A special girl was born 84 years ago today- and in her short life she made a extraordinary impact on the entire world.
Anne Frank lived in a fateful, scary time- yet she remained optimistic even when she had to hide away from all that was familiar.
I read "The Diary of a Young Girl" when I was about the same age she was -13- when the Frank family went into hiding from the Nazi regime. I remember not being able to put the book down... imagining myself in her situation- but never ever able to grasp the horror that she and her family and friends- all the people who were "different"- were put through in Europe in World War 2. Reading the diary made me yearn to learn more of the time period, and I read as much as I could- I just couldn't understand how so many people fell prey to a Dictator and his racist, inhumane and completely insane plans... what I'm learning is- there's no way to ever understand, but to be educated and not ever forget that such things happened is what I have done, and will continue to do.
I still try.
Anne's family and friends hid up in the attic of her Father Otto's jam business for 2 years. They had to be quiet all the time, hearing terrifying noises from outside and terrible news to go along with it. The fearsome state they lived in at all times... it was palpable from Anne's descriptions. There were no guarantees for their safety.
Throughout the ordeal, they were blessed to have wonderful friends to help them, bringing news and small treats once in awhile. They learned to appreciate the small things- because nothing was small, every moment that they were still safe and alive was a gift.
On August 4, 1944 someone reported them.
They were all taken away to camps- every member of the Secret Annex died except for Otto. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen in March 1945- just a month before liberation. If she had known her Father had survived, perhaps she could have fought harder to live- but I can only imagine the defeat she felt, the sickness taking over her frail body- her broken heart; her optimistic spirit now extinct.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Amsterdam. As soon as I decided to go, I knew it was time to make my pilgrimage to the Anne Frank House- a place that I have wanted to go since I was 12.
My time in Amsterdam was interesting... I was very caught up in the past- what it must have been like all those years ago. Walking along the beautiful canals- bikes whizzing by, the sparkly water and Chestnut trees everywhere to be seen... imagining Anne in that attic, looking out at the beautiful world that was no longer safe for her because of who she was. Such a serene scene now- yet so many horrible things happened there.
The day I arrived at the Attic was a glorious sunny day- many who live in Amsterdam told me it was rare- and I was thankful for the brightness when my heart was feeling heavy.
Walking into the House, up the many steep narrow stairs, through the storeroom, the factory and offices... and gradually up to that bookcase... there it was: the secret entrance leading to the attic. Once I walked through the bookcase, it became very real. The tears just started coming out of my eyes. Walking in their footsteps... through the tiny rooms they shared- pictures of movie stars that Anne had posted on the walls- right there. At one point I was alone in the room she shared with Mr. Dussel- and the feeling I had in there- I can't put into words. It's really hard for me to describe how it felt to walk around in her space- knowing that I could go back outside and feel the sun on my face... it broke my heart all over again.
During my adventure I read the diary again -her vivacious personality and the words she had so eloquently written were very fresh in my mind. Anne Frank's Diary has made one of the biggest impacts on my life- she woke me up and made me want to learn, even if the things I learned were beyond my nightmares.
To be able to have this experience is something I am forever thankful for- and I believe it's something that should be felt by many, whether you are interested in history or not. There is so much pain and heartache in this world- prejudice over things we don't understand... we are so overpowered by fear of what we don't know! Through my travels I know one thing for certain: we really are all people. We all have feelings and we all hurt. Learning about the past can help us not make the same mistakes in the future- shame that some people just don't pay attention.
If you read Anne's diary as a kid, I recommend reading it again- she was such a spark in the world- who knows what she would've accomplished.
Her words live on.
"It's difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. 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. I simply can't build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery, and death. I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that this cruelty too shall end, and that peace & tranquility will return once again."
--Anne Frank
Anne Frank lived in a fateful, scary time- yet she remained optimistic even when she had to hide away from all that was familiar.
I read "The Diary of a Young Girl" when I was about the same age she was -13- when the Frank family went into hiding from the Nazi regime. I remember not being able to put the book down... imagining myself in her situation- but never ever able to grasp the horror that she and her family and friends- all the people who were "different"- were put through in Europe in World War 2. Reading the diary made me yearn to learn more of the time period, and I read as much as I could- I just couldn't understand how so many people fell prey to a Dictator and his racist, inhumane and completely insane plans... what I'm learning is- there's no way to ever understand, but to be educated and not ever forget that such things happened is what I have done, and will continue to do.
I still try.
Anne's family and friends hid up in the attic of her Father Otto's jam business for 2 years. They had to be quiet all the time, hearing terrifying noises from outside and terrible news to go along with it. The fearsome state they lived in at all times... it was palpable from Anne's descriptions. There were no guarantees for their safety.
Throughout the ordeal, they were blessed to have wonderful friends to help them, bringing news and small treats once in awhile. They learned to appreciate the small things- because nothing was small, every moment that they were still safe and alive was a gift.
On August 4, 1944 someone reported them.
They were all taken away to camps- every member of the Secret Annex died except for Otto. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen in March 1945- just a month before liberation. If she had known her Father had survived, perhaps she could have fought harder to live- but I can only imagine the defeat she felt, the sickness taking over her frail body- her broken heart; her optimistic spirit now extinct.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Amsterdam. As soon as I decided to go, I knew it was time to make my pilgrimage to the Anne Frank House- a place that I have wanted to go since I was 12.
My time in Amsterdam was interesting... I was very caught up in the past- what it must have been like all those years ago. Walking along the beautiful canals- bikes whizzing by, the sparkly water and Chestnut trees everywhere to be seen... imagining Anne in that attic, looking out at the beautiful world that was no longer safe for her because of who she was. Such a serene scene now- yet so many horrible things happened there.
The day I arrived at the Attic was a glorious sunny day- many who live in Amsterdam told me it was rare- and I was thankful for the brightness when my heart was feeling heavy.
Walking into the House, up the many steep narrow stairs, through the storeroom, the factory and offices... and gradually up to that bookcase... there it was: the secret entrance leading to the attic. Once I walked through the bookcase, it became very real. The tears just started coming out of my eyes. Walking in their footsteps... through the tiny rooms they shared- pictures of movie stars that Anne had posted on the walls- right there. At one point I was alone in the room she shared with Mr. Dussel- and the feeling I had in there- I can't put into words. It's really hard for me to describe how it felt to walk around in her space- knowing that I could go back outside and feel the sun on my face... it broke my heart all over again.
During my adventure I read the diary again -her vivacious personality and the words she had so eloquently written were very fresh in my mind. Anne Frank's Diary has made one of the biggest impacts on my life- she woke me up and made me want to learn, even if the things I learned were beyond my nightmares.
To be able to have this experience is something I am forever thankful for- and I believe it's something that should be felt by many, whether you are interested in history or not. There is so much pain and heartache in this world- prejudice over things we don't understand... we are so overpowered by fear of what we don't know! Through my travels I know one thing for certain: we really are all people. We all have feelings and we all hurt. Learning about the past can help us not make the same mistakes in the future- shame that some people just don't pay attention.
If you read Anne's diary as a kid, I recommend reading it again- she was such a spark in the world- who knows what she would've accomplished.
Her words live on.
"It's difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. 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. I simply can't build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery, and death. I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that this cruelty too shall end, and that peace & tranquility will return once again."
--Anne Frank
