It’s one of the three most visited tourist attractions in Amsterdam, during the summer time it’s open until 9 p.m. and it’s the most obvious symbol of the Holocaust victims. The house of Anne Frank is situated in Prinsengracht 263-267 and it’s the place where Anne wrote her diary, which was published after her death by her father, Otto Frank, the only survivor of the Nazis’ persecution of the Jews and made Anne worldwide famous post mortem.
The museum tells the story of eight people that were hiding during World War Two in order to escape the Nazis. The diary that Anne received on her birthday becomes her best friend and she writes down all her feelings, fears and beliefs. It’s the Holocaust seen through the eyes of a child. After reading it, her father discovered a side of his daughter that he was never aware of.
There is still some mystery left in the house: despite extensive investigations of many years, it is still unclear how the hiding was found by the Nazis. The projected movies, the objects and lights in the museum make everything seem like in those times and impress tourists sometimes even to tears.
The diary of Anne Frank was translated in more that 70 languages and Otto Frank received thousands of letters from people all over the world after publishing the diary. Otto ended most of the letters like this: „Ich hoffe, dass Annes Buch eine Nachwirkung in Deinem späteren Leben haben wird, dass Du, soweit es in Deinem Kreis möglich ist, für Verständigung und Frieden arbeiten wirst.“ (Eng. “I hope that Anne’s book will have an aftereffect in your later life, so you will work for acceptance and peace in your area, in so far as it is possible.”). Otto Frank dedicated the rest of his life to the fight for human rights and to respect.
I’ve visited the house already twice and I truly believe that after visiting it, you’ll get spiritually more richer and have also another perspective on your own life.
