00207 Guide to Anonymous Girl's Diary, Saarland, Germany, 1939-1941 Inventory prepared by Anthony Potoczniak Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, Texas 2005 Finding aid encoded by Anthony Potoczniak, Fondren Library January 24, 2005 Finding aid written in English. Collection Summary Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX Anonymous. Anonymous Girl's Diary, Saarland, Germany 1939-1941 0.25 lin. ft. (one volume) MS 274 Materials are in German. The manuscript diary is by a young German girl from the Saarland area of Germany, possibly from a rich, Catholic family. The bulk of the diary pertains to the girl’s personal life and daily activities; however, comments about conditions in Germany during the war are also found in the work. Biographical Sketch

No biographical information about the diary’s author is available. The diary was found in Saarburg by the donor, who arrived to the German town during World War II with occupation troops. According to donor’s letter, the town was deserted at the time of the diary’s discovery.

Saarburg is a small town of the Trier-Saarburg district in the Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany, on the banks of the Saar River in the hilly country a few kilometers upstream from the Saar's junction with the Moselle. This area is part of a fascinating landscape replete with significant historical places in Germany. The area borders (from the north and clockwise) North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, France, Saarland, Luxembourg and Belgium.

The history of the city begins with the construction of the now-ruined castle by Graf Siegfried of Luxembourg in 964. It received its town charter in 1291. The city has a bell foundry, the Glockengießerei Mabilion, which has been in operation since the 1770s, and as of 2003 the only one in Germany that makes bronze bells. The area around Saarburg is noted for the cultivation of Riesling grapes.

Information about the Saarburg and its region compiled from several entries found in www.wikipedia.com.

 Scope and Contents

The manuscript diary is by a young German girl from the Saarland area of Germany. The author appears to be from a rich, Catholic family. The bulk of the diary pertains to the girl’s personal life and daily activities; however, comments about conditions in Germany during the war are also found in the work.

The diary is written in German. It was found in Saarburg by the donor, who arrived to the German town during World War II with occupation troops. According to donor’s letter, the town was deserted at the time of the diary’s discovery.

 Restrictions on Access

This material is open for research.

 Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from the Anonymous Girl's Diary, Saarland, Germany, 1939-1941, must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

 Index Terms Subjects World War, 1939-1945 - Personal Narratives, German. Youths Writings German German Diaries Subjects (Places) Saarland, Germany Saarland (Germany)--Social Conditions. Formats Diary Preferred Citation

Anonymous Girl's Diary, Saarland, Germany, 1939-1941, MS 274, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University

 Acquisition Information

This item was a gift donated by Prof. Jean-Claude DeBremaeker, January, 1979.

Detailed Description of the Collection

Diary, 1939-1941 160 pages bound, handwritten in German

Note to researcher: an example of typical handwriting for the period (Old German handwriting scripts) is available in the control folder at the WRC to assist researchers in the reading of the diary.