Anne Frank

Anne Frank was born in June 1929 in Germany, the second daughter of Otto and Edith Frank. In 1933, Anne, her sister, and her parents moved to Holland in an effort to escape the increasing persecution and expulsion of Jews in Germany.

In July 1942, as Hitler continued his march across Europe, Anne and her family went into hiding in a secret annex above her father's office. For more than two years, the Franks and four others remained hidden, relying on the help of benefactors who kept them out of harm's reach.

In August of 1944, the secret annex was raided by police. Anne and the others—including two of their benefactors—were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Anne died nine months later at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. She was 15 years old.

The diary that Anne kept during her years in hiding was discovered by one of her benefactors among a pile of books, newspapers and magazines left on the annex floor after the Gestapo's search. It was returned to Anne's father—the only one of the eight annex residents to survive.

Anne Frank's diary was first published in 1947. It has been translated into dozens of languages and remains a best seller.

Why Anne Frank's story?

Anne's struggle to make sense of what was happening to her and to her family has touched generations of readers. Her inspiring diary speaks to the challenges we still face in a world where prejudice affects people right here in Nova Scotia. As tragic as the story is, her powerful words also celebrate life, the will to survive, the beauty of nature and the unmistakable power of people who unite for the common good.

Anne's simple story challenges each of us to think about our values, our responsibilities and our choices. Would the outcome be different if Anne and her family were our neighbours today?