One of the most Courageous women in History
Born in Frankfurt am Main in 1929, this beautiful girl was named Annelies Marie = "Anne." At 4 years old, the Nazis gained control over Germany and started to persecute the Jewish nation. As the Franks were Jewish, they lost their citizenship and went into hiding.
The concealed rooms were behind a bookcase in the building where Anne's father used to work. From 1942 until 1944, the whole family hid in these rooms, and it is during this time that Anne wrote her diaries --- the very same ones we get inspiration from today!
This diary wasn't just a diary --- Anne would write tales in it and she actually planned to publish the diaries about her time in the 'Secret Annex'. Her father made sure his daughter's wish came true. Writing 'letters' in this diary, Anne would write to "Kitty" and the routine of writing in her diary became a very important part of Anne's life.
She would fantasize about skating in the park and playing in a film with Kitty, who (to Anne) was like a best friend. Cleary, Anne's imagination helped her through a very tough time. Anne also gives us an insight into her relationships within her family --- how she felt about her mother, her sister, her father.
"When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that's a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?"
The family were arrested in 1944 and interrogated. They were criminals because they went into hiding. In September, they were sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp and split apart as a family. Anne was forced into hard labour during the days and into tiny, overcrowded barracks during the nights. She died of typhus at the Bergen-Belsen Camp.
The courage of this young girl inspires us today and to read her diaries gives us a sense that the innocent will always win over the guilty. Have a read of the article "Anne Frank" for a more detailed read, and to quote Anne's own words:
"I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart."