The Diary of Anne Frank

The Rev Ian Green gave our club an interesting talk on the writings of a remarkable young lady.

The Diary of Anne Frank records the thoughts and experiences of a Jewish teenager hiding from Nazi persecution in Amsterdam during the Second World War.

From 1942 to 1944, Anne, her family and four other people lived in a concealed annexe behind her father’s business, dependent on trusted helpers.

In her diary Anne describes the fear of discovery, everyday tensions, her growing affection for Peter van Pels, and her belief that generally, people were 'good'.

Her reflections reveal humour, intelligence and a developing understanding of herself amid terrible circumstances.

The diary ends shortly before the occupants were arrested on the 4th August 1944. Anne later died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and her father, Otto, the only survivor of those in hiding, published her diary after the war.

Report by Bruno Kilshaw