A France Inter podcast is highlighting the life and secret diaries of Etty Hillesum, a Dutch Jewish woman deported to Auschwitz.
The series, titled “Femme d’exception,” brings renewed attention to Hillesum's reflections on hope and human dignity during the Holocaust. Her writings provide a rare psychological perspective on the experience of persecution and the choice to face it with consciousness.
Hillesum lived in Amsterdam during the German occupation of the Netherlands, which began in 1940 [6]. She wrote her diaries in 1941 [5], documenting her internal struggle and spiritual growth as the Nazi regime tightened its grip on the Jewish population.
In a decision that distinguishes her from many other victims, Hillesum voluntarily entered the Westerbork transit camp. She did this to "share the fate of her people" and bear witness to the suffering of others [1]. Some reports describe her as a "voluntary deportee" [2].
Hillesum was eventually deported from Westerbork to the Auschwitz concentration camp in occupied Poland. She died there in February 1943. Sources differ on her age at the time of her death, citing her as either 28 [2] or 29 years old [1].
Her diaries remained secret for years after the war. They were later published as the book “Une Vie bouleversée.” While some records indicate the first publication occurred in 1965 [3], other sources date the first publication to 1981 [4].
The podcast uses these journals to illustrate how Hillesum viewed life as a principle of hope. By documenting her daily existence in Amsterdam and Westerbork, she created a lasting record of resistance through spiritual endurance, a legacy that continues to resonate in modern discussions of human rights.
“"share the fate of her people"”
The resurgence of interest in Etty Hillesum's diaries through digital media like podcasts underscores a shift toward personal, psychological narratives of the Holocaust. Unlike official records, Hillesum's journals offer an intimate look at the intersection of faith and despair, providing a framework for understanding individual agency and moral courage under totalitarianism.
