Most historical diary entries are completely dull. But we’re in luck, some are incredible to read even today. The Historical Diary Entries in question could describe great political events or acts of war. They could document leaps forward in science or exploration. Whatever it is, a modern perspective on such is fascinating. From Goebbel’s secret love for Adolf Hitler, to the last words of a man who died attempting to reach the North Pole. This is a list of 5 historical diary entries.
Josef Goebbels
November 6th 1925
“We drive to Hitler. He is having his meal. He jumps to his feet, there he is. Shakes my hand. Like an old friend. And those big blue eyes. Like stars. He is glad to see me. I am in heaven. That man has got everything to be a king. A born tribune. The coming dictator.”
In some later entries he wrote.
“Great joy! He greets me like an old friend. He looks after me. How I love him!”
“Until then, you were my Fuhrer. There you became my friend. A friend and master wit whom I feel bonded to the very end in a shared idea.”
Kurt Cobain
1992
“I kind of feel like a dork writing about myself like this as if I were an American pop-rock icon-demi God, or a self-confessed product of corporate-packaged rebellion, but I’ve heard so many insanely exhaggerated stories or reports from my friends and Ive read so many pathetic second rate, freudian evaluations from interviews from my childhood up until the present state of my personality and how I’m a notoriously f—ed up heroine addict, alcoholic, self destructive, yet overtly sensitive, frail, fragile, soft spoken, narcoleptic, neurotic, little pissant who at any minute is going to O.D. jump off a roof wig out blow my head off or all 3 at once. Oh Pleez GAWD I can’t handle the success! The success! And i feel so incredibly guilty! For abandoning my true commrades who were the ones who are devoted who were into us a few years ago. And in 10 years when NIRVANA becomes as memorable as Kajagoogoo that same very small percent will come to see us at reunion gigs sponsored by Depends diapers, bald fat still trying to RAWK at amusement parks. Saturdays: puppet show, rollercoaster & Nirvana.”
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf’s last diary entry before she killed herself. Virginia suffered from depression and wrote about it many times in her diary, however in her last entry she fails to mention it completely. So many of the most interesting historical diary entries shortly proceeded suicide. I suppose that’s to be expected.
“Monday March 24
She had a <face> nose like the Duke of Wellington & great horse teeth & cold prominent eyes. When we came in she was sitting perched on a 3 cornered chair with knitting in her hands. An arrow fastened her collar. And before 5 minutes had passed she told us that two of her sons had been killed in the war. This, one felt, was to her credit. She taught dressmaking. Everything in the room was red brown & glossy. Sitting there I tried to coin a few compliments. But they perished in the icy sea between us. And then there was nothing. A curious sea side feeling in the air today. It reminds me of lodgings on a parade at Easter. Everyone leaning against the wind, nipped & silenced. All pulp removed.This windy corner. And Nessa is at Brighton, & I am imagining how it wd be if we could infuse souls.Octavia’s story. Could I englobe it somehow? English youth in 1900. Two long letters from Shena & O. I can’t tackle them, yet enjoy having them. L. is doing the rhododendrons…”
Anne Frank
October 9th 1942
“Today I have nothing but dismal and depressing news to report. Our many Jewish friends and acquaintances are being taken away in droves. The Gestapo is treating them very roughly and transporting them in cattle cars to Westerbork, the big camp in Drenthe to which they’re sending all the Jews. Miep told us about someone who’d managed to escape from there. It must be terrible in Westerbork. The people get almost nothing to eat, much less to drink, as water is available only one hour a day, and there’s only one toilet and sink for several thousand people. Men and women sleep in the same room, and women and children often have their heads shaved. Escape is almost impossible; many people look Jewish, and they’re branded by their shorn heads. If it’s that bad in Holland, what must it be like in those faraway and uncivilized places where the Germans are sending them? We assume that most of them are beingurdered. The English radio says they’re being gassed. Perhaps that’s the quickest way to die. I feel terrible. Miep’s accounts of these horrors are so heartrending… Fine specimens of humanity, those Germans, and to think I’m actually one of them! No, that’s not true, Hitler took away our nationality long ago. And besides, there are no greater enemies on earth than the Germans and Jews.” Quite a lot of the most incredible historical diary entries were by the pen of Anne Frank. Her diary is a must read.
Robert Scott
March 29th, 1912
Scott was an English explorer who gave one of the most emotional historical diary entries you’ll ever read. He was the man who attempted to be the first man to reach the South Pole, unfortunately a Norwegian team beat him to it. As he attempted to get back to England him and his team became stranded and died there.
“Since the 21st we have had a continuous gale from W.S.W. and S.W. We had fuel to make two cups of tea apiece and bare food for two days on the 20th. Every day we have been ready to start for our depot 11 miles away, but outside the door of the tent it remains a scene of whirling drift. I do not think we can hope for any better things now. We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker, of course, and the end cannot be far.”
“It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more.”
“R. SCOTT.”
“For God’s sake look after our people.”