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Homework Help: Social Studies: People: The Tale of Determined Anne Frank
Do you think of sports, activities, and roasting marshmallows by the
campfire when you think of camp? Well, think again. If you were to think
about camp during 1942, you would think of torment, torture, and death.
That is well of course, if you were to think of a concentration or death
camp. What one girl in particular had to go through is unthinkable; even
to explain in words. She went through very risky times. But she had the
character to persist on with her life and beliefs. Her name was Anne
Frank.
Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. She
was born Jewish. Her intense and persistent family consisted of: a sister,
Margot Frank and her parents, Edith and Otto Frank. Anne Frank was born
during very hectic times. This was when many Germans had a hard time in
their jobs. They had to pay attention to Adolf Hitler?s speeches filled
with disgust about Germans. Adolf Hitler was the Nazi party leader. The
Nazis and Hitler despised the Jews. They said that Germany?s problems were
mainly based on Jews. Hitler also believed that the Jews were dishonest
and dangerous to Germans. After Hitler became chancellor of Germany in
1933, he made laws harsher than ever. He took control of every portion of
Jewish daily life. These included jobs for Jews, school for children, and
books Jews wrote. Nazis would burn the books and stores and public places
were boycotted. So soon enough, Anne?s dad decided to move to Amsterdam,
Holland.
Anne was only 4 years old, but her life had changed for the better. She
went to a pleasant school called the Montessori School. Anne would be
given main parts in school plays since she was the liveliest and
friendliest of all. She had a vision of being a famous writer or movie
star. But on May 10, 1940, the German army invaded Holland. No Jew was
able to escape the Nazi soldiers. They surrounded every border and train
station. Jews were required to have on a yellow star, to show that they
were Jews. Movie theaters, parks, swimming pools, or rides in cars,
trains, or bicycles, were forbidden to Jewish people. Anne changed her
Dutch school to the Jewish Secondary School. During June 1942, Anne
became 13. One of the gifts she received was a blank book. Anne decided
to make it a diary and name it ?Kitty?. Then, on July 5th 1942, Margot was
prearranged by the Nazis to go to labor camp. Over there, she would work
in a factory. But her parent?s knew what the camps were like. They were
used for the purpose of persecuting and killing Jews in particular. So
they decided to go into hiding, instead of letting Margot go to a camp.
Anne?s dad Otto decided it would be best for them to hide in the building
of his working place, or so called the ?Secret Annex?. Anne took her
diary, schoolbooks, and letters with her. She later said, ?Memories mean
more to me than dresses?.
Where Anne stayed was a secret entrance behind a bookshelf. She lived with
four other friends. They were Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan, their lad Peter, and
a dentist named, Dr. Albert Dussel. Usually, the daring Dutch friends
would bring food, books, and other objects from outside the building. Not
everything done in the Annex was done seriously. Anne would spend her free
time pasting movie star photos on her wall. She would also study her
favorite subject, Greek Mythology. By reading Greek Mythology, Anne could
get away from her crammed life. She would say that she would?ve ??eaten so
many kidney beans and haricot beans that (she couldn?t) bear the sight of
them anymore.? The adults quarrelling would also exhaust her. There was a
large amount of fear in the ?Secret Annex? too. Nearby was the sound of
gun shooting and bomb shelling during the night. During 1944, thieves had
come and robbed the warehouse below the ?Secret Annex?. Anne and her
family feared that if the thieves had found out that they were hiding
upstairs, they would?ve informed the police
Anne had lots of persistency and bravery regardless of this war going on.
She promised in her diary that she would, ??go out into the world and work
for mankind?, after the battle. In her diary, Anne would inscribe on
information about the war and her developing love for Peter Van Dussel.
Intended to her diary, she wrote, ?I hope I shall be able to confide in
you?and I hope that you will be a great support and comfort to me.?
On August 4, 1944, Dutch Nazis and a German police officer invaded the
"Secret Annex". Then the Frank family and the rest of the people staying
there were transported to the concentration camp at Westerbork. They
stayed in a ?punishment barrack? because they had not given themselves up
when they were called to surrender themselves; instead, they went into
hiding.
Then on September 3, 1944, the eight prisoners were sent to the Auschwitz
death camp in Poland. The boxcars they stayed in were jam-packed and
diseases were spread quickly. After weeks, Anne and Margot had to leave
their mom Edith, and were sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen.
Anne was extremely lucky given that the children under 15 were murdered the
very next day. Since Anne was 15, she passed the worst. But that wasn?t
the fact for the next few days. Anne and her sister Margot were diagnosed
with Typhus because of the crowded condition. In crowded spaces, diseases
would multiply quickly. There was rarely any food to consume and Anne and
Margot would freeze from the weather. When Anne found out that lice was on
her clothes, she took them off and wrapped herself in a towel. In March
1945, Margot died, and Anne followed a few days soon after. Anne had told
a friend of hers there, ??she didn?t have any parent?s anymore?. Her
friend had said that she thought Anne ??might have had more strength to
survive? if she knew her dad was alive.
Otto was the only one to live from the eight that lived in the ?Secret
Annex? after the war. The war ended by the British freeing the prisoners
in all concentration and death camps. Otto had gone to Amsterdam to live
with Miep Gies, a lady who helped supply food and books to the Frank?s
during their stay in the Annex. Miep wasn?t a Jew, so the German officer
and Nazis did not persecute her. She had saved Anne?s diary, some books,
and family photos after the Franks had left for the camps. She then showed
Anne?s diary to Otto. He was amazed at how Anne had kept every detail of
what was going on in the ?Secret Annex?. Other people who read the diary
had urged him to publish it.
Later, when an article in the newspaper talked about Anne?s diary, a
publisher was found. Over 2,000 copies were sold during the summer of
1947!! Today, over 2 million copies are sold; and they are only the
hardcover books!! Imagine the number of diaries sold that are not
hardcover!! Now Anne?s dream of becoming a writer was accomplished. Years
later, the diary was translated into over 60 languages! A movie has been
made, and schools and streets are named after her. There is also an Anne
Frank Foundation today. This foundation helps younger children understand
the different international problems going on in the world. Anne?s dream
of becoming worldwide famous, was accomplished.
Anne Frank has shown us the true understanding of life. She has shown us
how loathing can become atrocious. Her diary gives us the insight on how
life is so precious and how anyone should be pleased with how they spend
their each and every moment. Everyday is to be and always be cherished
with whatever lies ahead.
Homework Help: Social Studies: People
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