Anne Frank’s Birthday

Without doubt, Anne Frank is the most famous diarist of the 20th century. Had she lived, she would have been eighty today.

The diary was a present on her thirteenth birthday. The first entry reads, I hope I can confide in you as I have never done before in anyone, and that you will be my voice.

The next entry is two days later. She writes that the diary is the best present ever.

Almost everyone is familiar with Anne Frank’s story; diary entries of a child turning into an adult. The family was two years in hiding before they were betrayed and deported to Bergen Belsen concentration camp. Anne died only one week before the German surrender.

On 28 March 1944 she wrote; Imagine how interesting it would be, if I had a novel published about het achterhuis (the Annex). The title would make people believe that this was a detective novel.

The diary was found after the war. The complete manuscript consists of five parts. Parts one to three represent the real diary. Part four consists of loose sheets. The revision of this part was to become the novel and the basis for the published diary. Part five consists of stories.

Otto Frank, Anne’s father published the Dutch version in 1947, followed by the German and French versions and in 1950. The diary was published in Britain and USA in 1951.

Anne Frank’s dream of becoming famous came true, but not the way she had wanted it.
The diary is on display in the Anne Frank Museum, as is a recently discovered postcard written by Anne Frank.

Statue of Anne Frank

Don’t miss Anne Frank’s statue at Westermarkt, right in front of the Westerkerk.

Address: Anne Frankhuis, Prinsengracht 267
Hours: 09.00 – 19.00
Closed on Jom Kipoer (28 September 2009)

Beat the crowd and buy your ticket online.

Take tram 13 or 17 to Westermarkt
or
twenty minutes on foot from Centraal Station

related article: The Anne Frank House in Buenos Aires

Photo credit: personal collection