ANNE FRANK AND THE DIARY
Anne Frank's parents gave her a diary as a birthday present for her 13th birthday, on 12th June 1942. This drama series begins on this date. This page will give you an insight to Anne’s life prior to receiving the diary and moving into the Secret Annexe.
For further study on Anne's life, visit the Anne Frank House website, www.annefrank.org
Anne was born in 1929. She had one sister, Margot, who was three years older. Anne, Margot and their parents lived in Frankfurt in Germany until Anne was four. In 1933 in Germany, the Nazi party came to power, led by Adolf Hitler. They were a violent political party who hated and victimised many groups in society – often Jewish people, who were blamed for many of the social problems in Germany. Anne and her family were Jewish so in 1933 they had to move to Amsterdam in The Netherlands to escape from the persecution of the brutal Nazis.
After a few happy years in Amsterdam, World War II broke out – Germany attacked Poland, and the German army went through Europe taking over country after country. The Netherlands never expected to be attacked by their neighbours, but the country was invaded and taken over in 1940. Now the Nazis’ policies against Jews would be put in place there too.
“After May 1940…the trouble started for the Jews. Our freedom was severely restricted by a series of anti-Jewish decrees: Jews were required to wear a yellow star; Jews were required to turn-in their bicycles; Jews were forbidden to ride trams or in cars, even their own…Jews were forbidden to go to theatres, cinemas or any other forms of entertainment; Jews were forbidden to use swimming pools, tennis courts, hockey fields or any other athletic fields…You couldn’t do this and you couldn’t do that, but life went on…” Anne Frank, 20 June 1942
These words come from Anne’s diary. In 1942, after Anne and her family had lived by the rules set by the Nazi party for two years, they went into hiding to escape from the persecution, imprisonment and maybe even death by the cruel Nazis. Just before the family hid themselves away, Anne’s parents bought her a present for her birthday, June 12th. It was a red checked diary - a special journal to record all her thoughts and dreams. It was just what she had asked for. She took this new prized possession with her into hiding and spent over two years writing in it nearly every day at her desk in her new bedroom.
This is what she wrote about receiving her diary on her birthday in 1942:
“I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support.” Anne Frank, 12 June 1942
Anne’s diary is important in many ways to many people - historians often regard her diary as an important historical document of the period. Teachers use Anne’s words to talk about feelings, about growing up and family relationships because Anne wrote about all of these things.
Anne’s diary is still an inspiration to people today because even though Anne knew was happening to her Jewish friends and neighbours, and even though she was trapped in her hiding place, Anne always believed in the true goodness of people. The words and ideals of this young girl from sixty years ago remind us that we need to respect each other and appreciate and understand each other's differences.
“It’s difficult in times like these; ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”
Anne Frank, 21 July 1944