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    Journal Entry 1 March 13, 1939

    Hello, Journal. My name is Andi Brooks. I seem to have gotten myself into a bit of trouble. I don't quite think I did anything wrong, but I must have. When the men burst into my house to take my family and I away, I heard them mention something about us being punished for being Jewish.

    All my life, I was always taught that Judaism is no different then any other religion. If that is true, why are we in this strange camp with all of these people being mean to us. My mommy always said, "A lady should be polite and courteous." I tried my best saying please and thank you to the men, but they just laughed and pushed me away. I am still not sure of what is going on, but I will ask momma tonight. She might tell me...

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 56 August 20, 1940

    Hello Journal. Today is my birthday. I am finally 10. Momma said I am a grown up lady now. That made me happy. We have been here for little over a year now. I think I know what is happening. The people in the camp that are mean to us are called Nazi's. That's what momma said. She said we have to do our best to stay polite and nice, or we will get gassed. I am not sure what that means. When I asked her she pointed to the building over the hill. I always thought that was for burning wood.

    I am kind of scared now, Journal. I have been writing my thoughts down in you for a while now. Momma said I should. She said it would keep me from saying things I shouldn't. I think it is working, but I am not sure. What am I not supposed to say?

    I wonder if I will ever go home...

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 136 October 26, 1942

    Hello Journal, I am a still proud that I am a twelve year old. I have been saying that every time I write in you now, but it's true.

    Lately I have bee worried about Momma. I hear her crying every night. I wonder why she is crying. I won't ask her, because I think I know. She is crying because we are never going home, Journal. We are never going to get out of this camp. I have been here for over three years so far, and I am scared right now. Every night I hear scary noises coming from the house on the hill. Momma calls it, "The Gas Chambers". I don't know what that means but I don't think peopel are having fun in there. It sounds like they are screaming every night. I hope we make it through this Journal, I want to go home.

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 163 December 29, 1942

    Hello Journal. It is nice to see you again. Hanukkah has come and gone again. This year we didn't get to light the Manorah, or spin our Dreidles. The mean men in the camp made us work all day. it was cold. I was almost frozen by the time they said to go to bed.

    I hate this place Journal. It makes me want to cry.

    I met another girl today journal. We made quick friends. Her name is Rose. She is a nice girl who is the same age as me. We worked together today so it wasn't as hard, but it was still cold. Rose and I heard that the mean men in the camp are going to try and kill us all. I don't know why. Is being Jewish so bad, Journal? Please, Journal. As I write my thoughts down in you, I hope that someday, when I am not around, some good soul will find this book, and will know what we are gong through.

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 209 February 15, 1943

    Hello Journal. I am having a hard time thinking right now. I will try to write as much as I can before the tears blur my vision too much.

    Today, my father was taken away from us. We were in our cabins when the Nazi's came in and grabbed him. They dragged him out the door and left us there. My mother tired to run after him but soem other people in our cabin grabbed her and held her back. She struggled against them, but she couldn't win. Momma would always say to be say to be strong no matter what. So, i didn't cry, until I asked her where daddy was later that night. She said he was taken to The Gas Chambers. I asked her what that was and she explained it to me. I then felt very sick. I ran to my bed and cried.

    i am writing this after I had a good cry, but I am not quite done. I will talk to you later journal. I have to go now...

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 218 March 3, 1943

    ...They took her too. Momma, they took my momma. Those man Nazi men took the only parent I had left.

    I hope those men rot in hell for their deeds. i know a lady shouldn't say such things but what did we ever do?

    Rose's family agreed to take me in. Rose's momma is really nice, and her father is nice too. They share their meals with me, and try their best to make me happy. Journal, I don't think i will ever be happy again. I think I will always be sad, because my momma is gone. I still miss daddy too. Journal, I hope I don't get sent to The Gas Chambers soon. I want to live to be an old lady. I am only twelve, this isn't fair. Why are they doing this? Rose and I have been talking and we recently found out that other people like us have been put in camps like this one. I think mine is called, Auschwitz. I must go now Journal. The Nazi people are telling us to go to bed. I will see you later.

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 258 August 20, 1945

    Hello Journal, this might be my last entry. I over heard one of the Nazi men talking about killing me. it is my birthday today. I am 13 years old. I have been in the camp for five years now. I have become more than a kid now. This camp has made me see just how much I took for granted. I have been seeing horrible things, and I think I might be in one of those gruesome images that I have seen in my time here soon.

    I love Rose like a sister now. She has been so kind to me. I feel like a part of her family now. I feel like I belong. I will never forget what they have done for me, but I still miss my parents. i would do anything to get them back, to just see them for one more day...Excuse me journal, I must go do something...

    Love,

    Andi


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    Journal Entry 259 August 21, 1945

    Hello, Andi's Journal. My name is Rose Roycewhitz. I am Andi's very close friend. I am writing in her journal because the world, or who every finds this in the future, needs to know what these camps do to us.

    Andi...I found her last night with a sharpened stick in her chest. I didn't notice it at first, but I realized she had done this to herself. She had taken her own life to be with her mother and father. This camp was too much for her tp bear without her parent's guidence. Why she did it is still unclear, but I think that is the reason. She didn't want to face death by the hands of the Nazi filth, so she took it herself.

    My parents were broken over this. They had come to accept Andi as a daughter of their own, so it hurt just as much as if it were me. Well, Andi's journal, it seems like I made it through this hell hole without a mark on me. The war is coming to an end, and the Americans are finally releasing us. I should be out of here sometime today. I wish I could say the same for Andi. If she had waited one more day, we could have been home free. But sadly, the pain was too much for her t bear, and she had to do this.

    Well Andi's journal, I will wrap this up with a poem in Andi's regard. I think I am quite the poet, but with Andi's passing, I don't know what I can do.

    Andi

    She was a girl with a sweet face
    Though no one was there to be her saving grace
    She tried to bear with the loss
    But it was too much, and her life was what it cost
    Andi is gone but her life begins anew,
    In heaven with her mother and father,
    Andi I will miss you...

    Well, That about wraps it up. I think i hear my mother calling. I hope this books finds it's way into good hands. The past must be learned from, and hopefully, this will never happen again.

    Love,

    Rose