STORIES
Writers
DONATE

Anne Frank

by Amalia from Fort Morgan

Anne Frank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank)
Anne Frank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank)

Anne Frank died because she was a Jew. She and her family and friends hid in the attic of a warehouse for twenty-five months, hiding from Nazis. Adolf Hitler was a dictator who only liked people he thought were of the perfect race. In other words if you had a different religion than him or maybe if you had a medical problem he thought you didn’t deserve to live. He killed millions of people of Jewish culture thinking he was helping the world become pure. He used soldiers he called Nazis and the Gestapo to find Jews.

Margot and Anne at the beach (http://www.annefrank.com/af_life)
Margot and Anne at the beach (http://www.annefrank.com/af_life)

Anne grew up as a regular girl. She loved going to the beach and playing with her friends. She was an amazing student, and an even better writer. She was born June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1933 Hitler started campaigning against Jews, Anne's parent worried about their future in Germany so they moved to Amsterdam, which is located in the Netherlands. They soon became accustomed to their new routine. The children attended school and Otto expanded his business. The Franks thought that they were safe from Nazi rule, but their dream was shattered when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands in May of 1940. All Jews had to register and wear the star of David on their shirts. Soon Nazis started invading Jewish synagogues, taking names of all the Jews. Then some of the Jews started disappearing and being taken away. Otto and Edith then decided to go into hiding. They hid in the attic of Otto's company's warehouse. Soon some of their friends joined them in hiding.

Anne frank and family (http://www.annefrank.com/af_life/)
Anne frank and family (http://www.annefrank.com/af_life/)

Otto and Edith were very worried that someone might hear them so the family and their friends had to sit still all day. During the day Anne wrote a diary about her life. She kept the diary very close to her. “I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support," Anne said in the first line of her diary. Miep Gies’ helped the Franks and the Frank’s friends that were also in hiding by bringing food and other needs to them. Miep was a good friend of Otto Frank (Anne’s father) and worked with him in his Dutch Opekta Company before he had to go into hiding.

Unfortunately after 25 months of hiding, the Nazis found them in the attic of the warehouse. No one knows how they knew they were up there, but most people think someone went behind their backs and told the Nazis. After they were arrested they were taken to concentration camps. Concentration camps were places were Jews were beaten, were put in gas chambers and killed, and other forms of torture. Edith Frank, (Anne’s mother) died of starvation in Auschwitz on January 6, 1945, a day before the camp was liberated. Margot, (Anne’s sister) and Anne both died of typhus in Bergen. Margot died in March, 1945. Anne died in April, 1945. They both died a few weeks before their concentration camp was liberated. Otto Frank, (Anne’s father) was the only survivor from the family.

Meip found the diary after the Nazis found the Franks and friends, and kept it safe till Anne returned. Unfortunately she never did. Otto Frank had the diary published. The diary Anne left us a remarkable diary that touches all. She is a literary hero because of it. I hope that if you ever read her diary you feel the the pain and sorrow she felt, and are inspired to go out and help mankind. Some of the truly meaningful diary entries from her diary are placed at the bottom of the page.

Anne Frank at school (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/5047636.stm)
Anne Frank at school (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/5047636.stm)

Anne Frank is a hero because she had hope and courage during some of the worst times. She left us a diary that reflects on how horrible the Holocaust was. Most of us don't realize the pain that was suffered during the Holocaust, most of us can't even imagine the horrible things people did during that time. Anne when she was only a little girl had to view it all. She didn't know the her diary would become an amazing story. I hope that when you read some of her diary that you well realize the pain and suffering she saw, the hope that she brought to her family, and the real Holocaust.

Diary Excerpts

"I've reached the point where I hardly care whether I live or die. The world will keep on turning without me, and I can't do anything to change events anyway. I'll just let matters take their course and concentrate on studying and hope that everything will be all right in the end." - February 3, 1944

"It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. It’s utterly impossible for me to build my life on a foundation of chaos, suffering and death. I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, and I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more" - July 15, 1944

"When I write, I can shake off all my cares." - April 5, 1944

"Have you ever heard the term 'hostages'? That's the latest punishment for saboteurs. It's the most horrible thing you can imagine. Leading citizens--innocent people--are taken prisoner to await their execution. If the Gestapo can't find the saboteur, they simply grab five hostages and line them up against the wall. You read the announcements of their death in the paper, where they're referred to as 'fatal accidents." - October 9, 1942

“Our little room looked very bare at first with nothing on the walls; but thanks to Daddy who had brought my film-star collection and picture postcards on beforehand, and with the aid of a paste pot and brush, I have transformed the walls into one gigantic picture. This makes it look much more cheerful…” - July 11, 1942

"I haven't written for a few days, because I wanted first of all to think about my diary. It's an odd idea for someone like me to keep a diary; not only because I have never done so before, but because it seems to me that neither I, nor for that matter anyone else will be interested in the unbosomings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Still, what does that matter? I want to write, but more than that I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart." - no date recorded

Page created on 9/9/2007 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 9/9/2007 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.