Another Diary of a Young Girl: Masha Rolnik's Memorable Book Appears
By S. J. GOLDSMITH
Jewish News London Correspondent
(Copyright, 1966, JTA, Inc.)
LONDON—"I Must Tell" is the
diary of a Jewish girl who grew
up in the Nazi era and made her
entries from the first to the last
day of the war. The comparison
with Anne Frank comes to mind,
naturally. But there are several
important differences between the
two girls and their diaries. Anne
Frank was confined to her attic
, and saw life only through the sky-
light. Her diary records deeply felt
personal emotions, reactions to
people of a small circle, in short
only a small slice of the hell that
was Europe under the Nazis.
Masha Rolnik, the author of the
present diary, was born and lived
in Vilna when the Nazis came to
her city. She was in the Vilna
Ghetto, saw its liquidation and the
mass murders of Jews by the
Nazis, was taken to a concentration
camp for women in Germany and
from there to do forced labor on
a farm—and lived to see the day
of liberation. She was terribly sick
with exhaustion and malnutrition
when soldiers of the Red Army
found her. But she was young and
she recovered in a hospital.
She went back to her native
city—and met her father in the
street. She did not know that he
was alive; he did not know she
was alive. She wrote in her
diary: "I'm walking with my fa
ther; I do have a father; he has
not changed, really; his hair is
white and his voice trembles but
this may be due to his excite-
ment at our meeting. Myra is
alive. Mother a n d the other
children are no more." Her can-
vas is thus much wider.
Masha Rolnik is now a grad-
uate of the Gorki Literary Insti-
tute of the University of Moscow,
a writer in her own right. It evokes
the speculation as to how good a
writer Anne Frank would have
been had she lived to have her
chance. Masha is a good writer,
to judge from her epilogue to the
diary. She kept the diary in manu-
script for two decades. One as-
sumes that something had to be
unblocked before Masha could
bring herself to read it again. And
one is not surprised that it took
that long. We are assured, how-
ever, that the diary was left as it
was originally written.
$250,000 Gift Establishes
Brandeis Proskauer Chair
NEW YORK (JTA)—The estab-
lishment of the Joseph M. Pros-
kauer Chair in Legal Institutions
at Brandeis University was an-
nounced here at a dinner in honor
of the noted jurist and lawyer. The
chair was initiated by the jurist's
friends in New York, where he has
been playing an influential role
in the life of the community for
more than a half century, as leader
of the American Jewish Commit-
tee.
The $250,000 gift for the chair
will be supplemented by $150,000
from the Ford Foundation, under
the terms of its second $6,000,000
matching grant to Brandeis in
1964, to encourage the establish-
ment of chairs, fellowships a n d
scholarships. A buSt of Judge
Proskauer, who is a trustee of the
university, was unveiled at the din-
ner. The bust, was sculptured by
Dr. Maurice B. Hexter, vice-presi-
dent of the Federation of Jewish
Philanthropies of New Y o r k.
Speakers at the dinner included
former U.S. Senator Kenneth
Keating, now an associate judge of
the New York State Court of Ap-
peals; and Dr. Abram L. Sachar,
president of Brandeis.
Bostonians on Mission
BOSTON (JTA) — A group of
more than 120 men and women
from the Greater Boston area left
for Israel on a 10-day mission un-
der the sponsorship of the Business
Men's Council of the Combined
Jewish Philanthropies of Greater
Boston.
18—Friday, January 28, 1966
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Masha, the pampered daughter
of a well-to-do Jewish family, was
a school girl of 13 when war broke
out. She had shown literary tal-
ent at an early age and kept a
diary—the usual diary of a girl
at school. Then the Germans in-
vaded the Soviet Union, Vilna was
bombed and soon afterwards Ger-
man troops marched through the
streets of the Soviet-Lithuanian
capital. The Gestapo was not late
in following. Masha grew up in
one day. Her happy diary turned
into a record of fear and hunger,
worry for near ones and horror
at the fate of human beings gen-
erally, ghetto life and the agon-
izing wait for a knock at the door.
Masha kept up her entries
through all this and her tragic
Odyssey in Germany. When paper
ran out, she wrote on the margins
of old newspapers, on scraps of
dirty paper found in the street.
The words piled up as the record
grew more and more horrible.
The diary records, alongside
the horrors and the utter misery
and the despair, instances of
great heroism, of triumph of the
human spirit. In this respect too
it is a valuable contribution to
the history of the catastrophe.
Those who argue that there was
little resistance on the part of
the Jews may have second
thoughts as the facts of defiance
and resistance are brought to
light. Masha adds a number of
such facts.
There was the singer Liuba Le-
vitzkaya, one of the heroines of
the Vilna Ghetto, who went to her
execution singing all the way. And
there was Tikotin — we have no
first name—who smuggled into
the Ghetto arms which he took
from a German armory. In the
end he was caught and died a
hero's death. And there were many
others who resisted, fought and
defied the Nazis. Sometimes there
was more courage in defiance than
even in active resistance.
The Rolnik diary appears under
two imprints, having been jointly
published by the Novosti News
Agency of Moscow and the War-
saw Yiddish publishing house,
"Yiddish Buch." Novosti issued the
Russian version and "Yiddish
Buch" the Yiddish one. This is
the first joint publishing venture
of these two bodies. But whereas
"Yiddish Buch" has to its credit
a number of valuable books, No-
vosti is . actually a news agency,
designed to report on the doings
of Soviet ethnic minorities. It is
engaged in presenting a rosy pic-
ture of Jewish existence in Rus-
sia. But let us give it credit for
this book—whatever the motives
of joining the Warsaw publishers
were. The author is a Soviet citi-
zen and a loyal member of the
Soviet nation. Warsaw could never
have had the diary were it not for
the partnership.
First Jewish Congressman
Emmanuel B. Hart, a 19th Century
legislator and government official,
became one of the first Jews to
serve in the United States Con-
gress when he was elected to of-
fice in 1851.
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Special Deluxe 21-Day Trips to ISRAEL and U.S.S.R.
4 DEPARTURES 1966 . . . APRIL 19, MAY 16, JULY 13, OCTOBER 17
1st day NEW YORK-TEL AVIV. Via Pan American jet clipper from New
York, across the Atlantic and Mediterranean to ISRAEL.
2nd day TEL AVIV. You arrive late this evening and our representative
will be on hand to speed you through customs and transfer you to the
luxurious new HILTON HOTEL for overnight.
3rd day TEL AVIV. This morning you will be escorted on a city tour of
Tel Aviv, visiting the Arab quarter, Givat Alivah, Hat Yam, cultural
center, WIZO Baby Home Ichilo Hospital, Haaretz Museum.
This afternoon, you will leave for Rishon-Le Zion to visit the famous
wine cellars and the Weizmann Institute. Continue to Kibbutz Givat
Brenner for a visit before returning to Tel Aviv and your fabulous Hilton.
4th day TEL AVIV. TRIP TO NEGEV SODOM. After an enjoyable Israeli
breakfast, your guides will take you by deluxe motorcoach via Mis'af
Malachi, to Kiryat Gat, Shuval the bedouin Tribal Encampment and
Beersheba for sightseeing. Overnight at the Zohar Hotel.
5th day TEL AVIV. TO JERUSALEM. Leave Tel Aviv via Ramla Sha'ar
Hagai for Jerusalem. In Jerusalem you will visit the Hebrew University
with its Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition, the Hadassah Medical Center at
Ein Karem. You will be able to inspect Marc Chagall's famous colored
windows before continuing on to the King David Hotel (made famous
by the movie, Exodus) where you will enjoy a delicious lunch.
This afternoon, visit Mt. Zion with its Holy Shrines, the Tomb of King
David, Room of the Last Supper, and Dormition Abbey. Overnight at
the Ganei Yehuda Hotel, Jerusalem.
6th day JERUSALEM. A full Israeli breakfast will be served at your leisure.
A complete day on your own follows. Visit any friends or relatives who
may live in the area. Enjoy the sun. Take a walk. Explore the fascinat-
ing city. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Leave right after break-
7th day BEGIN A 3-DAY TOUR OF GALILEE
fast this morning. Visit Kfar Batya or Neurim (children's village), Ara
Pass, Megiddo (Armegedon) and its excavations. Then on to Nazareth
and its holy Christian Shrines and of the new Kiriat Nazareth; Cana of
Galilee, Horns of Hittin, Jordan River and Kibbutz Degania. Proceed
along the Sea of Galilee to Tiberias for overnight at the Grand Guber-
man Hotel.
8th day. Visit Capernaum and its antiquities;Tabgha, site of the "Multipli-
cation of Loaves and Fishes," Rosh Pina, Nebi Yusha overlooking the
Hule Valley and the extreme north of Israel. Continue to Safed with its
old Synagogues and artists' quarter, to Meron, Acre and its fortifica-
tions, bazaar and mosque. On to Tiberias and the Hotel Grand Gubarman
for overnight.
9th day. Sightseeing in Haifa; Bahaj Shrine and Gardens, panorama ob-
servation point. Central Carmel. Visit the Technion, Israel's Institute of
Technology, the main business sections and port area. Leave Haifa for
Ramat Hanadiv (Rothchild's Memorial Park and Grave), Caesarea and
its excavations. Overnight at Tel Avi.
10th day. TEL AVIV. A day of leisure.
This evening a special farewell dinner with entertainment consisting of
evening folklore dancing and singing to instruments of native Israel . .
an enjoyable experience!
11th day. TEL AVIV-VIENNA-MOSCOW. After breakfast this morning you
will be transferred to LOD Airport where your jet will take you via
Vienna to Moscow. You will arrive late in the evening, but an INTOUR-
IST representative will be on hand at the airport in Moscow to assure
speedy processing through customs and hurry you on your way to the
centrally located National Hotel for overnight.
12th day. MOSCOW. After breakfast you will be taken on a city tour in-
cluding historical and architectural monuments, new buildings, and
construction projects in this bustling capital of the U.S.S.R.
This afternoon you will tour the Tretyakov Art Gallery where 12th and
20th century Russian paintings and other works by Soviet artists are on
display.
13th day. MOSCOW. Your Intourist guide will take you on a walking tour
of the Kremlin this morning which is situated directly across the street
from your hotel. You will visit its ancient cathedrals, particularly the
famed Cathedral of Vasilyn Blazhenny with its multi-colored cupolas;
the Oruzheinaya Palata (Armory) which houses the treasurers of the
Russian Czars. This afternoon you will visit the Lenin Mausoleum.
14th day. MOSCOW. Morning sightseeing will include a visit to the U.S.S.R.
Exhibition of Economic Achievement where pavilions provide an all-
around picture of Soviet achievements in fields of art, agrculture, and
industry this evening you will be provided with reserved-seat tickets to
a ballet or opera, depending upon what is available this week.
15th day. MOSCOW. The morning has been left free for independent ac-
tivities. Following lunch you will be taken to see Moscow State University
and the Museum of the Revolution.
16th day. MOSCOW-LENINGRAD. A day free to explore Moscow on your
own—browse through the shops or take in some sightseeing on your
own. This evening, depart via First Class pullman train (Red Arrow
Express) at midnight tonight for Leningrad.
ELKIN TRAVEL
19437 LIVERNOIS
Detroit, Michigan
PHONE: 862-5881
17th day. LENINGRAD. Arrive this morning at 8:00 a.m. where an Intourist
representative will meet the group at the train station and secure speedy
transfers to the Astoria Hotel.
Afternoon city tour visiting the gold-spired Admiralty Building, the
statue of the Bronze Horseman. St. Isaac's Cathedral, Nevsky Prospekt
Avenue.
18th day. LENINGRAD. Leave this morning for Petrovorets, a remarkable
palace about 25 miles from Leningrad, originally built by Peter the Great
in 1709. The gold-gilt statues and 129 fountains, some of which are trick
• fountains, will amaze you. Petrodvorets consists of 300 acres of formal
gardens and many of the palace buildings are now museums containing
art pieces and priceless articles of the "age of the Czars." Return to
Leningrad by Hyro-foil boat.
19th day. LENINGRAD. Visit the State Hermitage, Leningrad's foremost
museum, a repository of priceless works of art. Here you will see
exhibits of ancient Egypt, China, India and more than 100 halls dedi-
cated to works of Western art where you can see paintings by such
renowned artists as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and
Picasso.
20th day. LENINGRAD. Full day at leisure for shopping, sightseeing on
your own, or just relaxing.
21st day. LENINGRAD. Morning tour of the fabulous, famous underground
railway system. You will be amazed at the clear marble, quiet trams,
and clean stations.
22nd day. LENINGRAD-NEW YORK. Via Pan American jet airliner to
New York City, arriving later this same day.
INCLUDED, IN THE COST OF YOUR ISRAEL/USSR
TOUR IS THE FOLLOWING:
1. Jet air fare from New York and back, via Pan American Jet World
Airways.
2. Twenty nights in deluxe hotels (as mentioned in the itinerary).
3. Breakfast and one other main meal daily in Israel; 3 meals daily in
the Union as well as afternoon tea. Many other meals will be included
during flights at meal times such as the transatlantic flights and the
day flight from Tel Aviv to Moscow.
4. Sightseeing with English speaking guides and entrance fees to museums
mentioned in the itinerary.
5. Tips for all meals in Israel (NO TIPPING allowed in the Soviet Union).
6. Israel Airport tax.
7. All service charges imposed by hotels.
8. Special evening farewell dinner in Israel.
9. Reserved seats at an opera or ballet in the Soviet Union.
10. Forty-four lbs. of luggage transported free of charge throughout
(2 normal-sized suitcases).
THIS EXCITING TOUR IS YOURS FOR THE LOW
PRICE OF:
$1,139.00 FOR THE APRIL OR OCTOBER GROUP
$1,195.00 FOR THE MAY OR JULY GROUP
ALL INCLUSIVE!
OPTIONAL PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO THOSE OF YOU WHO
HAVE RELATIVES IN EITHER SOVIET UNION OR ISRAEL
AND WISH TO TAKE ONLY HALF OF THE TOUR AND VISIT
WITH RELATIVES DURING THE OTHER 10 DAYS.
If you have RELATIVES in the SOVIET UNION and you
wish to tour only in Israel, the cost will be
$900.15
includes tour as in schedule in Israel. You will fly to Moscow
with the group but then proceed to the city in the Soviet
Union in which your relative lives. Hiland Tours, Inc., will
assist in making independent arrangements for you for this
portion of the trip. You will return to Moscow in time to take
the flight home to New York with the group.
CALL:
HIGHLAND TOURS, INC.
OR
4862 WOODWARD
Detroit, Michigan 48201
PHONE: 832-1300