Odds and Ends Archives - Page 31 of 31

“One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic.”

—-Joseph Stalin

Welcome to my first blog!

Several years ago I set out to republish Odd Nansen’s World War II concentration camp diary, From Day to Day. The effort, though not without its share of ups and downs, has been one of the most interesting and satisfying endeavors I have ever embarked on.

Nansen’s diary is many things:

A unique historical record;
An acute psychological portrait of a deeply humanistic individual;
A window into the world of the Holocaust.

After five years of intensive study in only one small aspect of the concentration camp experience, I’m still not sure I comprehend either the Holocaust in particular, or the Nazi’s treatment of countless camp prisoners in general; perhaps, as some say, it is simply incomprehensible.

From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps

Buy The Book

“I want to thank Tim Boyce for this . . . . It would be lost to history if people like Tim Boyce did not devote the effort and time and expense–a good part of his life–to preserve the Odd Nansen story. It is a moving and gripping story. . . .”

–U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal

Hailed by The New Yorker as “among the most compelling documents to come out of the war,” From Day to Day is a World War II concentration camp diary—one of only a handful ever translated into English—secretly written by Odd Nansen, a Norwegian political prisoner. Arrested in January 1942, Nansen, son of polar explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen (Nobel Peace Prize 1922) was held captive for the duration of the war in various Nazi camps in Norway and Germany.

Nansen’s diary entries detail his palpable longing for his wife and family, his constantly frustrated hopes for release, the quiet strength and sometimes ugly prejudices of his fellow prisoners, and his horror at the especially barbaric treatment reserved for the Jews. The diary brilliantly illuminates Nansen’s daily struggle, not only to survive, but to preserve his sanity and maintain his humanity in a world engulfed by fear and hate.

First published in English in 1949, From Day to Day had been out of print for almost seventy years. The new edition contains entries and sketches never previously available in English. It also features a new introduction and extensive annotations by Timothy Boyce and a preface by Thomas Buergenthal, whose life (as a ten year-old) Nansen saved while in Sachsenhausen, later recounted in his own memoir A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy.

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		2 events 1 2 events, 1 2026-07-01 1942 – The crucial battle of El Alamein begins 1942 – The crucial battle of El Alamein begins July 1 1942 – The crucial battle of El Alamein begins The crucial battle of El Alamein begins 2026-07-01 1916 – The Battle of the Somme Begins 1916 – The Battle of the Somme Begins July 1 1916 – The Battle of the Somme Begins	0 events 2 0 events, 2	0 events 3 0 events, 3	1 event 4 1 event, 4 2026-07-04 1942 – U.S. 8th Air Force Conducts First Raid on Europe 1942 – U.S. 8th Air Force Conducts First Raid on Europe July 4 1942 – U.S. 8th Air Force Conducts First Raid on Europe	0 events 5 0 events, 5
1 event 6 1 event, 6 2026-07-06 1942 – Anne Frank goes into hiding in Amsterdam 1942 – Anne Frank goes into hiding in Amsterdam July 6 1942 – Anne Frank goes into hiding in Amsterdam Anne Frank goes into hiding in Amsterdam	1 event 7 1 event, 7 2026-07-07 1942 – Medical experiments begin in Auschwitz 1942 – Medical experiments begin in Auschwitz July 7 1942 – Medical experiments begin in Auschwitz Medical experiments begin in Auschwitz	2 events 8 2 events, 8 2026-07-08 1835 – Liberty Bell Cracks Tolling Death of John Marshall 1835 – Liberty Bell Cracks Tolling Death of John Marshall July 8 1835 – Liberty Bell Cracks Tolling Death of John Marshall 2026-07-08 1940 – Norwegian Government Moves to London, Having Held Out for 62 Days 1940 – Norwegian Government Moves to London, Having Held Out for 62 Days July 8 1940 – Norwegian Government Moves to London, Having Held Out for 62 Days	2 events 9 2 events, 9 2026-07-09 1944 – Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg arrives in Budapest, Hungary 1944 – Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg arrives in Budapest, Hungary July 9 1944 – Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg arrives in Budapest, Hungary Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg arrives in Budapest, Hungary 2026-07-09 1776 – Washington Orders Declaration of Independence To Be Read to Troops 1776 – Washington Orders Declaration of Independence To Be Read to Troops July 9 1776 – Washington Orders Declaration of Independence To Be Read to Troops	2 events 10 2 events, 10 2026-07-10 1916 – Hiltgunt Zassenhaus born in Hamburg, Germany 1916 – Hiltgunt Zassenhaus born in Hamburg, Germany July 10 1916 – Hiltgunt Zassenhaus born in Hamburg, Germany Hiltgunt Zassenhaus born in Hamburg, Germany 2026-07-10 1940 – The Battle of Britain begins 1940 – The Battle of Britain begins July 10 1940 – The Battle of Britain begins The Battle of Britain begins	1 event 11 1 event, 11 2026-07-11 1804 – Alexander Hamilton Killed in Pistol Duel With Aaron Burr 1804 – Alexander Hamilton Killed in Pistol Duel With Aaron Burr July 11 1804 – Alexander Hamilton Killed in Pistol Duel With Aaron Burr	0 events 12 0 events, 12
1 event 13 1 event, 13 2026-07-13 2000 – Jan Karski, Polish soldier, resistance-fighter, and diplomat, dies, age 86 2000 – Jan Karski, Polish soldier, resistance-fighter, and diplomat, dies, age 86 July 13 2000 – Jan Karski, Polish soldier, resistance-fighter, and diplomat, dies, age 86 Jan Karski, Polish soldier, resistance-fighter, and diplomat, dies, age 86	1 event 14 1 event, 14 2026-07-14 1789 – Bastille Stormed in Paris: Start of the French Revolution 1789 – Bastille Stormed in Paris: Start of the French Revolution July 14 1789 – Bastille Stormed in Paris: Start of the French Revolution	0 events 15 0 events, 15	3 events 16 3 events, 16 2026-07-16 1942 – French police conduct La Grande Rafle (the Great Roundup); over 12,000 Jews arrested, including over 4,000 children 1942 – French police conduct La Grande Rafle (the Great Roundup); over 12,000 Jews arrested, including over 4,000 children July 16 1942 – French police conduct La Grande Rafle (the Great Roundup); over 12,000 Jews arrested, including over 4,000 children French police conduct La Grande Rafle (the Great Roundup); over 12,000 Jews arrested, including over 4,000 children 2026-07-16 1945 – Trinity Bomb Tested at Los Alamos, NM 1945 – Trinity Bomb Tested at Los Alamos, NM July 16 1945 – Trinity Bomb Tested at Los Alamos, NM 2026-07-16 1790 – Washington Chosen as Permanent Seat of US Government 1790 – Washington Chosen as Permanent Seat of US Government July 16 1790 – Washington Chosen as Permanent Seat of US Government	0 events 17 0 events, 17	0 events 18 0 events, 18	0 events 19 0 events, 19
2 events 20 2 events, 20 2026-07-20 1969 – U.S. lands a man on the moon. 1969 – U.S. lands a man on the moon. July 20 1969 – U.S. lands a man on the moon. U.S. lands a man on the moon. 2026-07-20 1944 – Hitler narrowly escapes assassination 1944 – Hitler narrowly escapes assassination July 20 1944 – Hitler narrowly escapes assassination Hitler narrowly escapes assassination	0 events 21 0 events, 21	1 event 22 1 event, 22 2026-07-22 1942 – Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka begin; 250,000 Jews murdered within seven weeks. 1942 – Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka begin; 250,000 Jews murdered within seven weeks. July 22 1942 – Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka begin; 250,000 Jews murdered within seven weeks. Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka begin; 250,000 Jews murdered within seven weeks.	1 event 23 1 event, 23 2026-07-23 1914 – Austria-Hungary Issues Ultimatum to Serbia 1914 – Austria-Hungary Issues Ultimatum to Serbia July 23 1914 – Austria-Hungary Issues Ultimatum to Serbia	2 events 24 2 events, 24 2026-07-24 1943 – Operation Gomorrah: Firebombing of Hamburg, Germany 1943 – Operation Gomorrah: Firebombing of Hamburg, Germany July 24 1943 – Operation Gomorrah: Firebombing of Hamburg, Germany 2026-07-24 1946 – First Underwater Test of A-Bomb at Bikini Atoll 1946 – First Underwater Test of A-Bomb at Bikini Atoll July 24 1946 – First Underwater Test of A-Bomb at Bikini Atoll	1 event 25 1 event, 25 2026-07-25 1943 – Mussolini deposed 1943 – Mussolini deposed July 25 1943 – Mussolini deposed Mussolini deposed	0 events 26 0 events, 26
0 events 27 0 events, 27	3 events 28 3 events, 28 2026-07-28 1943 – Polish courier Jan Karski meets with President Roosevelt to reveal first-hand knowledge of the Holocaust 1943 – Polish courier Jan Karski meets with President Roosevelt to reveal first-hand knowledge of the Holocaust July 28 1943 – Polish courier Jan Karski meets with President Roosevelt to reveal first-hand knowledge of the Holocaust 2026-07-28 1914 – Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia: WWI Begins 1914 – Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia: WWI Begins July 28 1914 – Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia: WWI Begins 2026-07-28 1943 – Firebombing of Hamburg 1943 – Firebombing of Hamburg July 28 1943 – Firebombing of Hamburg	0 events 29 0 events, 29	1 event 30 1 event, 30 2026-07-30 1945 – The U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by Japanese submarine I-58; only 316 crewmen, out of a total complement of 1,195, survive 1945 – The U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by Japanese submarine I-58; only 316 crewmen, out of a total complement of 1,195, survive July 30 1945 – The U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by Japanese submarine I-58; only 316 crewmen, out of a total complement of 1,195, survive The U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by Japanese submarine I-58; only 316 crewmen, out of a total complement of 1,195, survive	0 events 31 0 events, 31

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From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps