‘Diary of Anne Frank’ still impactful after 70 years
Deprived of her childhood and freedom, diarist Anne Frank, who gained fame posthumously for herHolocaust-era journal, has been a symbol of hope and inspiration for generations and will be for generations to come.
Thisweek marks 70 years since “The Diary of a Young Girl,” also known as “The Diary of Anne Frank” was first printed in its original Dutch language form, and unfortunately the historic publication date of one of the most important literary works of the past century, will probably pass without the rightful fanfare it deserves.
Since that original printing, the diary has been published in more than 60 languages, including the first English version in 1952.
Frank’s story is knownworldwide. Her diary entrieswere written during a twoyear period from1942-44, when she and her family hid in the Secret Annex in Amsterdam (known today as the Anne FrankHouse) during theNazi occupation of theNetherlands. After being discovered and apprehended by theNazis in August of 1944, Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in early 1945. Thanks to the efforts of Anne’s father Otto Frank, the family’s only survivor, who sought to have his daughter’s writings published, Anne Frank’s name lives on.
Reading Frank’s diary is theway in which many young people first learn about the horrors of theNazi genocide, in a very honest and revealing account of a young girl coming of age despite the circumstances.
Once while speaking at a South Florida public elementary school, Iwas pleasantly surprised to find that the children where aware of theHolocaust through reading Frank’s book.
Holocaust survivorNorman Frajman, a Boynton Beach resident and president of the Child Survivors/Hidden Children of theHolocaust of Palm Beach County, lost more than 100 members of his own family during the operation and can relate to Frank’s story.
“The whole impact at this moment is to make sure that the legacy of Anne Frank’s suffering and the survival of others is not forgotten and a legacy is left for the future generations, so the history of theworst tragedy known to mankind is carried on.”
It is because of Anne Frank’s diary that she and her family are among the victims of theHolocaust thatwe remember and feelwe know.
Email your thoughts to South Florida Jewish Journal EditorAlan Goch at algoch@tronc.com.