Diaries

Private reflections written in the midst of war. This category presents authentic World War II diaries—personal, often unpublished accounts penned by soldiers, nurses, civilians, prisoners, and resistance members. These intimate records capture daily life under extraordinary circumstances, revealing the fears, hopes, and observations of individuals navigating a world in chaos.

Unlike official reports or postwar memoirs, diaries preserve raw, in-the-moment thoughts—unfiltered by hindsight or politics. They offer a uniquely human perspective on everything from frontline combat and occupation to exile, survival, and quiet acts of defiance.

These firsthand writings are invaluable for historians, educators, and readers seeking to understand how ordinary people experienced the extraordinary events of World War II—one day, one entry at a time.