Diaries of Young Jews in the Time of the Holocaust

Abstract

This paper focuses on the diaries of young Jewish people during World War II. Specifically it denotes the texts of Hany Bořkovcová, Otto Wolf, Helga Weiss-Hošková, Věra Kohnová, Eva Rodenová, Petr Ginz, Michal Kraus and Kateřina Pošová — to name only a few. Every one of them was given the nickname “The Czech Anne Frank.” What is surprising is the sheer number of these diaries, but also the fact that all came to public attention recently. They imply the topicality of the issue as well as the vibrancy and literary level records. The most valuable thing to this day is not their literary quality, but their simple authenticity. It points out that even in a gloomy reality it was possible to see hope and humanity.