One of the bestselling books ever, “Anne Frank’s diary” was written during the Second World War, by the Jewish girl Anneliese Marie Frank. Anne was hiding from the Nazis with her family, in one house in Amsterdam, for more than two years. Today, Anne Frank’s house is one of the most visited places in Amsterdam. Here are the 7 facts you didn’t know about Anne Frank’s diary
1. Frank family was hiding for more than two years
For two years and 35 days, Anne was hiding in the house in Amsterdam, unable to feel the rain or sun, to see the sky and clouds, without a possibility to go out for a walk at all. She was in the company of her parents Edith and Otto and her sister Margot. Soon, four more Jews joined them, and one of them was a boy called Peter with whom Anne fall in love with.
During those two years, Anne was doing everything to entertain herself, like reading books and studying European literature and history, playing different games, curling her hair and etc.
2. The most popular diary of all times (arguably)
Anne Frank’s diary became a part of the Unesco’s Memory of the World Register in 2009. The diary was published for the first time in Holland in 1947 as Het Achterhuis: Dagboekbrieven 12 Juni 1942–1 Augustus 1944. First edition had 1500 copies, and since then the book was translated into more than 60 languages.
The original notebook Anne turned into a diary was a present Anne got for her third birthday. The notebook itself was chosen by Anne and had red and white covers.
3. Becoming a famous writer was one of Anne’s dreams
Anne was always interested in writing and literature and she was dreaming of going back to school. In her diary, on 11th of May 1944, she wrote she wants to become “a journalist, and later on a famous writer”. Her diary eventually made her as one of the most famous bestseller writers in the world.
4. Two months after the Allied landings in Normandy, Frank’s family was discovered by the police
On 6th of June 1944, Anne wrote: “Is this really the beginning of the long-awaited liberation?” Following the illegal program of BBC and Radio Oranje, Franks family was informed about the Allied landings in Normandy, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the luck to survive until the end.
5. Margot Betti Frank (Anne’s sister) wrote a diary as well
Anne’s older sister, Marie Frank was also writing a diary, but unfortunately, the diary was never found. A three years older Anne’s sister Margot was more studious than Anne.
6. BBC broadcast made Anna Frank rewrote the diary
The Dutch minister of education, art, and science, Gerrit Bolkestein spoke to the Dutch people thanks to the Radio Oranje and BBC program. The program who was broadcast illegally on 28th of March 1944. On this occasion, he announced his plan to collect the stories from the Dutch people about their experience of the war, and Anne started rewriting her diary immediately, keeping the first and private one for herself.
7.Anne’s death date is still unknown
Anonymous source betrayed Anne’s hiding place to German authorities, and they were unfortunately arrested on 4th of August 1944 by the Gestapo.
Based on the resources, Anne was sent to the transit camp in the Netherlands first, the Westerbork, and later deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. More than 1 million people were killed in Auschwitz, and around 90% of them were Jews.
Later, Margot and Anne were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen. According to this concentration camp resources, there were two girls who died from typhus just before the camp was liberated (15th of April 1945). The identity of the girls isn’t known but there are assumptions the girls were Anne and her sister Margot.
