The Diary of a Young Girl: A Voice for People of All Types and Ages

“Anne Frank died so others would remember. An extraordinary journey,” wrote Steven Spieldberg in the VIP guestbook at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, Holland.

“Anne Frank died…” While the Nazis were gaining control of Germany in the late 1930s/1940s, the Frank family, Jewish, was busily escaping to Holland to hide from the “Führer’s” wrath. On her thirteenth birthday, the youngest member of the Franks, Anne, received a diary. She began writing in her diary when her family was moved into hiding when the Germans began to take control of Holland. The Frank family began to hide in a secret annex behind an office building. After a few days of hiding, another family, the van Daans (the van Pels in real life – Anne changed names in her diary to protect identities) joined Anne and her family. With the much grateful help of a group of workers from the office, the Franks and the Van Daans began to live a guarded and risky life. Anne, a voice for underdogs, the disadvantaged and underappreciated people of all ages, used her diary, with her exemplary thinking and writing skills, to overcome prejudice, face adversity, and develop resilience. Anne had ways of thinking light years beyond her age and time. With words and emotion, Anne has reached millions of people everywhere. Unfortunately, even after so much fight, courage, love, and realization, Anne did not make it. It is unsure how, but Anne and her family were captured and placed in concentration camps. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, was the only one that made it out alive.

Whoever is happy will make others happy too.

­– Anne Frank

“…so others would remember.” Upon escaping, Otto Frank returned to the secret annex, hoping to find Anne and Anne’s sister, his daughter, Margot. He was deeply saddened when he discovered an empty hideout, but was in awe when Miep, one of the secret annex’s helpers, gave him Anne’s diary, one of only very few items that survived the Nazis overpower of the annex. After some hesitating, Otto released a revised version of his daughter’s beloved diary. A few years later, The Diary of a Young Girl was published in the United States. After both the New York Times and Eleanor Roosevelt gave the book stellar reviews, the book quickly became required reading in schools across the countries, teaching children about Hitler’s genocide and promoting creative and free thinking.

In 1955, an adaption of the diary was released as, The Diary of Anne Frank, a Tony award-winning Broadway play. Following the play’s monumental success, a movie adaption of the play was shown on movie screens across the country. The Diary of Anne Frank, the movie adaption won three Academy Awards and was nominated for five more, including Best Picture.

Every year, legions of admirers travel to Amsterdam, Holland to visit the Anne Frank House museum. The Anne Frank House is an exact replica of the office building and its secret annex. At the Anne Frank House, you can visit the rooms of every occupant of the annex, and you can see original documents written by Anne, including her honored diary. I cannot wait to visit the Anne Frank House one day; to see for myself what Anne’s life must have been like. However, in the meantime, I, and you, the readers of The Bookshelf, can take an online virtual tour of the entire building – the office, the annex, plus more!

Anne greatly enjoyed writing and always dreamed of being famous. Today, and forever to come, she is famous. People around the world read her story, flock to Amsterdam to live her tale, and write personal messages on a virtual tree to encourage her legend. 

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

– Anne Frank

“An extraordinary adventure.” It’s no coincidence that Anne’s story is so successful. From the early stages of a diary to a book to a play to multiple movies, Anne’s voice is always strong and determined. Anne always saw the best in people and wanted to be a good person. Despite faced with difficult circumstances, Anne wrote freely about freedom from prejudgment, desire for companionship, and the need to find herself. Anne was an extraordinary person and, as anyone who has read the book knows, a loveable, often humorous adventure. Anne Frank, her life, her story, is an extraordinary adventure.

Who would ever think that so much went on in the soul of a young girl?

– Anne Frank

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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