As Nazi persecution of Jews intensified in the 1930s and 40s, many Jewish Germans sought to save their lives through emigration from continental Europe. Their journeys are meticulously documented in hundreds of diaries written by a broad spectrum of society. This article argues that the practice of diary writing had an important function in survival, as the diary helped refugees gain a sense of agency as survivornarrators of their stories of escape. Reading these sources enables us to see how Jews reacted to the brutal violence of antisemitism, and how they sought to make sense of the incredible loss that came with emigration. By surveying diaries of refugees who came to the United States, this essay explores how diarists shape their writing “ I” as they bear witness to stories of displacement. Furthermore, I argue that the material diary represents a site of writing home, as diarists cope with the loss of family, friends, and a sense of belonging.