Rachel Baumgart
3/20/25
The Secret Annex: Anne Frank's House
Who was Anne Frank ??
Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who became famous for her diary, The Diary of a Young Girl, which she wrote while hiding from the Nazis during World War II. Born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany, she and her family fled to the Netherlands to escape persecution. In 1942, they went into hiding in a secret annex in Amsterdam, where Anne documented her thoughts, fears, and hopes. In 1944, the family was discovered and sent to concentration camps. Anne died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen camp in early 1945. Her diary was later published by her father, Otto Frank, and became one of the most powerful accounts of the Holocaust.
The secret entrance....
in the summer of 1942 the nazis threatened to carry out house searches if the Dutch continued to refuse to hand in there bicycles. during this time Bicycles were valuable assets during war so that's why the nazis wanted them. a man named Johan Voskuijl a helper during the time built a revolving bookcase for Anne's family.
There was 8 people leaving in Anne's house during this time. Anne Frank, Otto Frank, Edith Frank, Margot Frank, Hermann Van Pels, Auguste Van Pels, Peter Van Pels, Fritz Pfeffer.
Otto Frank
a German-Jewish businessman and the father of Anne Frank. He was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. After World War II, he found and published The Diary of Anne Frank, ensuring his daughter's story was shared with the world. He dedicated his life to promoting her legacy and educating people about the dangers of discrimination and intolerance.
in Ottos room there is a book by Charles Dickens that he would read when all of them have to be quite in hiding. he would also have a dictionary at hand just to improve his English. he would typically read from 8:30 and 9:00 am. Otto shared a room with Edith and Margot. during the daytime though this room would be used as the living room.
Anne Franks Room
Anne frank shared a bedroom with Fritz Pfeffer which actually ended up causing tension between each other. they had a fight over a little table that was in their room. Anne wanted to equal amount of time with writing and Fritz thought her work wasn't as important has his was. in the end he gave in and she got equal time as him. one think Anne enjoyed doing is spying on her neighbors with binoculars. she liked seeing them since they had electricity and she didn't. Anne also decorated her room with a bunch of pictures of Hollywood stars, Art, and Royalty.
Up the stairs
in the room on the second floor was for Hermann and Auguste. this was also the kitchen. on November 8th 1942 Peter celebrated his first birthday in the hiding place. he turned 16 years old. in annes diary she listed Peter got a lighter, mirror, a shaver, a shaving brush, a tie, candy, and a stock exchange game. in this room there was also a door to the attic.
The Attic
"The Attic of the Secret Annex" this is where the people in hiding stored their food and hung up their laundry. Anne only came in here when she wanted to be alone or talk to Peter. by the window in the corner of the attic Anne would day dream a lot in her diary she wrote " as long as this exist, I cannot be sad".
The story of Anne Frank and her family is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The courage and resilience shown by Anne and those who hid with her, including her father Otto, are remarkable. The fact that Otto Frank dedicated himself to sharing Anne’s diary after the war highlights how deeply he believed in her message. The revolving bookcase built by Johan Voskuijl was such an ingenious way to help protect the family, a testament to the resourcefulness and bravery of those who assisted in hiding the Frank family. It's also deeply moving to think about how Anne’s words, written during such a difficult time, have resonated across generations, educating the world about the dangers of hatred and intolerance.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved learning about WWII. The holocaust was always super interesting including the diary of Anne Frank. I really like how this is an educational resource that exists because it is hard to make it to Amsterdam to see it for oneself. A great use of technology for learning about a very heavy subject and gives students a visual understanding of what it was like to live as a Frank in a trying time.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading the Story of Anne Frank as well as watching the movie. Obviously the movie is based on true events a recreates the rooms and events, but given the option to virtually tour the real thing is such an interesting way to connect to something that has actually taken place in world history.
ReplyDeleteAnne Frank's story is really moving. Her braveness and courage are truly admirable. WWII was a era full of stories like this, brave people with the courage to stand up for themselves. Passing down stories like these to future generations is important to keep their legacy alive.
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