The Diary of a Young Girl is a meaningful and wonderful book. It was written by Anne Frank and is based on events from the Second World War. In her diary, she writes about the Secret Annex (a hidden house) where her family lived in hiding for more than two years. It is a truly touching and historical diary.
World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. Anne Frank wrote her diary between 1941 and 1944. In it, she shares how ordinary people tried to survive during that dangerous time. Back then, Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazis, had started the Holocaust against the Jews in Germany. Since Anne Frank was Jewish, her family had to hide in the Secret Annex in Holland to stay safe.
Anne Frank was a beautiful, creative, and kind girl. She lived with her sister Margot and their parents. When they moved into the Secret Annex, they started living together with some neighbors and relatives. Anne was 13 years old, and her sister Margot was 16 at that time. There were four people in her family. Anne loved reading books, especially those about history and myths.
The Secret Annex was located in a corner of Holland. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, had his own business, but after the Holocaust against the Jews was declared, his business was forced to close. The Annex was part of one of his old office buildings. It was a big place with many rooms. Anne and the others lived on the second floor of the building. Their entrance was hidden behind a cupboard, so that people wouldn’t easily notice the door.
There were more than 10 people living in the Secret Annex. Everything was limited and not enough. Although some relatives helped by bringing food, they mostly had only potatoes and beans as vegetables. They had to eat carefully, in small amounts, and at fixed times.
The Annex had to stay completely quiet and hidden. It was as if no one was living there. So, they always spoke in soft voices and walked very slowly. Even using the toilet had to be done without making any noise. Sometimes, they couldn’t even flush it to avoid being heard.
A huge and dangerous war was happening outside the Annex. They couldn’t open the windows at all. Sometimes, bombs would fall near the roof, which made them very scared. They often cried quietly because they were afraid. At night, the loud noises made it hard for them to sleep. They had a radio and used it to listen to the daily news about what was happening in the country. The Nazis were looking for Jews every day. Sometimes, the police knocked on their door, which frightened them a lot.
There was a terrible and dangerous war going on outside the Annex. They couldn’t even open the windows. Sometimes, bombs fell near the roof, which frightened them a lot. They often cried silently out of fear. At night, the loud noises made it hard for them to sleep. They had a radio and listened to the daily news to know what was happening in the country. The Nazis were searching for Jews every day. Sometimes, the police even knocked on their door, which made them deeply afraid.
Kitty was Anne’s best friend, and she could tell her everything. Anne wrote to Kitty about what was happening in her life every day. She didn’t just write about the hard times but also about the funny and happy moments. Anne liked Peter, their neighbor who was living with them. He was three years older than Anne. According to her, he was a handsome and kind boy.
Peter didn’t talk much because his parents fought every day. He didn’t have any friends to talk to either. After a few months, Anne and Peter became best friends. They talked about themselves and made plans for after the war. Anne felt very happy with Peter. But her father didn’t like their friendship.
Sometimes, there was fun when the older people shared stories about their childhood, told jokes, or talked about things they knew. But after a while, those stories became annoying because they were repeated again and again. They lived happily for more than a year, but after that, they began to run out of basic things like a table to read on, clothes, and food. Because of this, they started to blame each other.
After living in the Annex for two years, the war was starting to come to an end. This made them a little hopeful and happy. They listened to the daily news, hoping for relief and freedom. Anne was making plans for what she wanted to do after the war. Before the war, many public places were forbidden to Jews, which made Anne feel unlucky to be Jewish. She often cried, feeling like they (the Jews) were not treated like human beings.
They had been hiding very carefully and quietly. But sadly, the Nazis found out they were hiding inside the Annex. The Nazis came and ordered them to come with them. They cried and begged to be left alone, but it didn’t help. Anne wanted to take her diary with her, but she couldn’t.
After they were taken to jail, Nazi soldiers separated the men, women, fathers, mothers, children, and friends from each other. It wasn’t just Anne’s family—there were more than a thousand Jews in the jail. The Nazis made the men and women do different kinds of work, often without giving them any food or water.
After one month, Anne’s mother died from starvation. Her father was sent to another place. Anne and Margot were sent to a concentration camp. Because of typhus fever, more than 60 Jews died, including Margot and Anne. Anne died a few days after Margot, just before her sixteenth birthday. In the end, her father survived. After he returned from the camp, he published Anne’s diary and made her dream come true.
In conclusion, this diary tells the story of the Holocaust and what life was like for Jews during that time. We can call it a historical book. It also encourages us to keep our own diaries, where we can write about everything we think and feel.
You are always loved and never forgotten. May your soul rest in peace, Anne, and all those who lost their lives during the Holocaust.
Paper has more patience than people, that’s why my diary is my best friend. -Anne Frank
Dead people receive more flowers than living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude. -Anne Frank
I keep my ideals because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. -Anne Frank
Thank you for reading 🙂
