Frank, Anne. Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Doubleday, 1995.
I was prompted to reread Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl after reading the New York Times article about her cousin, Bernhard “Buddy” Elias, donating 25,000 letters, photos and other documents to the Anne Frank House. What an amazing thing to do. I’m sure Hans Westra, director of the Anne Frank House, is…well…psyched. Imagine the historical value of such a gift! It’s a gift for all humanity and truthfully, it’s worth is immeasurable. Anne Frank died when she was 16 years old. Her “dates” are 1929 – 1945 and that alone devastates me. My heart was caught in my throat when I opened my copy of Diary of a Young Girl and saw her handwriting staring back at me. Everyone knows Anne’s story so I won’t bother with a “review” per se, except to say I simply cannot believe there are people out there who feel her diary is a fraud!
Probably the hardest thing about reading Diary of a Young Girl was the fact I was painfully aware of dates. I knew she was arrested and taken from the Annex on August 4th, 1944. As soon as her diary entries had the “1944” date I started to despair. It was like counting down to death row. It was different when I read this as a child. Anne Frank was a character to me. I couldn’t put reality to her words, flesh and blood to her black and white photo. This time it was different, tragically so. I found myself wiping away tears whenever she mentioned “the end being near.”
What fascinates me about Anne Frank first and foremost is her dedication to telling her truth. She started her diary for herself but, after hearing first hand accounts of life under German occupation were needed, she decided to edit her diary for publication. After her death her father combined both versions and created what we all have read, The Diary of a Young Girl. I never knew there were versions A, B & C.
Two of my favorite quotes, about writing, appear on the same page, “I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things off my chest” and “paper has more patience than people” (p. 6). I couldn’t agree more.
“Memories mean more to me than dresses” (p 20) and “Will the reader please take into consideration that this story was written before the writer’s fury had cooled?” (p 120) indicate I would have gotten along with Miss Frank “swimmingly”. Seriously.
BookLust Twist: I would have thought Pearl would have a chapter on the Holocaust and this would be included in it. However, I’m relieved it’s in the chapter “100 Reads, Decade by Decade” (p. 177) from Book Lust.
~*LunaSea*~ 
I cannot believe what had happened to Anne Frank. It devestates me so dearly much. Although i’m only thirteen when I read her story i cry and feel like what has happened to her is happening to me. When I heardthat she was only sixteen when she died i couldn’t believe. A teenager died because of her religion it is just cruel. When our class started talking about the holocaust I felt sad after i heard that over 60 million jews had died. I was terrified I couldn’t imagine being so punished. When I heard that she had to go into hiding. I couldn’t imagine not being able to see my friends, nor talk to them, not being outside, not being able to run and play and be loud, and only having enough food to survive. I mean it is just so wrong.
While it was wrong what happened to Anne, I am hoping that as a society we have learned something from her heroic journal!
everything that happened to anne was wrong exspecally in the camp it was all wrong
i had to do a report on Anne for my english paper i never know how bad things were until i did it. Anne Frank was a grate writer and could have grown up to have a very successful life. To know that not every thing was grate wasn’t a surprise. But to learn what all she went through was. To know that her real story all started with a little diary was grate. Having her tell the story of her life really changed my perspective on things. She had to go through some tough times that were really heart breaking. I could never be able to just leave my house and every thing inside it behind. Being only able to take only a couple clothes and very few items would be way to hard but I guess she had no choice it was either that or suffer withy nothing at all. Anne had to live in some hard conditions in an attic with seven other people. Having a small bed, not being able to leave the place and only a little bit of light because all the windows were painted black. I would never be able to go through what Anne did. I would be scared out of my mind that we would be caught. I never want to have to go through what they did.
You are right! We should be thankful we do not have to endure what Anne did. Instead, we should be grateful for Anne’s courage and never forget what war can do to a society.
i feel really bad about everything annefrank went through
Selena~ your reaction to Anne’s tragedy gives me hope for the future.
what happend to her was very bad even whats happening to evry war in this world!!!! tears cant the world live in perfect harmony and peACE think about it peaple are dying just for a countrey and money!!!!
anne~ it’s tragic, isn’t it?
I am sorry
She should be remembered the way she would have liked…and we must do everything we can to help others…and in turn, pray that God helps us find a way to never have this happen again…even while it’s happening in Africa and Asia…it may soon come to us.
WOW i am doing a book repot on anne frank and ur web site helped me get LOTS of info!!!
thx
I am a firm believer in research – wherever you may find it. Just make sure it’s the real deal, know what I mean!
It wasn’t 60 million Jews. It was 6 million.
While facts begin to blur (and become inaccurate in the process), it is important to note that Anne’s “message” is timeless and still holds true.
anne frank is just a girl who went threw alot she should of changed relidon so dont feel sorry for her
i feel so bad for her how wou you like to go through what she went through so dont make fun of her because if you do you are really messed up inside your stupid head
im sorry anne that you went through that
i nabu-weeyah thanks anne frank for her courage i didn really know about war and anne frank herself until recently and im totaly fascinated by all..my heart was breaking in to a million pieces when i was reading that diary..it felt like that 16 year old girl couldv been me