Journals
May 10, 1925
My name is Yvonne Kiefer and I'm 28 years old. I have been married for 5 years. I have 3 wonderful children, Heinz who is 4 years old, Julius who is 2 years old, and Monica who is just half of a year old. I am a teacher and my husband is an electrician. We don't make a lot of money, so my father helps us out financially. My family and I attend mass on a regular basis at Saint Hedwig Cathedral. We live in an apartment with great neighbors.
-Yvonne
My name is Yvonne Kiefer and I'm 28 years old. I have been married for 5 years. I have 3 wonderful children, Heinz who is 4 years old, Julius who is 2 years old, and Monica who is just half of a year old. I am a teacher and my husband is an electrician. We don't make a lot of money, so my father helps us out financially. My family and I attend mass on a regular basis at Saint Hedwig Cathedral. We live in an apartment with great neighbors.
-Yvonne
January, 1930
The last few months have been horrible. I lost my savings and vacation fund because a lot of the banks closed, so I hope the children aren't too hungry. Aside from all of that, I ran into an angry man in my family's apartment building. He asked me if any Jews lived here. He said Jews as if they were garbage. I knew a Jewish family lived upstairs, but I didn't want them to get in trouble or taken away, so I lied. They would have done the same for me, I hope. Even though I am Christian, Jews never really bothered me. I have never had a reason not to like them. But, I would do anything to protect my family.
-Yvonne
The last few months have been horrible. I lost my savings and vacation fund because a lot of the banks closed, so I hope the children aren't too hungry. Aside from all of that, I ran into an angry man in my family's apartment building. He asked me if any Jews lived here. He said Jews as if they were garbage. I knew a Jewish family lived upstairs, but I didn't want them to get in trouble or taken away, so I lied. They would have done the same for me, I hope. Even though I am Christian, Jews never really bothered me. I have never had a reason not to like them. But, I would do anything to protect my family.
-Yvonne
April 17, 1933
Today on the streets people were boycotting again. Too many people are Mekong fun of these Jews, but I didn't say anything because I was too afraid to get beat up. My family has been doing ok, but we never have enough money. Heinz and Julius are enjoying school, and Monica is growing up so fast. More and more students are being taken out of Heinz and Julius' classrooms because of these laws Hitler is creating, I'm also teaching less and less students. I'm not sure why the Nazis see them this way. I can't buy from Jewish people anymore which will be a struggle for my family because the Jewish man down the street usually gives me such great deals, but I have to keep my family and I out of harms way. With the Enabling Act, things are getting scary on the streets, so I don't feel safe on the streets anymore. I will write again soon.
-Yvonne
Today on the streets people were boycotting again. Too many people are Mekong fun of these Jews, but I didn't say anything because I was too afraid to get beat up. My family has been doing ok, but we never have enough money. Heinz and Julius are enjoying school, and Monica is growing up so fast. More and more students are being taken out of Heinz and Julius' classrooms because of these laws Hitler is creating, I'm also teaching less and less students. I'm not sure why the Nazis see them this way. I can't buy from Jewish people anymore which will be a struggle for my family because the Jewish man down the street usually gives me such great deals, but I have to keep my family and I out of harms way. With the Enabling Act, things are getting scary on the streets, so I don't feel safe on the streets anymore. I will write again soon.
-Yvonne
August 20, 1936
The streets are getting a little bit worse everyday. I think about leaving Germany all together, but my husband has now joined the Nazi party, so if we left now we would look suspicious. At least now we won't be seen as friends to Jews. As the days go on more and more people go "missing", but I know what that means. The Jews I''m friends with refuse to leave Germany. They think this is going to blow over, but my husband tells me it's not. I don't want them to get hurt;. Why don't they just leave? So, now I'm in the hospital. I was beaten badly. Now, I have a record in the police station. Anybody can use that against me if they want to. I hope my husband was wrong about this not blowing over.
-Yvonne
November 10, 1938
Today, I heard a loud bang upstairs. I was scared for the Schneiders because I know that they are Jewish. I ran upstairs, and when I saw the Schneider's door ripped from the hinges, my stomach immediately dropped. I ran inside to see if everybody was okay, but then I saw Frau Schneider laying on the ground, her family Heir Schneider and Friedrich surrounding her. I didn't know what to do, so I cried out for my husband. He grabbed some bandage and antibiotics from the apartment, so we could clean her cuts. I don't think it's going to help much. I'm not sure she is going to make it much longer. I think Heir Schneider knows it too. I don't know who is going to tell Friedrich.
-Yvonne
The streets are getting a little bit worse everyday. I think about leaving Germany all together, but my husband has now joined the Nazi party, so if we left now we would look suspicious. At least now we won't be seen as friends to Jews. As the days go on more and more people go "missing", but I know what that means. The Jews I''m friends with refuse to leave Germany. They think this is going to blow over, but my husband tells me it's not. I don't want them to get hurt;. Why don't they just leave? So, now I'm in the hospital. I was beaten badly. Now, I have a record in the police station. Anybody can use that against me if they want to. I hope my husband was wrong about this not blowing over.
-Yvonne
November 10, 1938
Today, I heard a loud bang upstairs. I was scared for the Schneiders because I know that they are Jewish. I ran upstairs, and when I saw the Schneider's door ripped from the hinges, my stomach immediately dropped. I ran inside to see if everybody was okay, but then I saw Frau Schneider laying on the ground, her family Heir Schneider and Friedrich surrounding her. I didn't know what to do, so I cried out for my husband. He grabbed some bandage and antibiotics from the apartment, so we could clean her cuts. I don't think it's going to help much. I'm not sure she is going to make it much longer. I think Heir Schneider knows it too. I don't know who is going to tell Friedrich.
-Yvonne
September 16, 1941
I am writing from a concentration camp. The Maxis took me here after they found out what I wrote in my journal. I am deathly afraid and I feel as if I'm about to die. I haven't seen my husband and children in a while and I don't think they miss me as much as I miss them. They make me carry rocks and I watch as people die all around me for not working hard enough or just giving up. I will never gib up. I will see my family again. They won't take everything from me. All I hope for is to survive this. I am fed little rations of food, I never fee clean, and I never sleep well. The lack of sleep is either from pain or from the amount of people on my little wooden shelf that has no blankets or pillow. Animals are treated better than us. I hope I get out of here soon.
-Yvonne
I am writing from a concentration camp. The Maxis took me here after they found out what I wrote in my journal. I am deathly afraid and I feel as if I'm about to die. I haven't seen my husband and children in a while and I don't think they miss me as much as I miss them. They make me carry rocks and I watch as people die all around me for not working hard enough or just giving up. I will never gib up. I will see my family again. They won't take everything from me. All I hope for is to survive this. I am fed little rations of food, I never fee clean, and I never sleep well. The lack of sleep is either from pain or from the amount of people on my little wooden shelf that has no blankets or pillow. Animals are treated better than us. I hope I get out of here soon.
-Yvonne
February 22, 1942
Today is my birthday, but I don't want to be caught celebrating. Today we will be going to a new concentration camp. On the way we felt the explosions of the bombs. I hope my family is ok. It wouldn't be the same without them. So, today we ended up in a new concentration camp. The worst part about getting there was how we got there. After roll call all the prisoners were packed into a train car and shipped away. The smells are indescribable. I could barely breathe and many people died along the way, including the person sitting next to me. The woman was leaning against me. At first I thought she was asleep, but when she wouldn't make up I knew she never would. I had seen many dead bodies before in the camps, but this was different. This body was on me, touching me. I started freaking out a little bit, then I had to pull myself together. When we got to the camp there was a sign on the camp and it translated to "Work makes one free", I don't know if I believe that.
-Yvonne
Today is my birthday, but I don't want to be caught celebrating. Today we will be going to a new concentration camp. On the way we felt the explosions of the bombs. I hope my family is ok. It wouldn't be the same without them. So, today we ended up in a new concentration camp. The worst part about getting there was how we got there. After roll call all the prisoners were packed into a train car and shipped away. The smells are indescribable. I could barely breathe and many people died along the way, including the person sitting next to me. The woman was leaning against me. At first I thought she was asleep, but when she wouldn't make up I knew she never would. I had seen many dead bodies before in the camps, but this was different. This body was on me, touching me. I started freaking out a little bit, then I had to pull myself together. When we got to the camp there was a sign on the camp and it translated to "Work makes one free", I don't know if I believe that.
-Yvonne