Anne Frank

Born: 12/06/1929 Died: 12/03/1945

Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany

The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most widely read

books in the world but her time in hiding was just one
part of this remarkable girl's short life.

Anne Frank is famous for the diary that she kept from
12 June 1942 until 4 August 1944.

She was born on 12 June 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany,

and was the second daughter of Otto Frank and Edith
Frank-Hollander. Her sister Margot was three years
older. She enjoyed four happy years growing up in
Frankfurt until the Nazi's came to power.

Of German Jewish descent, she and her family moved to

Holland in 1933, where her father set up a business. By
1934, Edith and the two girls were living in Amsterdam,
where they both attended school. From a young age,
Anne showed an aptitude for reading and writing, while
her outspoken and energetic personality shone through.
When Holland was occupied by the Nazis in 1940, their
heritage put the family under threat.

The family was subjected to the same rules as German

Jews, namely Jewish children could only attend Jewish
schools, and they faced curfews, were not allowed to
own a business and were forced to wear a yellow star.
Otto transferred his shares in his company to a friend
and resigned as director leaving the family with enough
income to survive.

On her 13th birthday, Otto gave Anne an autograph

book bound with white and red checked cloth and
closed with a small lock. She proceeded to use this as
her diary, with the first entries detailing how her family
were segregated and discriminated against. In July
1942, her sister Margot received a call up notice from
the Central Office of Jewish Emigration ordering her to
report for relocation to a work camp. This made the
family move into hiding earlier than planned.

On 6 July 1942, Anne, her sister Margot and her parents

went into hiding, along with four other families. Their
hiding place, the annexe, was in a specially prepared
space above the offices of their business.
Whilst in hiding, they were supported by a group of
friends, who brought them food as well as anything else
they needed.

Anne started each diary entry 'Dear Kitty' and what

followed was an incredibly candid and eloquent account
of her life in confinement. It expresses her fear,
boredom and confusion at the situation she found
herself in.

As well as giving the reader an insight into of what it

was like to live under such extreme circumstances, it
also shows Anne struggling with the universal problem
of growing up.
Her diary ends in 1944 when the annexe was raided by
the Nazi authorities. Anne and Margot were first sent to
Auschwitz and then to Bergen-Belsen where they died of
typhoid in 1945.

She was survived only by her father Otto. Anne's diary

was kept safe by the family friend, Miep Gies, who gave
it to Otto when he returned to Holland. When Anne was
still alive she had expressed interest in having her diary
published as a record of her experience. After her death,
her father edited it, and it was first published in 1947.
'The Diary of Anne Frank' is an exceptionally popular
and well known piece of writing. It has been translated
into 67 languages and is especially popular with young
people.

Anne Frank Margot Frank

Otto Frank Edith Frank