“Deep down, the young are lonelier than the old.” I read this in a book somewhere and it’s stuck in my mind. As far as I can tell, it’s true.

Another birthday has gone by, so I’m now fifteen. I even received quite a few gifts.

The invasion is still going splendidly, in spite of the miserable weather.

We heard over the BBC that Churchill wanted to land along with the troops on D Day, but Eisenhower and the other generals managed to talk him out of it. Just imagine, so much courage for such an old man — he must be at least seventy!

The excitement here has died down somewhat; still, we’re all hoping the war will finally be over by the end of the year. It’s about time!

The invasion still hasn’t begun. I can safely say that all of Amsterdam, all of Holland, in fact the entire western coast of Europe, all the way down to spain, are talking about the invasion day and night, debating, making bets and … hoping.

No one can see father than the end of their nose, no one gives a thought to the fact that the British are fighting for their own country and their own people; everyone thinks it’s England’s duty to save Halland, as quickly as possible. What obligations do the English have toward us? What have the Dutch done to deserve the generous help they so clearly expect?

No country sacrifices its men without reason, and certainly not in the interests of another, and England is no exception. The invasion, liberation, and freedom will come someday; yet England, not the occupied territories will choose the moment.

We’ve also been told that anti-Semitism has cropped up in circles where once it would have been unthinkable. It’s also being said that German Jews who immigrated to Holland before the war and have now been sent to Poland shouldn’t be allowed to return here. Once Hitler is gone, they should go back to Germany.

When you hear that, you begin to wonder why we’re fighting this long and difficult war. We’re always being told that we’re fighting for freedom, truth and justice! The war isn’t even over, and already there’s dissension and Jews are regarded as lesser beings.

I only have one hope: that this anti-Semitism is just a passing thing. I love Holland. Once I hoped it would become a fatherland to me, since I had lost my own. And I hope so still!