An Anonymous Woman’s Diary

Shlomo Sekrowitz

From the Warsaw ghetto uprising

Friday, 30.4.43

[...] Today we didn’t hand out any coffee, because a waterline had burst Mr. Sowa’s shelter. He closed the tap (i.e., turned it off). For the first time we draw water from our well. It can be used only for cooking because it hasn’t been filtered for about two months. Our shelter is like a sauna, meaning it’s so hot here. Lack of air is getting worse all the time. [...]

Morning, Sunday, 2.5.43

[...] I am on guard duty right now, and have still two hours left. Below I sketch the diagram of our bunker with all the entrance. The idea of constructing [a] bunker came up only after the January Aktion.

The diagram of our bunker Mila Street

[Clockwise]

Underground entrance

Main air [pipe]

Well

Latrine

4 electric ranges

[Beneath]

Entrance through the trapdoor(Judas)

Sleeping Bunks

[On the left]

The wall of the building up to the gate Defensive embankment (rampart)

We had always believed that one should hide well. People who had work permits, and showed up during the blockades were taken away. Only those who went into hiding remained. This was the reason bunker construction became common. People set to work day and night with enthusiasm: for example, bed-bunks, floors, stairs were constructed, a well was dug. The timber for construction was taken from apartments (i.e, abandoned apartments).

In my fantasy, for a moment I see our shelter as a sinking boat.