28th November 1938

My husband has satisfied himself personally that the synagogue in Oranienburgerstraße in Berlin was not unscathed. All the windows are smashed, chandeliers and beams brought down. 24 hours after the synagogue fires it was announced on the radio that the Kulturbund will perform again. The shows began on 22nd November (to houses one third full), on Sunday 26th November the cabaret had to perform again.

A 32-year-old man by the name of Hirschmann, seriously diabetic, was arrested on 10th November. The Gestapo officer who came for him told him that he should take some supplies with him. Three days later two SS men appeared at his home and asked his wife whether her husband should be cremated or buried as he had died. Herr A. was arrested immediately and following intervention five days later was released from Sachsenhausen. His nerves at breaking point, extremely upset, he denied reports, said only that the arrested men were taken to Sachsenhausen immediately and initially had to stand for twelve hours without anything to eat or being allowed to relieve themselves. Those who could not endure it were beaten. The worst are the mental tortures. A major is in charge of the camp. He returned from a car journey to Berlin. 100 Jews (in this camp are also the rabbis from Berlin Dr. Swarsensky, Dr. van der Zyl, Dr. Jospe) were commandeered and had to stand by the gate, 50 on either side, and greet the returning major with the chorus, “Tonight did the Herr Major have a good.....“ (a most vulgar expression for being with a woman). [handwritten comment: Untrue! Reichmann]

The people, except for a few exceptions who admit they are pleased about the events, are not only not in agreement, but I know from my own experience that Christians have said that they are ashamed to be German. It happened to me that when I was walking down the road with my little daughter who looks very Jewish, I was spoken to by a young lady: “The final chapter has not yet been written.“

The worst camp is Buchenwald, in which young lads are in charge, the Vienna SS.

It has been announced that the Kulturbund in the Reich should perform again, without one knowing where, for what means and in front of whom.