Status Updates From The Diary of Dawid Sierakow...

07.Dec.1939: “Everybody is surprised that nothing has been heard about Hitler lately. They say that he either is dead or has been removed from power, etc. News about major German air and sea defeats is reaching us. Everybody would like to have reliable information at last. An old Jewish saying: ‘I need _rachemim_’ [Hebrew; mercy].”

05.Nov.1939: “In the evening my cousin’s husband returned from Kowel, which is occupied by the Russians. He says that food is very expensive and no quarters are available there because of the excessive population. Nevertheless, the situation is much better than what he finds here. In Kowel there’s no harassment, and order is kept fastidiously. Everyone likes the Russians because they are kind and helpful.”

19.October.1939: “We don’t have classes in Polish history anymore. Chapters regarding Poland are omitted. We will probably have German-language classes, which makes me very happy. Knowing one more language won’t hurt.

Meanwhile, we are running out of coal at home, and it’s impossible to get bread even if you wait in line. […]”