Have you ever heard of Anne Frank? Imagine having to hide in a secret room behind a bookcase to stay safe. That’s exactly what Anne Frank and her family did during World War II. Anne wrote a diary that became one of the most famous diaries ever. Let’s learn about Anne Frank and why her story is so important.
Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1929. She lived with her older sister Margot, her father Otto, and her mother Edith. Anne’s family was Jewish, which became very important later on.
When Anne was four, a man named Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party took control of Germany. This was a scary time for Jewish people because Hitler didn’t like Jews and wanted to get rid of them. During World War II, the Nazis killed over 6 million Jews, making Anne’s family very afraid.
Anne’s father moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands to start a business, and the rest of the family joined him a year later. Life was normal for a while. Anne and Margot went to school, Otto worked, and Edith took care of their home. But they were worried about the war and tried to move to England or the United States, but couldn’t.
In 1939, Germany invaded Poland, starting World War II. At first, the Netherlands wasn’t involved, but soon Germany invaded the Netherlands too. New laws made life hard for Jewish people. They had to wear yellow stars, follow curfews, and couldn’t travel. Anne’s father lost his business, and Anne and Margot could only go to school with other Jewish kids.
To stay safe, the Frank family decided to hide. Otto prepared a secret place called the Secret Annex, hidden behind a bookcase. When Margot got a notice to go to a German work camp, the family moved into hiding on July 6, 1942. Anne was just 13 years old.
The Secret Annex was small, with two floors and an attic. The first floor had rooms for studying and sleeping, plus a shared bathroom. The second floor had a kitchen that turned into a bedroom at night. There was also a bed on the landing and an attic for storage.
Brave friends helped the Franks by bringing food and supplies, risking their own safety. During this time, Anne wrote in her diary about life in hiding, her thoughts, and news about the war. She hoped to publish her diary as a book called “The Secret Annex” after the war. Anne dreamed of being a famous writer.
Sadly, on August 4, 1944, Anne and her family were discovered and arrested by the German police. No one knows who told the police about their hiding place. A brave woman named Miep Gies saved Anne’s diary after the arrest. A month later, Anne and her family were sent to concentration camps. Anne and Margot died of a disease called typhus in March 1945.
The war in Europe ended on May 7, 1945, when Germany surrendered. Otto Frank was the only one from the Secret Annex to survive. Miep Gies gave Anne’s diary to Otto, and he published it in 1947 as “The Secret Annex,” later renamed “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.” The diary has sold over 30 million copies and is translated into 70 languages.
Anne Frank’s dream came true; she became a famous writer. Many people visit the Secret Annex, now a museum called the Anne Frank House. Anne’s diary is important because it tells us about life during World War II and the story of a brave young girl.
Now, let’s think about a few things. Why do you think Anne’s diary is still important today? How would you feel if you had to hide like Anne and her family? How can you be brave and kind to help others in need?
Anne Frank didn’t plan to be famous; she just wanted to share her story. Her diary is a powerful reminder of what happened during the war and the beautiful life of a young girl.
Create Your Own Diary: Imagine you are living in a different time or place. Write a short diary entry about your day. What did you do? How did you feel? Share your diary entry with a family member or friend and discuss how it might feel to write about your life every day, just like Anne Frank did.
Build a Secret Hideout: Use blankets, pillows, and furniture to create a small hideout in your home. Spend some time in your hideout and think about what it would be like to stay there for a long time. What would you need to be comfortable? How would you pass the time? Share your thoughts with your class or family.
Acts of Kindness: Anne Frank and her family were helped by friends who brought them food and supplies. Think of a way you can help someone in your community. It could be writing a kind note, helping a neighbor with chores, or donating toys or clothes. Discuss with your class how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.
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Who was Anne Frank? Can you imagine having to hide in a secret room behind a bookcase to protect yourself and your family? That is exactly what Anne Frank and her family had to do during World War II. Anne Frank also wrote a diary, which is one of the most famous diaries ever published. Today, we are going to learn all about Anne Frank and why her story is so important.
Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1929. She lived there with her sister Margot, who was about three and a half years older, her father Otto, and her mother Edith. Otto Frank’s family had lived in Germany for many generations. Anne and her family were Jewish, which is significant because of what happened a few years later.
When Anne was about four years old, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party gained control of the German government. This was a sad and scary time for Jewish people throughout Europe because Hitler did not like Jews and believed they should be eliminated. During World War II, the Nazis killed over 6 million Jews, which made the Franks fear for their lives.
Anne’s father left their home and set up a business in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The rest of the Frank family moved there a year later. For a few years, life was relatively normal for the Frank family. Anne and her sister went to school, Otto worked in his business, and Edith managed their home. The Franks were worried that a war might begin soon, so they tried to move to England or the United States to be safe, but were unable to do so.
Just as the Franks feared, Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939, and World War II officially began. At the beginning of the war, the Netherlands was not involved, so life did not change much for the people living there. Unfortunately, Germany invaded the Netherlands less than a year later, and anti-Jewish laws and persecution against Jews began to spread across the country. Jewish people had to wear yellow stars on their clothing to identify themselves, were given curfews, and were not allowed to travel. Because of these laws, Anne’s father lost his business, and Anne and her sister were only allowed to attend school with other Jewish children. The threat of being sent to German work camps or concentration camps became a frightening reality.
Not willing to leave things to chance, the Frank family began planning to go into hiding. Otto furnished a few rooms connected to his business and began stocking it with things they would need. When Margot received a notice to report to a German work camp, the Frank family knew it was time to hide, and they moved to the Secret Annex on July 6, 1942. Anne Frank was just 13 years old.
Let’s take a look at the Secret Annex. Even though it had two floors and an attic, it was still very small, so small that many of the rooms had multiple uses. The entrance to the Secret Annex was hidden behind a revolving bookcase. The first floor had two small rooms used for studying and sleeping, plus a bathroom shared by all the people living in the annex. There was another small room on the second floor that served as the kitchen by day and another bedroom by night. A landing on the second floor held another bed and a staircase that led to the attic, which was mostly used for storage.
There were a few brave people who helped deliver food and other goods to those hiding in the Secret Annex, risking their own safety to ensure the Franks and their friends stayed safe. During this time, Anne kept a diary and wrote about the events in the Secret Annex. This diary was filled with Anne’s thoughts and feelings, as well as information about herself and those hiding with her. She also included news about the war, with the goal of editing and publishing her diary as a novel called “The Secret Annex” after the war. She dreamed of becoming a famous writer one day.
Sadly, Anne and those hiding with her were discovered and arrested by German police on August 4, 1944, when she was just 15 years old. No one knows exactly how the hiding place was discovered or who the informant might have been. A brave woman named Miep Gies saved and hid Anne’s diary and other writings after the Franks were taken. A month after their arrest, Anne’s family and the others hiding with them were sent to Nazi concentration camps. Anne and her sister Margot were sent to the Bergen-Belsen camp, where both died of a disease called typhus in March of 1945.
The war finally ended in Europe two months later, on May 7, 1945, when the Germans surrendered. Of those living in the Secret Annex, Otto Frank was the only person to survive and learned of the deaths of his wife and daughters after he returned to the Netherlands at the end of the war. Miep Gies gave Anne’s diary to Otto, and he published it in 1947 under the title “The Secret Annex.” Later, the name was changed to “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.” Five years later, in 1952, the diary was translated into English and published in the United States. Today, Anne’s diary has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into 70 languages.
Anne Frank’s wish came true; she did become a famous writer, and every year many people travel from all around the world to visit the Secret Annex for themselves. It is now a museum called the Anne Frank House.
Now that we have learned all about Anne Frank, let’s sit together and think about a couple of things. First, why do you think that Anne’s diary is so important even today? Next, how would you feel if you had to hide like Anne and her family? Lastly, how can you be brave and kind and help others when they need help?
Thank you, friends. Anne Frank did not set out to be remarkable; she just wanted to tell her story. Today, her diary is a vital record of what happened during World War II and is also a powerful story about the brief but beautiful life of a young girl.
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