Today In History: Anne Frank Receives a Diary
Sunday, June 14th, 1942
On Friday, June 12th, I woke up at six o'clock and no wonder: it was my birthday. But of course I was not allowed to get up at that hour, so I had to control my curiosity until a quarter to seven. Then I could bear it no longer, and went to the dining room, where I received a warm welcome from Moortje (the cat).
Soon after seven I went to Mummy and Daddy and then to the sitting room to undo my presents. The first to greet me was you, possibly the nicest of all....
from The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, p.1.
On June 12th, 1942, a young German-born Jewish girl named Annelies Marie Frank received a red-checked diary for her thirteenth birthday -- a diary that would become a world classic in documenting her life in hiding from the Nazis who occupied Holland. Anne Frank and her family, together with another family, the Van Daans, and a dentist named Mr. Dussel, lived in the "Secret Annex" of an old office building in Amsterdam, until their whereabouts were made known to the Gestapo by a Dutch informer.
Faced with the constant threat of discovery and death while they were in hiding, Anne Frank's diary, affectionately called "Kitty", represents the poignant and compelling story of courage and fragility amid antisemitism and the horrors of war. The pages of Anne's diary, which document daily living until the day of their arrest on August 4th, 1944, were found scattered on the Annex floor.
Otto Frank, Anne's father, circulated copies of his daughter's diary, written in both print and cursive, to friends as a memorial to his family who died in concentration camps. Responsive to their urging, the precious pages were pieced together and published into an edited version, known as Het Achterhuis, or The Secret Annex (Contact Publishers, 1947); the edits at times sparked controversy over the themes of puberty, sexuality, and family relationships. Copyright issues concerning the original manuscripts and authorship of the work also ensued, though the diary to this day remains an integral part of the middle school curriculum, especially among schools that recognize Anne Frank Day on June 12th.
The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.
- Blumenthal, Ralph. B. (1998, Sep 10). 5 More Pages, and More Fighting Over Anne Frank. New York Times (1923-)
- North, S. (1999, Jun 11). When Conscience Calls. The Jerusalem Post (1950-)
- Comerford, P. (2002, Jun 08). Why the Young Must Remember Anne Frank: Sixty Years Ago This Month, 13-Year-Old Anne Frank Began Writing Her Diary. The Irish Times (1921-)
- Gilchrist, J. (2002, Jun 12). A Diary for All Times: Sixty Years Ago Anne Frank Sat Down to Write. The Scotsman (1921-2002)
- War Diary of Life in Hiding Became World Bestseller. (2002, Jul 05). The Guardian (1959-2009)
- Arthur, M. (2004, Jun 13). Photo Exhibit Marks Birthday of Anne Frank: Candid Family Snapshots Depict Happy Prewar Life. The Washington Post (1974-)
- Kehe, M. (2010, Apr 29). Anne Frank's Diary-- Complete, Original -- Is on Display for the First Time: The Various Pieces of Anne Frank's Diary Are Finally Being Exhibited Together in the Amsterdam Building Where She Wrote Them. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-)
- Brown, I. (2018, Jun 12). Anne Frank Receives Her Diary. The Globe and Mail (1936-)
- Suliman, A. (2024, Oct 20). Immersive Replica of Anne Frank's Secret Annex: Lines to New York Exhibit: A Walk-Through Re-creation of the Rooms Where the Jewish Teen and Others Hid from Nazi Occupiers Will Help a New Audience Learn About Antisemitism. The Washington Post (2008-)
- Gross, J. (2026, Jan 07). Auschwitz Survivor Was Anne Frank's Stepsister: She Remained Silent About the Horrors She Endured During the Holocaust for More Than 40 Years, But from 1986 In, She Travelled Widely to Speak About the Dangers of Injustice to Preserve Frank's Legacy. The Globe and Mail (1936-)
Tips:
- Barnouw, David. The Phenomenon of Anne Frank. Translated by Jeannette K. Ringold, 1st edition. Indiana University Press, 2013. e-book.
- Galen Last, D. van, and Rolf Wolfswinkel. Anne Frank and After. 1st edition. Amsterdam University Press, 1996. e-book.
- Niewyk, Donald, and Francis Nicosia. The Columbia Guide to the Holocaust. 1st edition. Columbia University Press, 2003. e-book.
- Poole, Josephine, and Angela Barrett. Anne Frank. First American edition. Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Curriculum ; DS135.N6 F73499 2005.
- Waxman, Zoë. Anne Frank : Writer. 1st edition. Cavendish Square, 2017. e-book.
- Related Blog Post: Anne Frank's Last Diary Entry, Learning at the Library
Images:
- Diary of Anne Frank, St Nicholas Church, Kiel, Germany, Photo by Diego Delso. Wikimedia Commons.
- Poster Image: Book Cover of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check additional Cafe News postings on the library blog
