The
Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank
Part
1: Basics
As a student of World War II history, I became
interested in the social ramifications of the rule of Adolf Hitler, in
particular the Holocaust, in Nazi
Germany and the European countries he conquered. During my stint as an eighth
grade teacher, I had occasion to teach the Holocaust to my History and Language
Arts students. One cannot teach the Holocaust without mentioning the story of
Anne Frank as told in her diary published posthumously by her father, Otto Frank,
and since immortalized by further editions of the book, plays, movies, and
memoirs of people who knew her. This is especially true when teaching students
in late middle or high school. I decided to create this pathfinder about Anne
Frank and her place in the Holocaust for teachers of middle or high school
students to help them locate appropriate resources when preparing to share her
story with their students.
Part
2: Written Resources
Journal
One
Anne
Frank: Forty Years On
This
journal article is an overview of the impact that the diary written by Anne
Frank during her two years hiding from the Nazis has had on the world. She wrote about her time living in a secret
annex above her father’s former place of business along with her family and
several others. Forty years after her death in a concentration camp, the author
looked back over her story and how it has lived on through organizations like
the Anne Frank Foundation in Amsterdam. The foundation began in 1957 when funds
were raised to buy the Annex where the family and some friends hid from
1942-1944 until discovered by the Nazis and deported to death camps where all
but Anne’s father, Otto Frank, perished. The author also discusses how some
people have tried to prove Anne’s story, and in fact the entire Holocaust, as
falsehoods, and how views have changed with the passing of time.
Barnes,
Ian. (1985). Anne Frank: Forty years
on. History
Today 35(3). Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.logon.lynx.lib.usm.edu/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=117&sid=29017efc-bb76-4846-a201-959531d95c3e%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=4869738
Journal
Two
Anne
Frank and the Future of Holocaust Memory
This
journal article focuses on the preeminence of Anne Frank as the face of all
victims of the Holocaust, the way she has been remembered, and how perceptions
have changed, or stayed the same, as time has gone by. The author raises the question of who Anne Frank
is, the one we remember, and why is it that out of more than one million Jewish
children killed by the Nazis, Anne is the one remembered more than any other.
After all, other children who perished also left behind diaries that have been
published. In particular, the author
concerns himself with the Anne Frank we choose to remember, the one who is
bubbly, innocent, and despite everything horrible that is going on in the
world, she believes we are all basically good at heart. He goes on to discuss the early perceptions
of Anne’s story, how some people wanted to move on past the horrors of the time
and set aside her diary, but then people began to focus on her spirit, courage
and liveliness and turn her into a testimony of hope during dark times. As time went on and the full picture of the
atrocities perpetuated against the Jews and other enemies of the Nazi war
machine, more and more books, plays, movies and memoirs presenting Anne almost
as a saint were produced and crowds flocked to see them, wishing to set aside
the horrors of the war and instead focus on the idea that despite everything,
Anne rose above petty human emotions and chose to see the good in others. The
author also discusses how her image has been manipulated, both for good and
bad, beginning with her father’s decision to edit out distasteful parts of her
diary and ending with modern day Arabs and Palestinians likening their
treatment by Israel as a story where the Jews are now the Nazis and the
Palestinians are the Jews.
Rosenfeld,
A. H. (2004). Anne Frank and the future of holocaust memory. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved from http://www.ushmm.org/research/center/publications/occasional/2005-04-01/paper.pdf
Journal
Three
Constructing
Anne Frank: Critical literacy and the Holocaust in eighth-grade English
In
this journal article, the authors discuss teaching the story of Anne Frank to
middle school students, and in particular, they focus on how she has been
presented rather one-dimensionally in most classrooms due to the 1955 play by
Goodrich and Hackett that focused on the uplifting and positive parts of Anne’s
story and diary. This play, based on the edition of her diary edited by her
father, is still taught in eighth grade classrooms. The authors point out, in
fact, that there are three versions of Anne’s diary: her unedited version, one
she later edited when she learned that diaries would be sought at the end of
the war, and the one her father, Otto Frank, edited to get her story published
so that she might indeed live on even after death. The authors’ goal in writing
this article is to bring more depth of study to Anne Frank’s story and the
Holocaust and to show teachers ways to help students get a more complete view
of historical events and players in general and of the Holocaust in
particular. The authors relay instances
where students they encountered refused to imagine Anne as anything other than
optimistic and making the best of things even when she was dying in
Bergen-Belsen. They give tips to help teachers use a critical literacy approach
to teaching about people and historical events so that students can put aside
their preconceived notions and gain a better understanding of history.
Spector,
K. & Jones, S. (2007) Constructing Anne Frank: Critical literacy and the holocaust in
eighth-grade English. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy:
51(1). Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.logon.lynx.lib.usm.edu/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=117&sid=29017efc-bb76-4846-a201-959531d95c3e%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=26561895
Reference
Book One
The
Holocaust Chronicle: A History in Words and Pictures
This
book was published as part of a non-profit project and gives its readers and
researchers a visual look at the Holocaust. Each of twelve chapters covers one
year from 1933 to 1946; in addition, a prologue looks at the roots of the
Holocaust, and the epilogue deals with the aftermath of the war and the
Holocaust. The chapters have several
pages of background information and then discuss events and people using
photographs, illustrations, quotes, timelines and maps. The book covers everyday people as well as
the famous, such as Anne Frank, and the infamous, such as Adolf Hitler. International events that took place during
this time period, for example the 1936 Berlin Olympics, are also included but
the time line is considered the highlight of the book. The timeline in each
chapter only covers the events of the year in question, but the prologue and
the epilogue cover history from 1500 B.C. to 1999 A.D. This volume would be a great source of information
to teachers preparing to teach the Holocaust; it puts the events in context
with what is happening in the rest of the world and gives an overview of the
Holocaust as well as places Anne Frank’s story in the timeline of historical
events.
Weber,
L. (ed.). (2002). The Holocaust chronicle: A
History in words and pictures. Chicago, IL: Publications International, Ltd.
Reference
Book Two
The
Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition
This
is the diary written by Anne Frank; the diary before it was edited by her
father, Otto, or publishers, or even Anne herself. This edition was published
on the 50th anniversary of Anne’s death in Bergen-Belsen. It
contains about 30 percent more material than can be found in the first English
translation. This material includes details about her sexuality and the
difficult relationship she had with her mother as well as derogatory thoughts
she had at times about the other people she shared the Secret Annex with for
two years. Anne Frank has been hailed
for her writing ability; one only wonders what she might have accomplished had
she survived the Holocaust. Her story is one that needs to be discovered and
shared by each new generation, and this definitive edition covers all the
facets of Anne as she chose to show in her diary without the heavy touch of
editing. I would be remiss to leave out this edition of the book in this
pathfinder about Anne Frank and her diary.
Frank,
A. (1995). The diary of a young girl: The
Definitive edition. O. Frank &
M. Pressler (Eds.). (S. Massotty, Trans.). New York, NY: Doubleday Publishing.
Other
Reference Book
Anne
Frank and the Children of the Holocaust
This
book is a great companion to The Diary of
a Young Girl and deserves to be included in this bibliography. It
begins with Otto Frank’s childhood and follows the family’s history as proud
Germans but Hitler’s rise to power leads to their persecution under Nazi rule
and eventual escape to Holland, where the Nazi occupation spreads and forces
them into hiding in 1942. Along with the
Franks’ story, personal accounts of survivors, diary and journal excerpts from
other victims, and black and white photos are included in this account. The book offers an in-depth look at the life
of Anne and includes stories of other young people who experienced the
Holocaust.
Lee,
C. A. (2008). Anne Frank and the children of the holocaust. London, England: Puffin Books.
Part
3: Online Resources
Website
One
Anne
Frank, The Writer: An Unfinished Story
Anne
Frank, The Writer: An Unfinished Story is a joint exhibition between the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum and The Netherlands Institute for War Documentation in
association with Anne Frank-Funds and with support from the Anne Frank House.
This site seeks to educate the interested and inquiring about Anne, the writer.
There are several links that one can follow including hearing about Anne from
her closest living relative, close-up views of Anne's original writings,
interviews with the co-curators of the exhibit, and other web links that lead
to more resources related to Anne Frank.
The beauty of this site is that it is an interactive exhibit following
Anne's entries in her diary. Even if a teacher cannot take her students to the
actual museum for a real tour, the exhibit can be used in the classroom and
will enthrall students as they listen to "Anne" read aloud from her
diary or as they compare the edited and unedited versions of her diary. Five notebooks and more than 300 loose pages
containing short stories, fairy tales, essays and the beginning of a novel were
written while she was in hiding and survived the war. Some of these writings
are featured in the exhibition.
Anne
Frank, The Writer: An Unfinished Story. (n.d.).
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Retrieved from http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/af/htmlsite/
Website
Two
Anne
Frank Guide: Guide for Anne Frank and Second World War
The
Anne Frank Guide was created by the Dutch in 2003 as an
initiative of the Anne Frank House; this European Guide was launched in 2005.
The site is aimed at students from primary to secondary ages with the goal that
they learn who Anne was and what happened to her and her family along with what
was happening throughout Europe during the Second World War. The hope is that
students can see how great historic events can affect the lives of ordinary
people. The site has three links:
background information, pictures, and films about both Anne and the Second
World War; a timeline that tells the story of Anne Frank alongside the events
of the war and what was happening in the United Kingdom in particular; and tips
for putting together a project or presentation. Including a non-American
perspective of Anne would be most helpful in getting a well-rounded picture of
Anne and her place in the story. That
isn't a perspective often seen in America.
Anne
Frank Guide: Guide for Anne Frank and Second World War. (2005).
Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Retrieved from http://www.annefrankguide.net/en-GB/default.asp?resetculture=1
Website
Three
Official
Anne Frank Channel
YouTube
is probably not the first place someone looks when researching a topic such as
Anne Frank or the Holocaust. But there is an Official Anne Frank Channel on YouTube dedicated to uploads of
information on Anne Frank. The home page has a featured video front and center.
The design of the page is tastefully done and includes well-known photos of
Anne, her family, and the other people from the Secret Annex. The playlists are divided into six
categories: Anne Frank House, Amsterdam; Anne Frank, The Graphic Biography;
Anne Frank; Miep Gies; The Secret Annex Online & Anne Frank Timeline; and
Historical Footage. The site also includes some great links that can take one
to a variety of interactive websites that would be perfect for catching the
attention of students. There are also
links to Annefrank.org, a Facebook page, Twitter account, and flickr. There is
also a place to leave comments for those who have read her diary or been
touched by the videos that include interviews with people who knew her or the
historical footage of her life and times.
The goal of the site is to "explore the life and significance of
Anne Frank through unique images."
Official
Anne Frank Channel-YouTube. Retrieved
from http://www.youtube.com/annefrank
Website
Four
The
Anne Frank website was launched in
2010 on the 50 year anniversary of the Anne Frank House becoming a museum. It is the Virtual Museum of the Anne Frank
House, which is a non-profit organization that administers the museum and
spreads the message of Anne Frank's life and ideals. The organization is dedicated to keeping Anne's
story alive so that people all over the world will think about the dangers of
anti-Semitism, racism, and discrimination and realize the importance of
freedom, equal rights, and democracy. The site has information on Anne and her
history; information on the Anne Frank House Museum in Amsterdam; news on
exhibitions and collections from around the world as well as information on
racism and extremism; and an area of inspiration where one can sign in and tell
about their experiences learning about Anne.
There is an area especially for teachers to use that incorporates the
Secret Annex interactive site, an Anne Frank timeline, reading and writing with
Anne, and discusses two graphic novels that have been written about the
Holocaust, The Search and A Family Secret. The current interactive
exhibition is "So I'm now fifteen" and includes photos letters and
books from Anne. There is at least one photo, letter, or book from each of the
years of her life. This site is an excellent choice for researching about Anne
and her time in the Secret Annex, which is located in the museum.
Anne
Frank House. (2010.). Retrieved from http://www.annefrank.org/en/
Website
Five
The
website of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is considered the leading online
authority on the Holocaust. The museum was established in 1993 and has had over
30 million visitors. The website has visits from people in over 100 countries
daily. The mission of the museum and its
website is to share knowledge about the Holocaust, preserve the memory of those
who suffered, and to encourage visitors to reflect on the questions raised by
the Holocaust as well as their responsibilities to make sure something like it
never happens again. The museum's site
provides a plethora of information on the Holocaust including Holocaust History
and an Introduction to the Holocaust. The site would be a first stop in
collecting facts for an overview on the Holocaust and Anne's life. There is also
a Holocaust Encyclopedia, where Anne Frank's biography can be found :
www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005210. There is a teacher section that includes a
multitude of resources and tips for teachers who wish to teach the
Holocaust. There are excellent workshop
opportunities available for teachers as well; I was fortunate enough to
participate in a weekend workshop early in my teaching career. This site is a
must-see for any teacher embarking on a journey to educate students on Anne
Frank and the Holocaust.
United
States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (1993).
Retrieved from http://www.ushmm.org/
Part 4: Summary
I
chose this topic because I have had an interest in World War II and the
Holocaust for many years. Once I found out that my birth family included people
of Jewish ethnicity, my interest increased. There is so much information
available on the Holocaust that I knew I needed to concentrate on one small
part for this pathfinder. In my research, I found out that Diary of a Young Girl: the Definitive Edition had made it on the banned
or challenged books list and that really peaked my interest. I came to see that
the view most Americans have of Anne Frank is very one-dimensional. As a former
teacher of an integrated curriculum of History and Language Arts, I could see
how this subject would lend itself very easily to a long-term area of study in
just such a class. I wanted to provide some resources that would be a jumping-off
point for teachers to begin their journey.
I believe I did find reputable sources, and I found it very interesting
that many of them related back to each other or had ties to other sites I found
independent of one another.
Tamela C. Miller
