31 May 1945, 10:00
The time I had only dreamed of has come — and it has come to pass. On the 24th at noon we set off on a Russian steam train. The route: over the Tatár Pass through Tatarev, Kolomyia, Chernivtsi, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, and the final destination Chernihiv. About 6 km outside the city there is a camp, and we are currently here — 1,000 out of 10,000. We arrived at the camp around midday on the 28th. The food has changed here too. There are German doctors here, and following their custom we receive soup three times a day and 80 decagrams of bread — very black bread, containing everything except rye and wheat flour, but very good nonetheless. We have already been disinfected, and yesterday we received injections. We will be in this camp for about 3 weeks, after which we will go to work — most likely field work. Going home is, for now, merely a concept.
5 June 1945, 10:00
We are still at the camp mentioned. Nothing particular has happened. No work is required here yet, but from what is being said, we won't be staying long. We will move to another camp where we will work.
12 June 1945, 18:00
Today for the first time we went out to work as a group. It cost us dearly, as around midday a thunderstorm soaked us to the skin and we had to return before evening. What I did today: they sheared with scissors and I picked up the grass cuttings on top and bundled them with a few others. Today 500 of the 1,000 moved to another camp in the city of Chernihiv. We are said to follow them in about 10 days. They will work in the city, clearing rubble. Our problem here is that the workplace is very far — about 5 km away — and that alone is enough to exhaust a person. The work itself is nothing: tending beets, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, and the like.