23 Jul 1942, Ella Buuck's wartime diary

Today started very early, 5:30 for me. Breakfast was early and we were to be all set at 9 o'clock for the exchange. After 23 days we were again to move to different quarters.

Right on the appointed time we were left off the gangplank to go over to the Gripsholm. Arriving there we were directed to the upper deck and told to sit down, that no cabins were to be assigned until evening as they had to clean the room. First the Japs were taken off the lower decks, and turned over to their ship. We found chairs and sat down and talked to the Kleins, Zimmermanns and Thodes.

At noon we discovered that we were to be served a buffet lunch on long tables out on deck and we shall never forget the grand sight. The big plates of cold turkey, ham, salami, pressed ham, cheese, etc. with olives, pickles and fruits. Really, we couldn’t believe it. Were we really seeing such good foods again? They had the best bread. Oh how we did eat!

Then Lorenz went downtown and later he took care of Bobby and I went with Mrs. Ziegler to do some shopping. I had to be sure to get Elaine a birthday present and Bobby just had to have a toy, the first since the war started. Leonard of course had to have stamps from here.

Then at 7:30 we had supper, right after that we heard we had cabin 317. Rev. Klein had asked as he stood in the queue early and so we did not need to stand in line for hours as did 1000 others. Many never got their cabin assigned until 2:30 or 3 am. We were happy as could be to have a 4 bunk cabin and all be together.

I was so dead tired and went to bed early. Lorenz walked downtown with Kleins and had ice cream.