Sunday, October 13, 1940: As I was born on this day I celebrate my 20th anniversary very quietly. 12 years happy childhood, 6 1/2 years under Nazi rule, 1/2 year inpeacetime, 1/2 year in wartime bonnie Scotland on the Isle of the free, and 1/2 year behind the barbed wire. One quarter of it in Canada. What a life! - Now we have been issued with working suits, blue with red patches and stripes., two shirts, pair of boots, pullover, two pairs of socks. For weeks they have been talking of the separation of non-Jews. Rumours have been plenty and false alarms. Memorandas have been sent. Separation was not wanted. Got a parcel from Lili. Great gift. Had to wait till parcels were issued because censor with held them until enough voluntary workers had been found for work. Last night order came for all non-Jews to leave today. When parting you felt suddenly the community it had been and now friends were separated. But we have grown accustomed to it. We are only numbers in Ottawa. great spirit was shown when saying good-bye. Group of Jews arrived. Now we are ''pure Jewish''camp, you might call it a ghetto. Not even in Palestine you'll only meet one of your people wherever you go, stand or lie.
The ''new ones'' from Camp Q are also human beings after all. The ''Living newspaper'' brings an interview of a Q man. Interesting details about their journey, arrival, and treatyment became known. A refugee from Belgium speaks about rights of internees. He has been (and) to Geneva on behalf of the refugees.
On Monday we had the first snowfall of the year. Got pretty cold whilst on team job and finally quitted job and walked to our hut. Next morning it got warmer again. Are told to work hard to get urgent jobs finished before the cold weather sets in. Otherwise the water system won't be finished and that means frozen pipes in winter. That the pipes were not laid properly before is, of course, quite a different thing.
That Canadian workmen can work fast show the huts erected outside the barbed wire. These buildings are even mentioned in the local papers, but what are they for? today heavy snow fell. camp and woods are covered with large white blanket. At night searchlights give a magic impression. A picture like on Xmas card.
