The unique diary found by Halina Ferradoles in the antique store has become an unexpected discovery that opens up new facets of World War II history. The notebook, which belonged to a teenager from New York, makes it possible to see how everyday life is intertwined with the great historical events of 1945.
The diary was found during a private visit to Halina with his father to the old estate in Kensington. First, the notepad lay on the shelf along with other things, until Halina, could not sleep, did not decide to open it. "At first it was difficult to understand the text, but the more I read, the more the story became alive," she recalls.
The diary entries begin with a description of a girl's everyday worries such as a movie hike or buy socks, but over time they change to a description of important historical events. The teenager tells about the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the end of World War II, as well as a celebration of victory at Times Square.
One of the most impressive records describes the Victory Day over Japan when the girl woke up from the noise on the street. "Everyone went out to celebrate. People were in pajamas and bathrobes, and by six in the morning they returned home to have breakfast," she writes.
Another interesting point in the diary is the description of the famous Times Square photos, where the sailor kisses a woman. The author describes this moment as not a romantic, but more like a festive atmosphere, where soldiers and sailors kiss everyone in a row. These records allow you to see a story on a new side, adding human details to great events that could previously be hidden behind large headings. Halina Ferradoly, who grew up in Brooklyn, felt a personal connection with the author of the diary, but at the same time realized how much this world was in 1945. "It was another time but is familiar at the same time. It reminds that the story is not only about big events, but also about the people who worried it," she shared her impressions.
This diary, which Ferradoles plans to be preserved as a historical artifact, also opens us a picture of New York's daily life during the war: street parties, spontaneous celebrations, which, unfortunately, are largely lost in the modern world.
Halina hopes that the diary will help modern people to better understand not only the events of those times, but also how they were experienced by ordinary people. "I hope that people will see not only history in these records, but also the beauty of the experience experienced," she concludes.
