SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1943
Dearest Kitty,
Yesterday was Dussels birthday. At first he acted as if he didnt want to celebrate it, but when Miep arrived with a large shopping bag overflowing with gifts, he was as excited as a little kid. His darling Lotje" has sent him eggs, butter, cookies, lemonade, bread, ac, spice cake, flowers, es, chocolate, books and writing paper. He piled his presents on a table and displayed them for no fewer than three days, the silly old goat!
You musthe idea that hes starving. We found bread, cheese, jam and eggs in his cupboard. Its absolutely disgraceful that Dussel, whom weve treated with such kindness and whom we took in to save from destru, should stuff himself behind our backs and not give us anything. After all, weve shared all we had with him! But whats worse, in our opinion, is that hes so stingy with resper. Kleiman, Mr.
Voskuijl and Bep. He doesnt give them a thing. In Dussels view the es that Kleiman so badly needs for his sick stomach will be his own stomach even more.
Tonight the guns have been banging away so much that Ive already had to gather up my belongings four times. Today I packed a suitcase Wl f;the stuff Id need in case we had to flee, but as M ther correctly noted, "Where would you go?」
All of Holland is being punishe or the workers strikes. Martial law has been declared, and everyone is going to get one less butter coupon. What naughty children.
I washed Mothers hair this evening, which is no easy task these days. We have to use a very sticky liquid ser because theres no more shampoo. Besides that, Moms had a hard time bing her hair because the family b has only teh left.
Yours, Anne
SUNDAY, MAY 2, 1943
When I think about our lives here, I usually e to the clusion that we live in a paradise pared to the Jews who arent in hiding. All the same, later on, when
everything has returo normal, Ill probably wonder hoho always lived in sufortable circumstances, could have "sunk" so low. With respeanners, I mean. For example, the same oilcloth has covered the dining table ever since weve been here. After so much use, its hardly what youd call spotless. I do my best to it, but sihe dishcloth was also purchased before we went into hiding and sists of more holes than cloth, its a thaask. The van Daans have been sleeping all winter long on the same flannel sheet, which t be washed because detergent is rationed and in short supply. Besides, its of such poor quality that its practically useless. Father is walking around in frayed trousers, and his tie is also showing signs of wear and tear. Mamas corset soday and is beyond repair, while Margot is wearing a bra thats two sizes too small, Mother and Margot have shared the same three undershorts the entire winter, and mine are so small they dont even cover my stomach. These are all things that be overe, but I sometimes wonder: how we, whose every possession, from my underpants to Fathers shaving brush, is so old and worn, ever hope tain the position we had before the war?
SUNDAY, MAY 2, 1943
The Attitude of the Annex Residents Toward the War Mr. van Daan. In the opinion of us all, this revered gentleman has great insight into politievertheless, he predicts well have to stay here until the end of 43. Thats a very long time, as possible to hold out until then. But who assure us that this war, which has caused nothing but pain and sorrow, will then be over? And that nothing w