Anne Frank was born June 12, 1929. For her thirteenth birthday, she received a diary that would become her legacy. In 1942, escaping Nazi persecution, Anne Frank’s family was forced into hiding. Her family hid for two years in different rooms of her father’s office building before being caught.
Anne Frank was born June 12, 1929. For her thirteenth birthday, she received a diary that would become her legacy.
In 1942, escaping Nazi persecution, Anne Frank’s family was forced into hiding. Her family hid for two years in different rooms of her father’s office building before being caught. Her family of four was joined by four more people, and before long close quarters began to get to them. But still, Anne had her studies and her diary to help get her through her days.
Her diary was written from the time just before they went into hiding, until they were captured in July, 1944. She died seven months later (early March, 1945) in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp from typhus.
The Frank’s neighbor and friend kept what little belongings they had left behind for when they returned. Unfortunately, the only one who did return was Anne’s father. He read his daughter’s diary and decided to have it published in 1947. Today it is one of the world’s most read books and has been published in over 60 different languages. Why? Because it is an amazing story of a young girl who, even through horror and adversity, was able to maintain a positive view of humanity.
Anne Frank maintained her view of humanity through the terrible adversity and abusiveness in her life by sticking to the core belief that all people had some good in them. She wrote in her diary, “It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”
To think that a fourteen-year old girl was the one writing this diary in these terrible times is almost unimaginable. She relied a lot on the strength of her family, friends and God to keep her spirits up and to try to make peace with all the chaos that was happening around her.
She had her moments of feeling down, but keeping her diary helped her step away from the situation that she was in. Just like watching a movie or reading a book takes you to another place, writing in her diary helped Anne to escape in her mind.
Some might say that she was just a child and didn’t fully understand all that was happening around her. She could keep up her ideals of “everything is going to be ok,” because ignorance is bliss, and what she didn’t know wouldn’t affect her. However, after you read what Anne has written and the way she expresses herself, it is hard to entertain the thought that she didn’t know everything that was happening around her.
Over those two years she was forced to face things and grow up faster than any child should have to. It’s hard to even think about the things that she must have gone through.
Anne Frank was just one of those amazing people that had a positive energy and spirit about her. She showed hope and innocence when all was thought to be gone. For this she will always be remembered.
For more on Anne Frank, with links to recommended sites, visit http://www.surfnetkids.com/annefrank.htm "Surfing the Net with Kids."
