Rosa London’s Diaries, 1942-46
Rosa London initially used her notebook to record appointments (e.g., “Tailor - dentist at 2 O’clock”). The 31-year–old Rosa dated a German-Jewish refugee Eugen Krausz: “E. called twice. Received roses from E.” An entry in her diary recorded that, in preparation for winter, in fall 1942 she used some 15 kg of black currant and 40 kg of red currant making jam.
After October 26 the contents of her diary changed. Her father and boyfriend got arrested. The diary tells how she tried to help them. The day after the arrest she went to Bredtvedt prison, where she was told that the men had “travelled” on to Tønsberg. She went there with a lusekofte sweater, handkerchiefs, socks, medicines, and a parcel for her father and E. She was not allowed to meet them. They probably never received the parcels either. Rosa travelled to Berg few more times. The diary tells in detail how she escaped to Sweden on November 25 - the day before the SS Donau left Oslo harbor with E. onboard. He never came back. While in Sweden Rosa London continued sending parcels to E., but at that time he had already been murdered.