Competition

What does Anne Frank's diary mean to you?

“Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I’ve never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things off my chest.” Anne Frank June 20 1942

If you are aged between 10 and 25 years old you can enter our latest writing competition. All you need to do is write some prose or a poem between 200 and 800 words telling us what Anne’s diary means to you. 

Entries will be accepted from May 1 2010 and the competition closes on January 1 2011. The winning entry wins an Ipod shuffle!

Competition Guidelines:

It has been over 65 years since the end of the Second World War, but Anne’s diary is still as powerful as ever. Why do you think Anne Frank’s diary has captured the thoughts of so many people around the world? What does her diary mean to you?

- What connections are there between your life and Anne’s life before and after hiding?
Anne enjoyed seeing her friends, riding her bike, she had chores and continued her schooling even when she was in hiding.

- What similarities or differences are there between the country you live in now and the situation during Anne’s life?
Anne and all other Jews in the Netherlands other Nazi occupied countries were forced to sacrifice many of their civil rights such as owning a business, riding a bike, being outside their homes after certain times and travelling freely outside of the country.

- What have been the major changes to the world since Anne was in hiding?
Anne listened to the wireless to hear news about the war, but we have the television and the internet now and food was rationed during the war making meal times very repetitive and boring.

If you have read the diary, studied it in school or just heard about it, we would like to hear what it made you think about your own life.

Please send entries to elizabeth@annefrank.org.uk

Or: The Anne Frank Trust UK
Competitions
Star House
104-108 Grafton Road
London, NW5 4BA

For terms and conditions click here 

April 3 1944
“For a long time we ate nothing but endive. Endive with sand, endive without sand, endive with mashed potatoes, endive and mashed potato casserole. Then it was spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauerkraut, etc., etc”

April 5 1944
“When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that’s a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer? I hope so, oh, I hope so very much, because writing allows me to record everything, all my thoughts, ideals and fantasies.”