One of the most moving...
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One of the most moving diaries to come out of World War II was written by a 27-year-old Dutch Jewish woman, Etty Hillesum. She was born to an upper middle class family with many advantages. Further, she was an intellectual with a university degree in law. In her diary she reveals a deeply introspective mind filled with rich spiritual insights.
Hovering over her entries was the terrible reality of Nazi oppression of the Jews. Gradually it becomes apparent she is not going to escape the fate of her family and friends. She is placed in the Westerbork camp as the round-up of Jews began. At first, she is given passes to return to Amsterdam but in time her identity card is taken away and she becomes officially incarcerated in the camp.
Despite these circumstances her diary discloses only praise for the uninterrupted dialogue she has with God. Shortly before being forced on a transport train to Auschwitz she entered these words in her diary: "Sometimes when I stand in some corner of the camp, my feet planted on Your earth, my eyes raised towards Your Heaven, tears sometimes run down my face, tears of deep emotion and gratitude ..."
She knew what Jeremiah meant by saying that if we trust the Lord we will be like "a tree planted by water."
- Hasler
Hovering over her entries was the terrible reality of Nazi oppression of the Jews. Gradually it becomes apparent she is not going to escape the fate of her family and friends. She is placed in the Westerbork camp as the round-up of Jews began. At first, she is given passes to return to Amsterdam but in time her identity card is taken away and she becomes officially incarcerated in the camp.
Despite these circumstances her diary discloses only praise for the uninterrupted dialogue she has with God. Shortly before being forced on a transport train to Auschwitz she entered these words in her diary: "Sometimes when I stand in some corner of the camp, my feet planted on Your earth, my eyes raised towards Your Heaven, tears sometimes run down my face, tears of deep emotion and gratitude ..."
She knew what Jeremiah meant by saying that if we trust the Lord we will be like "a tree planted by water."
- Hasler
