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Journal 1942 1944 (2008)

by Hélène Berr(Favorite Author)

4.02 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

2847345000 (ISBN13: 9782847345001)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Tallandier

review 1: Ranskan Anne Frankiksi tituleerattu Hélène Berr on nuori pariisilaisneitonen, jonka elämää juutalaisiin kohdistuvat vainot alkavat varjostaa enemmän ja enemmän. Koskettava teos toki: on aavistuksen karmivaa lukea varsinkin päiväkirjan alkupuolta, kun tietää jo valmiiksi, miten kaikki tulee päättymään. Berrin vika ei ole, että annan vain kolme tähteä - päiväkirjana, siis dokumenttina tavallisen ihmisen elämästä, tämä täyttää tehtävänsä varsin mainiosti. Vain kolme tähteä liittyy enemmänkin lukukokemukseeni: henkilöitä vilisi niin, etten ihan täysin päässyt kärryille kaikista ihmisistä missään vaiheessa, ja menetin välillä mielenkiintoni.
review 2: A remarkable diary. It seems that there are so many holocaust books now... more that there is nothing new to be learned, but of course there is. You might call this the French Anne Frank, but it isn't really. Helene Berr was French, lived in Paris, from a privileged family. During the German occupation of France she wrote this diary. It may seem astounding that her everyday life was not much different during this time than it had been before. She went with her family to their country estate frequently, to picnic, to relax. She continued to attend classes at the Sorbonne, even though as Jew she was limited in the courses of study she could take officially. She had friends, including some who became more than friends.But she wasn't ignorant of the pain of others. She was aware that bad things were happening to Jews elsewhere and to other "classes" of Jews within France. Her father was a prominent citizen, initially exempt from seizure. As time went on, more and more people are taken, some to a nearby prison and some directly "deported". Helene did not know exactly what went on when people were deported. She seemed to have some idea that they were imprisoned for things that they had done, however slight the offense, and that they simply had to do their time. She heard of many deaths but she was not, it appears, aware of the concentration camps.She worked as a volunteer at an organization the was formed to help Jews find their relatives or provide help with other problems. This organization was sanctioned by the German occupation as a way, it seems, to make the citizens believe all was not as bad as it seemed. However, secretly the organization found homes for Jewish children in non-Jewish families, many of them in the country and villages outside Paris. Thus a great many Jewish children were spared the fate of their counterparts who did not receive this help.Over time Helene's family became increasingly aware that the net was drawing closer to them. They had chosen to live their lives as close to normally as possible. To escape to the "free" zone was considered cowardly (it wasn't all that free anyway). Helene in particular was less concerned about her own safety than that of others. The diary provides a view from a a different perspective than most. It is well written, quick to read, yet of course horrifying because we know what's coming. less

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