Anne Frank

ABOUT

Annelies Marie Frank, famously known as Anne Frank, is one of the most recognized figures from the Holocaust, primarily due to the diary she kept while hiding from the Nazis. Born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany, Anne and her family moved to Amsterdam in 1934 to escape the rising antisemitism and economic hardships under the Nazi regime. Her diary, posthumously published as "The Diary of a Young Girl," provides a poignant and personal perspective on the atrocities of World War II and the indomitable human spirit.

BEFORE FAME

Anne Frank was born into a loving, well-educated Jewish family that valued learning and intellectual pursuits. Her father, Otto Frank, was a businessman, while her mother, Edith Frank, took care of Anne and her older sister Margot. The Frank family's life changed drastically when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany. Foreseeing the dangerous environment for Jews, the Franks relocated to the Netherlands. Despite these efforts, the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940 placed them back in peril. They went into hiding in July 1942, in a secret annex behind Otto Frank’s business premises.

TRIVIA

• Anne Frank’s diary was originally a way for her to express her thoughts and feelings about life in hiding, but she later revised it with the intention of creating a novel after the war.
• The annex where the Frank family hid was shared with another family, the van Pels, and Fritz Pfeffer, a dentist.
• Anne’s diary was first published in Dutch in 1947 under the title “Het Achterhuis” which translates to “The Annex” or “The Secret Annex.”
• "The Diary of a Young Girl" has since been translated into more than 70 languages and adapted into numerous plays and films.
• Anne aspired to be a professional journalist or writer, and her diary reflects her mature insights and literary skills at such a young age.

FAMILY LIFE

The Frank family was very close-knit. Otto Frank, the patriarch, was deeply affectionate towards his daughters and encouraged their intellectual growth. Edith Frank, though more reserved, diligently cared for the household. Margot Frank, Anne's elder sister, was also an intelligent and studious girl, who maintained a good relationship with her younger sister despite their occasional disagreements. Their life in the annex was marked by the constant fear of discovery, which tested their resilience and family bonds.

ASSOCIATED WITH

Anne Frank’s legacy is closely associated with the broader history of the Holocaust and World War II. She shares a symbolic connection with other victims of persecution during this period. Key figures in Anne’s story include Otto Frank, who was the only immediate family member to survive the Holocaust and played a pivotal role in publishing her diary. Miep Gies, one of the helpers, preserved Anne’s writings and helped bring them to the world’s attention. Anne Frank’s story is continually invoked in discussions about human rights, antisemitism, and the cost of unbridled hatred, serving as a somber reminder of the past and a call to action for the future.