Arbeit macht frei: - Fredrick Töben

My legs are feeling much better. At the Cell Block Office I check on my
release date – 12 or 13 November? It is the 12 th
.
Jim has a second parole hearing soon. In talking about his situation he tells
me that he is 5 years overdue for release, but there is no release date
although the Parole Board had recommended his release.
Wednesday, 2 September: Cell Block is locked for the morning, as the
desire is to have all prisoners outside doing something. I am in the Library
where I read a comment by John Goldberg about Mosaic Law being the
best. Goldberg is locked in this trial-by-ordeal mindset, for his article
indicates to me that he has problems and that it must be his Talmudic
training that gets into the way of clear and humane thinking.
Thursday, 3 September : Today I have a large stack of mail. David Perkins
rang to see how I was. I informed him all is well, and that another packet of
reading material came from Brockschmidt.
Friday, 4 September: Again all have been sent out of the Cell Block into the
sunshine. Noel has gone to Adelaide for medical reasons, and so the
Library is opened much later by Peter.
After walking the track and lunch, we collect our mail – again many letters
from trusted friends. There is a football match in the afternoon so no-one is
working. After tea it is early to bed to watch the Crows beat Essendon.
Saturday, 5 September: Adelaide Show Day! Peter comes to visit again with
Dave and Jock – it is nice to see my old mates who do not shy away from
visiting me, though I understand some have this hesitant feeling in thinking
about visiting anyone in prison. After all, being locked up is the expression
of society’s displeasure with one’s behaviour. It is not society as such
because there is no such thing as ‘society’ but rather individuals who have
the power to impose their will on others who will then act on their behalf to
carry out an action against a person who is regarded as a threat to them.
Sunday, 6 September: A fellow did ‘a runner’ and is in the punishment cell
next to ours, a double cell that has been turned into a single cell and
subjected to early lock-up. This is like Wandsworth where, if you want a
single cell, you have to bash up your cellmate or break a rule. Mannheim
was more civilised because it was realised that most prisoners wished to
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