December 6, 1901: Odd Nansen's Birthday

Today is Odd Nansen’s 120th birthday.

Nansen has been described in many ways: humanitarian; architect; diarist; man of character. In my Introduction to From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps, I use the same words Primo Levi used to describe his friend Alberto Dalla Volta, whom Levi credits with saving his life while Levi and Dalla Volta were together in Auschwitz: “I always saw, and still see in him, the rare figure of the strong yet peace-loving man against whom the weapons of night are blunted.”

Happy Birthday, Odd Nansen

(The preceding first appeared, in slightly different form, on December 6, 2015)

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

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“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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1 event 1 1 event, 1 2026-06-01 1779 – Benedict Arnold is Courtmartialed 1779 – Benedict Arnold is Courtmartialed June 1 1779 – Benedict Arnold is Courtmartialed	0 events 2 0 events, 2	2 events 3 2 events, 3 2026-06-03 1945 – Otto Frank returns to Amsterdam 1945 – Otto Frank returns to Amsterdam June 3 1945 – Otto Frank returns to Amsterdam Otto Frank returns to Amsterdam 2026-06-03 1945 – More Than 150,000 German Soldiers Surrender to Allied Forces 1945 – More Than 150,000 German Soldiers Surrender to Allied Forces June 3 1945 – More Than 150,000 German Soldiers Surrender to Allied Forces	4 events 4 4 events, 4 2026-06-04 1940 – The evacuation of Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo, ends 1940 – The evacuation of Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo, ends June 4 1940 – The evacuation of Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo, ends The evacuation of Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo, ends 2026-06-04 1942 – The Battle of Midway begins 1942 – The Battle of Midway begins June 4 1942 – The Battle of Midway begins The Battle of Midway begins 2026-06-04 1944 – Allied forces occupy Rome 1944 – Allied forces occupy Rome June 4 1944 – Allied forces occupy Rome Allied forces occupy Rome 2026-06-04 1944 – German U-Boat U-505 captured on the high seas 1944 – German U-Boat U-505 captured on the high seas June 4 1944 – German U-Boat U-505 captured on the high seas German U-Boat U-505 captured on the high seas	2 events 5 2 events, 5 2026-06-05 1947 – Secretary of State George Marshall Outlines Marshall Plan 1947 – Secretary of State George Marshall Outlines Marshall Plan June 5 1947 – Secretary of State George Marshall Outlines Marshall Plan 2026-06-05 1940 – Battle of France Begins 1940 – Battle of France Begins June 5 1940 – Battle of France Begins	1 event 6 1 event, 6 2026-06-06 1944 – D-Day, the Allied invasion of northern Europe begins 1944 – D-Day, the Allied invasion of northern Europe begins June 6 1944 – D-Day, the Allied invasion of northern Europe begins D-Day, the Allied invasion of northern Europe begins	4 events 7 4 events, 7 2026-06-07 1940 – King Haakon VII flees Norway to establish the government-in-exile in London 1940 – King Haakon VII flees Norway to establish the government-in-exile in London June 7 1940 – King Haakon VII flees Norway to establish the government-in-exile in London King Haakon VII flees Norway to establish the government-in-exile in London 2026-06-07 1945 – King Haakon VII returns to Norway 1945 – King Haakon VII returns to Norway June 7 1945 – King Haakon VII returns to Norway King Haakon VII returns to Norway 2026-06-07 1776 – Richard Henry Lee Submits Independence Resolution to Continental Congress 1776 – Richard Henry Lee Submits Independence Resolution to Continental Congress June 7 1776 – Richard Henry Lee Submits Independence Resolution to Continental Congress 2026-06-07 1942 – Battle of Midway Ends; First Decisive Defeat for Japan of the War 1942 – Battle of Midway Ends; First Decisive Defeat for Japan of the War June 7 1942 – Battle of Midway Ends; First Decisive Defeat for Japan of the War
0 events 8 0 events, 8	4 events 9 4 events, 9 2026-06-09 1949 – George Orwell’s 1984 published 1949 – George Orwell’s 1984 published June 9 1949 – George Orwell’s 1984 published George Orwell's 1984 published 2026-06-09 1940 – Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends 1940 – Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends June 9 1940 – Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends 2026-06-09 1945 – Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family 1945 – Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family June 9 1945 – Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family 2026-06-09 1870 – Charles Dickens Dies Age 58 1870 – Charles Dickens Dies Age 58 June 9 1870 – Charles Dickens Dies Age 58	2 events 10 2 events, 10 2026-06-10 1942 – the Lidice Massacre 1942 – the Lidice Massacre June 10 1942 – the Lidice Massacre the Lidice Massacre 2026-06-10 1610 – First Dutch Settlers Land on Manhattan 1610 – First Dutch Settlers Land on Manhattan June 10 1610 – First Dutch Settlers Land on Manhattan	1 event 11 1 event, 11 2026-06-11 1776 – Continental Congress Appoints Committee to Draft Declaration of Independence 1776 – Continental Congress Appoints Committee to Draft Declaration of Independence June 11 1776 – Continental Congress Appoints Committee to Draft Declaration of Independence	1 event 12 1 event, 12 2026-06-12 1929 – Anne Frank is born 1929 – Anne Frank is born June 12 1929 – Anne Frank is born Anne Frank is born	1 event 13 1 event, 13 2026-06-13 1944 – Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain 1944 – Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain June 13 1944 – Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain	1 event 14 1 event, 14 2026-06-14 1941 – Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager 1941 – Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager June 14 1941 – Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager
2 events 15 2 events, 15 2026-06-15 1215 – Magna Carta Signed 1215 – Magna Carta Signed June 15 1215 – Magna Carta Signed 2026-06-15 1775 – George Washington Accepts Command of Continental Army 1775 – George Washington Accepts Command of Continental Army June 15 1775 – George Washington Accepts Command of Continental Army	1 event 16 1 event, 16 2026-06-16 1858 – Lincoln Gives “House Divided” Speech 1858 – Lincoln Gives “House Divided” Speech June 16 1858 – Lincoln Gives “House Divided” Speech	3 events 17 3 events, 17 2026-06-17 1896 – Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land 1896 – Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land June 17 1896 – Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land 2026-06-17 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill June 17 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill 2026-06-17 1972 – Break-In At Watergate Complex 1972 – Break-In At Watergate Complex June 17 1972 – Break-In At Watergate Complex	3 events 18 3 events, 18 2026-06-18 1931 – Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born 1931 – Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born June 18 1931 – Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born 2026-06-18 1812 – War of 1812 Begins 1812 – War of 1812 Begins June 18 1812 – War of 1812 Begins 2026-06-18 1815 – Napoleon Defeated at Waterloo 1815 – Napoleon Defeated at Waterloo June 18 1815 – Napoleon Defeated at Waterloo	0 events 19 0 events, 19	0 events 20 0 events, 20	1 event 21 1 event, 21 2026-06-21 1788 – U.S. Constitution Ratified 1788 – U.S. Constitution Ratified June 21 1788 – U.S. Constitution Ratified
1 event 22 1 event, 22 2026-06-22 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia June 22 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia	0 events 23 0 events, 23	2 events 24 2 events, 24 2026-06-24 1893 – The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole 1893 – The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole June 24 1893 – The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole 2026-06-24 1948 – Berlin Blockade Begins 1948 – Berlin Blockade Begins June 24 1948 – Berlin Blockade Begins	2 events 25 2 events, 25 2026-06-25 1903 – George Orwell is born 1903 – George Orwell is born June 25 1903 – George Orwell is born George Orwell is born 2026-06-25 1876 – Battle of Little Big Horn 1876 – Battle of Little Big Horn June 25 1876 – Battle of Little Big Horn	1 event 26 1 event, 26 2026-06-26 1945 – 50 Nations Sign UN Charter in San Francisco 1945 – 50 Nations Sign UN Charter in San Francisco June 26 1945 – 50 Nations Sign UN Charter in San Francisco	1 event 27 1 event, 27 2026-06-27 1973 – Odd Nansen dies (age 71) 1973 – Odd Nansen dies (age 71) June 27 1973 – Odd Nansen dies (age 71) Odd Nansen dies (age 71)	2 events 28 2 events, 28 2026-06-28 1919 – The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed 1919 – The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed June 28 1919 – The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed 2026-06-28 1914 – Archduke Ferdinand is Assassinated, Setting off World War One 1914 – Archduke Ferdinand is Assassinated, Setting off World War One June 28 1914 – Archduke Ferdinand is Assassinated, Setting off World War One
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From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps