Object numberM2013/014:003
DescriptionSoft-covered notebook-diary belonging to Andor (Andrew) Kampfner. Avril Symon (wife) recalled him telling her that he had written about his experience during the Holocaust immediately after the war to “Lay his ghosts”. The notebook starts at both ends - meeting in the middle. The front half is badly damaged - the first 28 pages are damaged. The first healthy page is number 29. This diary is difficult to read as it is written in Hungarian, mixed with Hebrew (or Yiddish), as well as Czech.
Contents of the back half of the book are indicated according to page numbers:
Page 13 Gleiwitz
Page 25 Among the Selected
Page 36 In an open wagon
Page 50 Buchenwald
Page 82 Last Stop (or could be read as Last station)
The content page of the damaged end of the book:
Page 1 Mizrachi speech
Page 18 Mala legend
Page 22 Jews on Mars
Page 26 Wedding exclusion
Page 27 Metziot (written in Hebrew), meaning finding a bargain
Page 40 Zionist (written in Czech)
Page 47 not written in Hungarian; unable to make out
Page 65 Channukah
Page 70 Auctioning 22 of my books
Page 81 not written in Hungarian; unable to make out what is written
Page 92 Yiddish (unable to make out)
The last sentence on the contents page is written in Hebrew and it translates as “I finished with the help of Hashem”. The translator comments that he has written the word of God as a religious Jew would.
The diary is not dated.
The side from the undamaged beginning seems to be the continuation of the hard cover book, although it is possible that another book is missing in between these two. The last two lines read: “The Americans liberated us. Where would be my mother and my siblings?”
Contents of the back half of the book are indicated according to page numbers:
Page 13 Gleiwitz
Page 25 Among the Selected
Page 36 In an open wagon
Page 50 Buchenwald
Page 82 Last Stop (or could be read as Last station)
The content page of the damaged end of the book:
Page 1 Mizrachi speech
Page 18 Mala legend
Page 22 Jews on Mars
Page 26 Wedding exclusion
Page 27 Metziot (written in Hebrew), meaning finding a bargain
Page 40 Zionist (written in Czech)
Page 47 not written in Hungarian; unable to make out
Page 65 Channukah
Page 70 Auctioning 22 of my books
Page 81 not written in Hungarian; unable to make out what is written
Page 92 Yiddish (unable to make out)
The last sentence on the contents page is written in Hebrew and it translates as “I finished with the help of Hashem”. The translator comments that he has written the word of God as a religious Jew would.
The diary is not dated.
The side from the undamaged beginning seems to be the continuation of the hard cover book, although it is possible that another book is missing in between these two. The last two lines read: “The Americans liberated us. Where would be my mother and my siblings?”
Subjectsurvivors, testimonies, memoirs, Holocaust
Object namejournals
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 145.00 mm
height: 210.00 mm
Language
- Hungarian
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Avril Symon