thousand Jews to Poland.

  Everyone is allowed to take along 50 kg luggage, money, blankets, food, and insurance policies.

  In the afternoon (evening) Eva II and Hanka Steiner came to visit.

  11. X. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning I was at home; in the afternoon we visited Grandma. I received a police summons; Eva thought we were already going to Poland. It was about a finder’s fee. Because three weeks ago, I found latchkeys, which I handed in to the police. I gave them my address, to send me a finder’s reward, in case there was one.

  In the evening Eva II was here; she is expecting Otik’s arrival.17

  12. X. 1941 (Sunday)

  Finally, after a telephone call and a cable, Otik arrived at about 9 A.M. Uncle Jarka D. is also supposed to come soon.

  13. X. 1941 (Monday)

  There is no school, because it’s Sukkot on Monday and Tuesday.

  I received notice to go to school and fill sacks with sawdust. In the morning I filled sixty sacks with a group that also included Pavel G. In the afternoon we stuffed over eighty sacks. They reached the ceiling. Two cars delivered the sawdust. The full sacks are sent to Veletrzni Palace, where Jews are supposed to stay for five days before the journey to Poland. I guess they’ll sleep on the sacks. Uncle Jarka D. arrived from Hradec; in the evening he went to Horalka’s. Eva II was here, too.

  14. X. 1941 (Tuesday)

  In the morning I went to the police and to Grandma’s. At the police station I received 9.90 crowns for the keys. In the afternoon I went for a walk with Eva at Maniny, where I met Fabian from IV.C.

  15. X. 1941 (Wednesday)

  In the morning I was in school; Kaufman and Hayek will be leaving for Poland.

  In the afternoon I was with Popper at Maniny and near the slaughterhouse. Uncle Jarka D. left in the evening. Eva II is here.

  16. X. 1941 (Thursday)

  In the morning I went for a walk at Maniny and near the slaughterhouse. At Maniny I was invited to ride on a train, by a railway worker. He chatted with me very nicely, said he was from Sudeten Germany, where he left a house. He asked me whether Daddy couldn’t sell him an overcoat, since we have to leave everything to the Germans.

  In the afternoon at school, a maths exam.

  D. Storzova was here; she is leaving with a new transport for Poland.

  17. X. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning I went to school, from where I was sent with three others to help put together desks in a new Jewish school in Vinohrady.

  We made it back to school just for the last lesson.

  In the afternoon I went for a walk near the slaughterhouse and at Maniny. Auntie Anda visited us.

  18. X. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning I was helping out at home.

  I scraped out Daddy’s sticker albums and glued in new stickers. I did the same work for part of the afternoon. Uncle Milos and Pavel came. In the evening Lianka came to show us her new dress, which she made herself. Mr. Pokorny came, too.

  19. X. 1941 (Sunday)

  I spent the morning at home; I started a fire in the stove for the first time by myself, now it’s burning like crazy. I stayed home in the afternoon as well, just toward the evening I went with Eva to Maniny.

  20. X. 1941 (Monday)

  In the morning at school, in the afternoon at Maniny. Pavel came in the evening.

  21. X. 1941 (Tuesday)

  In the morning at home, in the afternoon at school.

  We now have Miss Lauscherova as our class teacher, right away she gave four children after school detentions and five written punishments (5x a certain fairly long article). Promising beginning!

  22. X. 1941 (Wednesday)

  Morning at school. Uncle Milos came at noon.

  Mr. Pitter and Eva II came in the evening.

  23. X. 1941 (Thursday)

  This morning I was in town; in the afternoon I went for a walk.

  24. X. 1941 (Friday)

  Morning at home, afternoon [incomplete]

  25. X. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning in town and on a walk. In the afternoon I went to visit Popper; Martin was there, too; we played “Business” and “Bell and Hammer.” Afterward I was outdoors.

  26. X. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning at home; in the afternoon I visited the Hanzls with the Miloses.

  Neither Pavlicek nor Jozka or Jirina was at home. Only Miluska18 was there, who had a visit from Mr. Karpeles. She showed us sleeping bags.

  This year’s first snow fell today, of course mixed with rain.

  We and the Milos family received a summons to register.

  27. X. 1941 (Monday)

  Morning in school; in the afternoon went to Zizkov.

  We got a big punishment from Miss Lauscherova for talking: to decline twenty-five words in German.

  We’ve already had a proper snowstorm.

  28. X. 1941 (Tuesday)

  Afternoon in school, morning in town.

  29. X. 1941 (Wednesday)

  Morning in school; I got paid 100 crowns for helping out in school. It’s enough!

  On Friday, the Miluskas and the Jirinas have to report
to the exhibition grounds. They are leaving for Poland.

  On Sunday they weren’t yet registered, on Tuesday they registered, and on Wednesday they were called up (at night, as usual).

  In the afternoon we visited the family Levitus; Aunt Anda was there too.

  30. X. 1941 (Thursday)

  In the morning at the Levituses; they have everything ready for the journey to Poland.—Afternoon in school.

  (ON LOOSE LEAF WITH SECRET WRITING)

  1. in the afternoon there was

  2. at our house one

  3. lady from Kotrovice (Kotovice?) near Pilsen

  4. and she talked about a big

  5. attack by the English. One

  6. bomb fell about ten feet

  7. from the train station and made

  8. there an enormous ditch, which

  9. they then had to cover for a long

  10. time. That sort of attack

  1. happened there three times, but they never

  2. hit the train station, which

  3. is used to transport goods from

  4. the Skoda factory.

  5. The noise was so terrible,

  6. that they thought they were surrounded by

  7. cavalry. There was a large number

  8. of aeroplanes

  9. about Monday 4.V.42

  10. some postmen saw

  11. at night during the air attack a huge

  12. number of aeroplanes.

  31. X. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning I was supposed to go to school, but instead I went to say goodbye to the Miluskas and the Jirinas. I brought little Pavlicek something to play with while traveling: a tank and a monkey that jumped and turned somersaults, but which scared him terribly. There was an awful mess, they are preparing for the journey. Afterward I went to school. The snow stayed a while on the streets for the first time, the roofs are covered.

  Afternoon at home.

  1. XI. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning a walk near the slaughterhouse at Maniny, in the afternoon at Grandma’s. It’s really freezing already, the Maninsky canal is almost completely frozen, the ice is about 1 cm thick. Of course, you can’t yet walk on it. In several places there are ice patches you can slide on.

  Daddy was called up for work by the Jewish Community (probably at the exhibition center).

  In a self-invented cryptograph, Petr recorded news from the BBC transmitter, which he secretly listened to even though such activity was severely punished.

  2. XI. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning I wrote my homework and my punishment, in the afternoon we were with the Miloses at the Masaryk station, expecting the arrival of Auntie Nada from Budyne. Auntie arrived, and we all went to our house, where we (us children) played “Sorry.”

  Mr. Pokorny was here in the evening.

  3. XI. 1941 (Monday)

  School in the morning. We received a letter from the Jewish Community, ordering us to go to Regnart Street and sign that we will not sell or give anything to Aryans. At home in the afternoon.

  Daddy worked from 10 till 5 at the exhibition ground. This is the work he had been called up for on Saturday.

  4. XI. 1941 (Tuesday)

  We have no school till next Monday, probably because people will be going there to sign declarations (see Monday).

  I spent the morning at Grandma’s where I was working on engravings.

  Grandma then gave me two. I coloured19 them in the afternoon.

  5. XI. 1941 (Wednesday)

  Morning at home, afternoon at the Levituses.

  6. IX. 1941 (Thursday)

  I spent the morning at Grandma’s, where I got more engravings (altogether eighty-three) for colouring. In the afternoon I started on them and finished colouring three of them: Eva also did one.—Went to Maniny in the early evening.

  7. XI. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning at home, in the afternoon at Maniny.

  8. XI. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning with Popper near the slaughterhouse and at Maniny, in the afternoon at Grandma’s.

  9. XI. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning at home, we have a punishment (from Miss Lauscherova) to decline one hundred nouns with adjectives, so I had to write it. Spent the afternoon with the Milos family.

  10. XI. 1941 (Monday)

  In the morning at school, in the afternoon went for a walk.

  11. XI. 1941 (Tuesday)

  In the morning in town, in the afternoon in school.

  12. XI. 1941 (Wednesday)

  In the morning in school, in the afternoon with Popper.

  The Mautners gave me engravings. Eva II was here.

  Aunt Herma gave us a kind of bowl that chirps when the milk is about to spill out. We tried it out today; it works.

  13. XI. 1941 (Thursday)

  In the morning at the outpatients hospital, in the eye department they gave me a prescription for glasses.

  Afternoon in school.

  14. XI. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning at school, in the afternoon in town and at Grandma’s. We also stopped off at Mr. Repa’s on Hybernska Street for those glasses, which we’re supposed to receive tomorrow.

  15. XI. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning we borrowed a small heater from the Mautners.

  In the afternoon at Grandma’s, the Hornsteins (Grandma’s tenants) have been called up to report to the exhibition grounds, to go to Poland.

  16. XI. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning at home, in the afternoon at the Levituses; the Milos family was there too. I played chess with Pavel for the first time. Afterward we boys and the girls chased one another through the rooms.

  17. XI. 1941 (Monday)

  Morning at school, I was tested in natural history and geography (B and A). In the afternoon [incomplete]

  18. XI. 1941 (Tuesday)

  In the morning at home, in the afternoon at school; I was elected class president.

  19. XI. 1941 (Wednesday)

  In the morning at school I was publicly named president of class IV.B.

  In the afternoon I went to pick up the glasses from Repa’s on Hybernska Street and afterward I wore them when I went for a walk with Popper in Troja.

  20. XI. 1941 (Thursday)

  In the morning at home, in the afternoon at school. We went to register on Letenska Avenue.

  21. XI. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning at school, in the afternoon in Troja.

  22. XI. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning with Popper, in the afternoon at Grandma’s, where I received a beautiful inlaid fountain pen.

  23. XI. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning at home, in the afternoon with the Miloses at Maniny.

  Transports to Poland (five thousand people have already left in five transports) are stopped for the time being; now they are sending people to work in Theresienstadt.

  24. XI. 1941 (Monday)

  In the morning in school.

  During recess at PE I locked the locker room with a wire with three trainers inside.

  25. XI. 1941 (Tuesday)

  Morning at home, afternoon in school.

  26. XI. 1941 (Wednesday)

  In the morning in school, I was called to help people who are going with the new transport to Poland on 27. [XI.]. I waited the entire afternoon just to receive the pass, because Jews are not allowed out on the street before 6 A.M., and I had to be at Mr. Emil Bondy’s on Klimentska Street at 5:30 A.M.

  I also received a telephone token, so that I can call the Community in case I couldn’t carry the luggage.

  27. XI. 1941 (Thursday)

  Daddy got up at five in the morning and went to those Bondys instead of me.

  They had a huge amount of luggage and I would definitely not have been able to carry that.—In the afternoon at school, a maths test.

  28. XI. 1941 (Friday)

  In the morning at school. The Mautners, who live on our floor, have to leave for Theresienstadt, tog
ether with thousands of other people. Among others that are leaving is Reach, Ervin Mautner, and many others. Mr. Mautner went to the Community (Jewish) to ask if it wasn’t a mistake (he is over fifty years old and ill). In the later afternoon we went for a walk through town over the Charles bridge, Klarov and Belcredi’s Avenue (today’s Letenska).

  The geography teacher Mr. David got married (probably yesterday), so our class bought him a kerosene cooker, Primus. It cost 80 crowns, which amount was collected by our class (IV.B) (in fact we collected 120 crowns; 40 crowns went into the class fund). I wrote a poem to go with it and both were gift-wrapped, but Mr. David was at the registration so we can only give him the present on Monday.

  29. XI. (Saturday)

  In the morning with Popper near the slaughterhouse, in the afternoon at Grandma’s.

  Mr. Mautner has already been to the Community; they said it’s not an error. So he has leave for the exhibition grounds already on Monday 1.XII. In a month the whole Mautner family will join him.

  30. XI. 1941 (Sunday)

  In the morning at home, I had to write a punishment (to analyse fifty complex sentences). I spent the entire morning on it.

  In the afternoon at the Levitus’s; the Milos’s and Aunt Anda were there, too. Mr. Mautner came to say good-bye to us. Soon after Mrs. Mautnerova came to get him. They say that from May 1 they’ve had nothing but trouble. Egon has been arrested, Karel was sent to work in Ceska Lipa, all of their relatives are either in Poland or in Theresienstadt.

  1. XII. 1941 (Monday)

  In the morning at school, Mr. David accepted that Primus with thanks.

  2. XII. 1941 (Tuesday)

  Morning at home, afternoon in school. At 11 o’clock the new wooden Pfitzner’s bridge was festively opened by the deputy of Mayor Klapka (who was executed).

  3. XII. 1941 (Wednesday)

  Morning in school. A contest for the class magazine Outlook was announced, for the best solution to a certain question that was to be turned into a story. Afternoon at home.

  4. XII. 1941 (Thursday)

  In the morning I was in town, in the afternoon at home.

  They say that transports to Theresienstadt have been stopped at least until January 10.

  5. XII. 1941 (Friday)

  Morning in school, afternoon at home.

  6. XII. 1941 (Saturday)

  In the morning I was with Popper near the slaughterhouse, in the afternoon at Martin’s, where we played football with coins. I defeated Popper 12 to 1, Martin beat me 4 to 3. I borrowed the Verne books City of Steel and In a Balloon around the World. (Translator’s note: the first book is probably what is known in English as The Begum’s Millions, and the second could be either Five Weeks in a Balloon or Around the World in 80 Days—it’s not clear which.)