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Contents
The Anne Frank House is where renowned war-time diarist Anne Frank and her family hid for over two years during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary chronicles her experiences in hiding and remains one of the most famous accounts of the Holocaust and the brutal treatment of the Jews. Read on to learn interesting facts about Anne Frank's home, the Secret Annex.
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Interesting facts about the Anne Frank House
1. The Secret Annex was one of many
Since the land along the Amsterdam canals was in high demand, houses were narrow and long. 'Annexes' were built in the backyards of existing houses to create more living or working space. Both the main house and the annexes were connected by a corridor and separated by a courtyard to allow daylight into both.
2. The Secret Annex underwent several renovations
In 1739, more than a hundred years after the construction of Prinsengracht 263, the previous annex had been demolished to be replaced by a new, larger annex. Later, the basement was replaced by a room at street level. After Otto rented the house in 1940, a staircase was constructed between the main house’s first and second floors. This is the staircase that leads to the landing where a bookcase is placed in front of the entrance to the Secret Annex.
3. The Secret Annex was almost discovered when it was sold
The Pieron family, the owners from whom Otto Frank rented the building, did not know people were hiding in the Secret Annex. In 1943, the family sold the property. Luckily, when the new owner arrived with an architect to look at the building, Mr Kleiman, Otto's friend who helped the Franks in hiding, lied about forgetting the key to the door behind the bookshelf. The owner never asked any questions nor came back to check.
4. The Secret Annex was nearly demolished
After the Secret Annex and the people in hiding were discovered, the Secret Annex was almost demolished. Of those in hiding, Otto Frank was the sole survivor. However, as Anne's story reached more people after Otto published her diary, people resisted the demolition. Shortly after the demolition was prevented, the Anne Frank House Foundation was established and opened to the public.
5. The worth of a nut from a chestnut tree
According to her diary, Anne Frank was said to have gazed at a chestnut tree outside her house. While the Amsterdam Council wanted to cut down the tree in 2007, the court voted against it. However, a storm knocked the tree over 3 years later. A single nut from the tree was saved and put on eBay. Bids started at $700 and went up.
6. There are no furnishings or furniture inside
After Otto Frank returned from Auschwitz, he found the house no longer had any furnishings or furniture. When the museum opened, Otto wanted to display it as it was after the Nazis took everything from it. However, Anne's diary held information, photos, and films of the home and what was inside. You can still see these items when visiting the museum.
7. Anne's journal went beyond her diary
The Diary Room in the Anne Frank House displays the red checkered diary Anne received when she turned 13. After the family was forced into hiding, Anne made some of her diary notes on a scratchpad. When she heard that diaries would be collected after the war, she completely rewrote her diary to share her experiences during WWII. This modified version consisting of 215 pages is sometimes displayed for visitors to read.
8. Some pages are missing from the diary
In 1998, it was discovered that 5 pages were missing from the diary. These pages were removed by Otto because they contained information about Anne's relationship with her mother and what she thought of her parents and their marriage. In 2016, researchers also found 2 pages previously hidden by a brown paper revealing Anne's thoughts on sex. Every 10 years, researchers examine the diary and Anne's notebooks to learn more.
9. Anne wrote two versions of the diary
The first version (A) started in the red checked diary that Anne received for her 13th birthday and continued on at least 2 other notebooks. However, it is assumed that other volumes were lost because more than a year's worth of entries are missing. Anne rewrote her diary in 1944 when she heard on the radio that war-time diaries would be collected to document the suffering under Nazi occupation. In this version (B), she omits parts of A and adds new sections.
10. The Anne Frank betryal suspect was never found
A theory argues that someone called the German Security Police to notify them that Jews were living at the premises of Opekta. A team concluded that in 2022, Arnold van den Bergh, a Jew, informed the Nazis so that he and his family could avoid being sent to a concentration camp but these claims were thrown out. Another theory suggests that the Nazis may have discovered the Secret Annex by accident when they were investigating reports of ration-coupon fraud and illegal employment at Opekta.
Frequently asked questions about the Anne Frank House
What is the Anne Frank House known for?
The Secret Annex in the Anne Frank House is where renowned diarist Anne Frank and seven others hid during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam during the Second World War. Otto Frank, the sole survivor, helped turn the building into a museum after Anne's death.
When was the the Anne Frank House built?
The building was constructed in 1635. 100 years later, the house saw several rounds of renovation before Otto Frank rented it in 1940. The Anne Frank House museum was opened to the public in 1960.
How long did Anne Frank and the others hide at the house on Prinsengracht?
Anne Frank and the others hid for 761 days (roughly over 2 years) at the Anne Frank House before they were discovered by the Gestapo.
Is Anne Frank's diary on display at the Anne Frank House?
Yes, the red checked diary, other notebooks and loose pages that were a part of Anne's journal are on display in the Diary Room at the Anne Frank House.
How many versions of the Anne Frank House are there?
Anne wrote two versions of her diary. However, almost a year's worth of diary entries from the first version was lost. The second version was written when Anne found out that war-diaries that detailed life during the Second World War would be collected.
Who betrayed Anne Frank?
Some believe the German Security Police were anonymously notified about the Secret Annex residents. A 2022 study concluded that Arnold van den Bergh, a Jew, was the one who notified authorities but these claims were discarded. Other theories suggest that the Secret Annex was discovered by accident when the police were investigating ration coupon fraud and illegal employment at Opekta.
Who found and published Anne Frank's diary?
Anne Frank's diary was recovered by Miep Gies, a helper who worked for Otto Frank. She handed the diary over to Otto, the sole survivor, after learning about Anne's death. It was Otto who edited and published the diary posthumously, fulfilling Anne's wish to be a renowned writer.
Who is Kitty?
Anne Frank addressed most of her diary entries to "Kitty". However, it it unknown who Kitty is. Although Anne had a pre-war friend of the same name, Kitty herself has made clear that she was not the inspiration or the adressee for the diary entries.
How did Anne Frank die?
After Anne Frank and the other were discovered at the Secret Annex, they were sent to separate concentration camps and forced to provide manual labor. Sometime in 1945, Anne died due to exhaustion from typhus after contracting it at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, shortly after her sister Margot.
Who hid in the Secret Annex?
Anne Frank, her parents Otto and Edith, her sister Margot, the Van Pels family, and Fritz Pfeffer hid in the Secret Annex for over two years before they were discovered by the Gestapo.
What is Anne Frank's diary called?
Anne originally titled her diary as 'Het Achterhuis' (The Secret Annex). It was later published as 'Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl'.