Diaries of Young Nazi Victims

Petr Ginz was only a teenager when his life was taken at Auschwitz. His diary leads up to the events that ended his life, and give voice to Czech Jews living in Prague.

Petr Ginz's diary cannot be compared to the diary of another young Holocaust victim, Anne Frank. However, the recent publication of his diary adds another voice to the perspective of Jewish citizens living during the time period prior to WWII.

Petr was Czech, and he lived in Prague. His diary, edited by his sister, records daily life, includes poetry and artwork, and reveals the inner workings of a young mind full of potential. A gifted individual, Petr edited a magazine and wrote novels. Although his life ended in 1944 at the Auschwitz Death Camp when he was only 16, his voice lives on in his diary. The published version of this diary includes notes to complete the details surrounding the events recorded in Petr's writings.

A blog, called Places of Petr Ginz, gives context to the published diary. While sometimes a bit abstract, the blog nevertheless gives Petr Ginz a home in Prague, and explains significant Jewish and non-Jewish addresses in the Czech capital city.

The short life of Petr Ginz came to a tragic end. Even while he was still living in Prage, Petr himself was keenly aware of the events that were tearing his world apart. Commentators indicate that Petr's diary is more mundane than Anne Frank's diary, which is full of insight and has much literary value. However, critiques like these do not acknowledge the message contained within the diaries of young victims of concentration camps - that observing life and recording its events gives meaning to lives that ended prematurely and aids in our understanding of such horrific course of events.