Anne Frank:
The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank

This heartrending classic is a must-read and re-read. Anne Frank, her parents, sister, another family, and an older gentleman were Jews in the Netherlands during the German occupation of World War II. These eight people hid in a secret alcove above a factory. Anne had a friend who listened to all her thoughts during the next two years. "Kitty" was her diary.

The Franks had lived in Germany. As the anti-Semitism sentiment took hold in that country, he and his wife left everything and moved their daughters to the Netherlands. In a few years they were not safe there, either. Finally, after Mr. Frank was called to report to the Germans, they went into hiding in the "Secret Annexe". The Von Daan family joined them since the two men were business partners, and later, they included a dentist, Mr. Deusel.

Anne's parents gave her Kitty on her birthday in 1942. Anne started writing in it very quickly, and took Kitty very seriously. They still were out in their home at the time, and the first group of entries deal with Anne's private thoughts over school and her social life. The boys who were in love with her were discussed and described, as well as her reactions. Soon after her birthday, though, the family went into hiding. They stayed in the "Secret Annexe" over two years before they were found and arrested by the Germans. Of the eight residents, only Mr. Frank survived the concentration camps.

Elli and Miep, two of the Christian friends who helped them obtain food and comfort, found Anne's diary on the floor of the ransacked apartment. It was mixed in with a lot of other papers the Germans thought unimportant. Here the two women discovered what it was like for a young girl who had just become a teenager to be hidden away. Anne was a person with great insight into the situation and her family. She also strived to be honest with herself about herself. She recorded everyday happenings, her arguments with her family, the happy times, the celebrations, and her dreams. Ironically, in the last entry Anne speculated about what she would do in her future.

The book speaks for itself. It gives another perspective to World War II. This is the true story of a group of people who are living in hope and fear.

Although young, Anne's observations were mature and intelligent. This should be on everyone's to be read list.

I Was a Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith Hahn Beer