Objects

Written almost daily, Marek Szwarc's letters to his wife during his military service in Scotland are also an interesting historical source, a document of a soldier's everyday life, not easy for Szwarc, both because of his age, his disposition and his Jewish origin. In one of his letters, Szwarc describes his day in detail: "In the morning at 9 o'clock I got up after a night's service, departure was at 9½. By noon, at 12½ I arrived and a new departure at 1 p.m. [in the afternoon]. I visited various farms, where, by the way, I got six eggs, two of which I ate on the spot, two I hid for tomorrow and two I gave to a colleague at the cost price of 2½ pence apiece. We will be leaving by 7, and at seven, a quick supper in the camp and off we go again. He also noted a break in writing: "I was called to the potatoes, and then to writing names in capital letters, as I am an artist" (original spelling).

Renata Piątkowska