The Diary Of Anne Frank

The Diaryof Anne FrankA Guide forYoung Peopleby Tim Robertson, Chief Executive, The Anne Frank Trust UK

Age groupThis introductory guide is forage 12 and over.9 to 12 year-olds shouldcheck with an adult beforeusing the guide.Not suitable for under 9s.Why doesthe Diarymatter?AnneFrank’sDiary is the world’sgreatest book by ateenager, and it hasmade the world abetter place.More than anything else written duringthe Second World War, Frank’s Diaryhas helped millions of people understandwhat it was like to be Jewish under theNazis. Faced with Hitler’s attempt todehumanise and destroy all Jewish people,Frank wrote about her day-to-day life in away that made her humanity beautifully,undeniably clear. She responded tohatred by creating empathy. She usedwriting as resistance to discrimination.Frank’s life was cruelly cut short in theHolocaust, but her book has gone on toachieve all its goals. It not only helps usremember a terrible time in history – it isa role model for how any individual canspeak out against oppression.How did the Diaryget written?Anne Frank and her family were Jewishrefugees from Nazi Germany. They settledin Amsterdam, only to find that Hollandwas then invaded and occupied by theNazis. For her 13th birthday on 12 June1944, Anne was given a blank diary bookwith a red-checked cover. She startedwriting in it right away.Three weeks later, Anne and her family had to go intohiding in a secret annexe (a hidden apartment) above herfather’s workplace in Amsterdam. They were trying to savethemselves from being deported to concentration campsand murdered by the Nazis. Anne was a chatty, friendlyperson who found herself cut off from the outside world.She poured her feelings into her diary. She didn’t show itto anyone, but she invented a friend called Kitty, andstarted each diary entry “Dear Kitty”.p GiesMieAnne’s diary-writing was brought toan end on 4 August 1944, when theFranks’ hiding place was discoveredby the Nazis. The family werearrested and sent to concentrationcamps. After the arrest, Otto’ssecretary Miep Gies found theDiary in the Secret Annexe. Shekept it to give to Anne after theWar, but Anne’s father Otto wasthe only member of the family tosurvive the Holocaust, andMiep gave the Diary to him instead.Anne had made clear in the Diarythat she wanted it to be published,so that is what Otto did. When itwas translated from Dutch toEnglish, the book’s title became“The Diary of a Young Girl”.Otto Frank

How famous is the Diary?Since its publication in 1947, Anne Frank’s Diary has become a global phenomenon.It has:SOLD36 millioncopies in over 70 different languagesBEENINTOMADEplays, movies, TV programmespieces of music & works of artMADE THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE IN AMSTERDAMA WORLD-FAMOUS MUSEUM VISITED BY1.2 millionPEOPLEINSPIREDWORLD LEADERSA YEARIncluding JF KennedyNelson Mandela &Barak ObamaGENERATED A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENTOF ANTI-PREJUDICE EDUCATIONINCLUDING THE ANNE FRANK TRUSTHERE IN THE UK

What makesthe Diary such agreat book?Millions of people write diaries, andthousands of diaries have beenpublished, including many by peoplewho lived under the Nazis in World WarTwo. But no other diary is so widely reador so deeply loved as Anne Frank’s.There are three keys to Frank’s geniusas a writer: clarity, honesty andcomplexity.Margot,in 1941 Otto, Anne & EdithThe main charactersin the DiaryClarityBy describing her life to her imaginary friend Kitty,Frank explains carefully and clearly all the interestingdetails of life in the Secret Annexe, and everything sheknew that was happening in the world outside. As aresult, the book is accessible, engaging and vivid toreaders of all ages and from many differentbackgrounds across the world.The Frank family: Anne, her older sister Margot,her mother Edith, her father Otto.The Van Daan family, who shared the Secret Annexewith the Franks: Mr Van Daan (Otto Frank’s businesspartner), his wife Mrs Van Daan, and their teenageson Peter, with whom Anne falls in love.HonestyAlbert Dussel: a dentist, who also moved into theSecrete Annexe, and with whom Anne had to shareher bedroom.Frank is amazingly open in her thoughts and feelings,about both herself and others. She is not embarrassedby personal subjects like toilets or sex; she admitslots of bad mistakes, for example in some of herjudgements on her parents; and she learns andchanges her mind over time. The Diary’s franknessmakes it feel incredibly alive and close to the reader. Itis as intimate as if we were with Anne in her mind.The helpers: Miep, Bep, Mr Kleiman and Mr Kugler– four non-Jewish members of staff in Otto Frank’sbusiness. They worked in the office downstairs fromthe Secret Annexe, and risked their lives for morethan 2 years bringing food and other essentials tothe hiders.Some of the names Anne used for people in the annexewere invented, to protect them in case the Diary wasfound by the Nazis.ComplexityThe greatness of any writer comes largely from therange and depth of their work – especially the multiplemeanings and moods that they bring together andcommunicate through their words. Frank’s Diarycaptures emotions from total happiness to desperatefear and depression. Her ideas range from wisdom tosilliness. Her hopefulness is made convincing by thefact that she also recognises the likelihood of a terribledeath. The final Diary entry is about being “a bundleof contradictions”, and this is perhaps Frank’s greatestresponse to prejudice – to show that human beingsare far too wonderfully complex to be boxedinto stereotypes.uglerVictor KsJohanne nKleimasMiep GienkOtto FrauijlBep Vosk

Peter van Daan(real name: Peter vanPels)n,Mrs van DaoatherPeter’: sAugumste van Pels)Mr van DPeter’s faan,ather(real name: Hermann van Pels)(real nameHow to get toknow the DiaryThere are lots of ways to engage with theDiary – by watching film versions, listening torecordings, or reading online or on the page.There is an excellent graphic version AnneFrank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation byDavid Polonsky (Penguin Books, 2018).The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam hasreleased on YouTube a fantastic series of5-minute episodes, filmed as if Anne weremaking a video diary.lAlberet: FrDitzuPsfesffeer)(real namThe best thing of all is to read the whole bookfrom start to finish. It’s not too long. It gets betterand better as you read on – funny,sad, exciting, inspiring. Don’t missout on this amazing experience.

The Diary of Anne FrankSome key moments and topicsThis is just a taster. The quotations are in date order, but they really make sense only intheir full context. When you find a topic that interests you, look up that date in the Diaryto find out more. You’ll soon find yourself wanting to read the whole book.The best version of the Diary to read is: Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition, translatedfrom the Dutch by Susan Massotty (Penguin Books, 1995). The quotations here are taken from this version.Copyright The Anne Frank-Fonds, Basel, Switzerland. (The Anne Frank Fonds – or Foundation – was set up byOtto Frank in 1963 to care for the global distribution and use of the Diary.)Starting to write a diaryThe Secret Annexe12 June 19429 July 1942“I hope I will be able to confideeverything in you, as I have neverbeen able to confide in anyone, andI hope you will be a great source ofcomfort and support.”“No one would ever suspect therewere so many rooms behind thatplain grey door.”Nazi antisemitism in occupiedHolland20 June 1942 (first entry)“Our freedom was severely restrictedby a series of anti-Jewish decrees.”The Franks are joined by the VanDaan family14 August 1942“Much to our amusement, Mrs VanDaan was carrying a hat box with alarge chamber pot inside.”Inventing “Kitty”A bookcase is built to hide the doorto the annexe20 June 1942 (second entry)21 August 1942“The solemn dedication of my diary.Dearest Kitty!. We’ve now laid thebasis for our friendship.”“Now our Secret Annexe has trulybecome secret.”Leaving home and going into hiding8 July 1942“We just wanted to get out of there,to get away and reach ourdestination in safety.”Anne is frustrated by the adults28 September 1942“It won’t be long before I explodewith pent-up rage.”

Fantasy shopping7 October 1942“I imagine that ”Mr Van Daan makes sausages,Mrs Van Daan has a tooth out10 December 1942“Everyone who came into the roomburst into laughter when they sawthe dangling sausages.”News of Jewish people being takento concentration camps9 October 1942“We assume that most of them arebeing murdered. The English radiosays they’re being gassed.”Anne argues with her mother2 April 1943“Everyone expects me to apologise,but this is not something I canapologise for, because I told thetruth.”Mr Dussel arrives in theSecret Annexe10-17 November 1942“We’re planning to take an eighthperson into hiding with us!”Air raids19 July 1943“Entire streets are in ruins, and itwill take a while for them to dig outall the bodies.”Anne feels lucky to be in hiding,and worries for people outside19 November 1942“I feel frightened myself when I thinkof close friends who are now at themercy of the cruellest monsters everto stalk the earth. And all becausethey’re Jews.”Hanukkah (Jewish festival of light)and St Nicholas’ Day (DutchChristmas)7 December 1942“The eight of us had nevercelebrated St Nicholas’ Day before.”The routine in the annexe4 August 1943“We’ve been in hiding for a littleover a year.”Depression and fear8 November 1943“I see the eight of us in the annexeas if we were a patch of blue skysurrounded by menacing blackclouds.”

Longing to be an ordinaryteenagerFeelings of confusion and longing24 December 1943“I’m in a state of utter confusion,don’t know what to read, what towrite, what to do. I only know thatI’m longing for something ”“I sometimes wonder if anyone willever understand what I mean, notworry about whether or not I’mJewish and merely see me as ateenager badly in need of somegood plain fun.”12 February 1944Peter starts to respond to Anne14 February 1944Sexual diversity – Anne’s feelingsfor girls“Peter kept looking at me.”6 January 1944 (first entry)“Every time I see a female nude,such as the Venus in my art historybook, I go into ecstasy If only Ihad a girlfriend!”Anne starts to fall for PeterGod and nature23 February 1944“The best remedy for those who arefrightened, lonely or unhappy is togo outside, somewhere where theycan be alone, alone with the sky,nature and God.”6 January 1944 (second entry)“It gave me a wonderful feelingwhen I looked into his dark blueeyes.”Adults don’t understand youngpeople2 March 1944Anne and Peter discuss sexeducation24 January 1944“I’ve learned one thing: there areyoung people, even those of theopposite sex, who can discuss thesethings naturally, without crackingjokes.”“The grown-ups are such idiots!.People can tell you to shut up, butthey can’t keep you from having anopinion.”Anne has changed and feels happier7 March 1944“Beauty remains, even inmisfortune. If you just look for it,you discover more and morehappiness and regain your balance.”