Customer Reviews

The Diary of Petr Ginz

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In reading numerous Holocaust accounts, one is struck especially by the tragic loss of young lives, who had yet to experience the richness of life...Petr Ginz is one such soul. The Diary of Petr Ginz is a chronicle of a 14 year-old boy's day-to-day life under Nazi occupation in Prague. The entries themselves are brief, but are accompanied by Petr's poetry and illustrations, a testament to this young boy's talent, and resilient spirit. His diary chronicles his life between 1941-1942, and ends in Aug 1942, prior to his being deported to Thereisienstadt where he was incarcerated for two years before being sent to a tragic end at the Auschwitz death camp. One can't help but feel a sense of impotent rage at the Nazi monsters that robbed so many innocent souls of a life meant to be lived, especially at the senseless killing of ones so young, and in Petr's case, and many others, possessing such talent that would have enriched the world. This is a remarkable diary, in the vein of the diary of Anne Frank, and other Holocaust diaries that prove the resilience of the human spirit during a dark period in history.

A very thought provoking account of the holocaust. At such a young age Petr inspires through his art, poetry, boyish nature and keenness to learn. Such a clever boy could have grown to be an amazing man and no doubt, if given the opportunity, would have contributed a lot to the world. Unfortunately he was murdered at Auschwitz at age 16 so we are left with a two year snippet of life as he saw it.

His account of Prague during the occupation is very matter of fact, which is very poignant in itself, as it seems almost a natural state of being to Petr. His diary provides a unique insight into the systematic erosion of his rights and the rights of the Jewish community, and the seemingly endless transportation of his friends and family.

Sad and cruel. But I'm glad the diary was uncovered and I was able to experience a part of Petr even if in such a small way.

This book must be read by both young and old. It will touch your heart and soul. I was moved to tears many times while reading.

Although the Holocaust diaries of adult writers contain greater historical detail, those of children and young adults give us a perspective of what it is like to be a person in the early years of life, full of both fear and hope. Petr Ginz was a remarkable person in so many ways, a talented artists, writer, humorist, and reporter. His artistic legacy is one of a young man who faced unimaginable adversities with courage, dignity, and hope (even when there was little reason to hope).

This beautiful diary covers Ginz's life in Prague, as the Nazi stranglehold creates new social and economic restrictions against the Jewish population with each passing day, and continues with life in Terezin, what was supposed to be a model ghetto but was, in truth, a model of Nazi lies and deception. Petr's sister, Chave Pressburger, who survived the war, adds notes on the underground newspaper he edited at Terezin, Vedem. (For further information on Vedem, I heartily recommend the book "We Are Children Just the Same."

A little over a half century later, Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon selected a copy of Petr's most famous work, Moonscape, as one souvenir to take aboard the space shuttle Columbia. It was that mission that ended in tragedy, the spacecraft disintegrating as it entered Earth's atmosphere. I like to think that both these great dreamers have reunited in Heaven, united in their dreams for a peaceful and just world.

There is nothing enjoyable in reading stories about prejudice, discrimination, injustice and persecution of innocent people, but if we do not keep fresh the memory of what happened in the Holocaust, we run the risk of history repeating itself. This book, edited by his sister Chava Pressburger, tells the story of the persecution of Jewish people in Prague during 1941 and 1942, through the eyes of a 13 and 14-year-old boy.

Germany seized control of Prague in March 1939, and the persecution of the Jews began gradually. On 19 September 1941, Petr reports that Jews were told to wear a Star-of-David yellow badge. At school that day, he counted 69 "sheriffs". About that time, people from the Jewish community started being forcefully deported to a concentration camp in Poland, and his diary lists people from the school, neighbourhood and family who were sent away.

In October 1942, Petr was himself sent away. His sister describes how he spent two years at Theresienstadt before being sent to his death at Auschwitz in 1944. The diary reveals that Petr had a keen intellect, and contains some remarkable poems and drawings. It is a moving story, and a timely reminder of things that must not be forgotten.

An excellent book!!!This book will eventually be a Classic.I can't say more than it's a must have if you are a history buff.

In 1941, Petr Ginz was 12 years old, living in Prague under German occupation, when he began keeping a diary. This young man, who would later live for two years at the Thereisenstadt concentration camp before being shipped off to his death at Auschwitz, provides the barest glimpse into the daily life of the Jewish population of Prague as the Nazi final solution got underway. Unlike Anne Frank, Petr did not write lengthy diary entries filled with detail. Instead, his sparse entries provide us with a minimalist impression of the rhythm of his life. Much of what he writes is repetitive, but interspersed are entries that show the increasing frequent demands placed upon the community by the Nazis. Eventually, the diary staggers to an end as Petr stops writing just before he is transported from Prague to Thereisenstadt.

This book isn't just Petr's diary, but also includes some of his writing from Thereisenstadt, as well as samples of his artwork. What is striking is how different his later writings, from the concentration camp, are from his diary entries from just a year or two earlier. It seems clear that the hardships he experienced made him a more mature, philosophical thinker and writer. This maturity and thoughtfulness also seems evident in his art as well.

While this book does not shed any great insights into the Holocaust itself, it does provide a glimpse into what life was like for the victims during the war, in the days and months before they were rounded up and shipped off to their awful fates. It also illustrates the great potential that was lost in these tragic deaths. It is clear that Petr was a young man of great talent and energy, and it is terribly sad to contemplate what he might have been able to accomplish with his life. In this sense, the true value of this book is the reminder of the true magnitude of the Nazi crimes...that it robbed the world of so much potential talent.