Anne Frank is a name that stands out and remains popular when we talk about the victims of the Holocaust.
Thanks to her writings and diary, the world has come to know not only about the girl and her family but also about the events that transpired in one of the most tragic periods in history.
Below are some interesting facts about Anne Frank that everyone should know:
1. Anne Frank’s Favorite Chestnut Tree Lives On
Anne Frank usually mentioned her beloved chestnut tree in her diary. Saplings were acquired from the tree in 2009 and planted all over the US in 11 different locations, one of which is at the US Capitol Building’s West Front Lawn.
While the tree itself has perished in 2010, its saplings remain silent witnesses to the teen girl’s bravery, creativity and love for the whole world around her.
2. Anne Hid For Two Full Years
It was only three weeks after getting the diary that Anne’s sister was summoned to report to a Nazi work camp located in Germany. This is when her family decided to hide, living in several empty areas of the work building.
This was where her father served as the behind-the-scenes working partner because as a Jew, he wasn’t allowed to own a business. The family hid together for two full years in the dark dampness of the building’s abandoned area.
3. Anne’s Father Had Her Diary Published
Otto, Anne’s father, received her diary after he returned from the camp. One of his partners found and saved it. At first, Otto couldn’t read it but the moment he did, he couldn’t believe the written words. He saw a different side of Anne and he worked right away to publish the diary.
It was only three years after the fateful day of betrayal that Anne’s diary was published for the very first time.
4. Letters Made Up Most Of The Diary
While Anne Frank addressed some of the letters in her diary to several people, Kitty is the most renowned figure. Some people assume that Anne Frank was writing to a friend from before the war, but some believe it was referring to her favourite books.
Anne’s friend who survived a concentration camp stated that she doesn’t believe that she was the one Anne Frank was writing to during those dark days.
5. The Person Who Betrayed Anne’s Family Remains Unknown
It was in August 1944 when a secret police officer from Germany together with four Dutch Nazi officers raided the building where Anne’s family was hiding, leading to the arrest of everyone found in the building.
The tip about the whereabouts of the family was made by an anonymous person and to this day, the betrayer remains unknown. Anne was brought to Camp Westerbork and Auschwitz later on. This is when the family was separated from Otto, and he never saw his wife and daughters again.
Despite being in a death camp, the Frank sisters survived a few months while doing hard labour in difficult conditions. They hauled grass mats and heavy stones and were sent without their mother to Bergen-Belsen. Their mother, without her daughters, fell sick later on and died not too long after the girls’ transfer.
Feature Image: Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.