Anne Frank House

By piglet990

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Anne Frank House (photo from http://www.ststours.ca/cms_images/)

Located on the Prinsengracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the Anne Frank House is the setting of Holocaust diarist Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl", which was published after her death. In the horrific time of Jewish persecution during the Holocaust, Otto Frank made the decision to hide his family, along with four other Jewish people, on the top floor of the spice warehouse where he worked. Hidden behind a trap door was the 500 square-foot space that the eight people lived in for just over two years until they were anonymously betrayed to the Nazis and sent to death camps, after which only Otto Frank survived.

Several decades after that tragic event, visitors to the house can climb the narrow stairs and walk through the rooms where the former inhabitants once had to tread so softly for fear of being discovered. As per Otto Frank's request, no furniture remains in the small space, but perhaps this adds to the house's silently haunting atmosphere, as you're reminded of the fear and brutality that these walls once witnessed.

Pictures of the family and the original furnishings are hung in each room, and on one wall, original pencil markings can be seen, recording the growth of the children that once hid there. Along with these though, are poignant quotes from Anne Frank's diary, allowing visitors to imagine how horrible the lives of the fugitives were, yet surprising them with the intellect and optimism this promising young girl held, even in the face of such a hopeless situation.

At the end of the self-guided tour, is a special area dedicated to educating others on racial, religious, political, and any other form of tolerance. The purpose of the museum is to open the eyes of visitors to the dangers of prejudice, working towards a world that has eliminated intolerance.

(Note: Reading Anne Frank's diary before the visit makes it all the more meaningful, and will add to your understanding of not only the location, but the importance of the situation. Also, very few leave the museum with a dry eye, so bring some tissues!)

www.annefrank.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank_House


The museum is open daily from 9:00 am, and is located at Prinsengracht 267, Amsterdam. Closing times vary between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm, depending on the day and the month. It is a 20-minute walk from Central Station, and buses 170, 171, and 172, as well as trams 13 and 17 will get your near the location. When exiting the bus, get off at "Westermarkt", and walk to your right onto the Prinsengracht.




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