Anne Frank...A symbol of the victims of the Holocaust
It must have been when I was in primary school, about primary three to four, when I first learnt of the existence of this girl who has been on my mind ever since. I must have read her diary more than twenty times from beginning to end these past few years, and each time I read it, I notice something about her character that I have not discovered before.
as I read her diary, I often could identify with her feelings, which might be why I admire her so much, and inevitably, I would feel Anne coming alive again, through the pages of her diary.
My first copy of The Diary of Anne Frank was my uncle's old copy, which I dug out from his dusty storeroom.
It was in very, very poor condition (and it still is) and it is older than me, or, for that matter, most of you who are reading these words now.
How old, you ask? Well, it's a 1954 edition by Pan Books Ltd. I'm not joking. I can show you if you ask me to. Some of my friends have seen it before and they'll be able to vouch that it does indeed look its age.
The foreword was written by Storm Jameson, and not the popular foreword often seen in recent editions, by Former First Lady of the US, Mrs Roosevelt.By the time I rescued the book from my uncle's storeroom, it had already lost a few pages. The first few entries of the diary were missing: my copy of the diary started at 21st June 1942.
It was through this extraordinary book that I first learnt about the Holocaust. The Holocaust has since remained my special area of interest in History.
Up till now, I have read three different editions of the diary: the original diary, the definitive edition (which is now being sold in most major bookstores) and the critical edition (which I found in the reference section-alas!-of the Central Lending Library.) I have not seen the critical edition being sold anywhere in Singapore but if anyone has, please email me and tell me. *thanx*
I'm not going to bother with an introduction about Anne here; I'm sure that most people already have some idea of her. If not, you can go to one of the links below.
I'm not sure why I'm doing this either...perhaps it's to fulfil her last wish, to go on living even after her death. Even if you have never heard of her before until now, please take some time out to read her diary; let her spirit live on in her book. The Diary of Anne Frank is available in most bookstores, major or otherwise.
And lastly, I am sure, each one of us has a little bit of Anne in us, and each of us too, will be able to learn something from her.
Throughout her short life, Anne had hidden her quiet side deep inside her; outwardly she seemed one of the happiest, most carefree and most popular girls in school: with no lack of friends, and her attractive looks brought her hordes of admirers.
However, inwardly, she was in need of some one whom she could really talk to. Her friends at school, as she would realise later on in her life, were but superficial friends; she "hung out" with them, spent her time with them, but she ever confided in them. Somehow she never felt a closeness to them close enough for her to do that.
Anne Frank Links
Anne Frank Online
The Virtual Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank Center USA
Anne Frank Webquest