Traveling in Europe Part VI: The Anne Frank House/Amsterdam

 

It is hard to believe that this child who died at 15 years old could tell a story that has captivated the world for over 75 years. Yet when we went into the museum and eventually into the annex where Anne and her family, along with other Jews, lived for 2 years without ever going outdoors, we were moved. Really "moved" doesn't cover the multitude of feelings this story evokes.

Leaving Germany as the Nazis took over was not enough to save the Franks. Even though The Netherlands was a neutral country, they were invaded and taken over by Germany. Anne's father saw this coming and built a secret annex above a warehouse in Amsterdam which would be Anne's home for two years. I don't need to tell the history of this, but I will say it is a story that brings one's emotions to the surface.

Inside this modern front is the annex the Frank family and others lived in for two years.

Perhaps one of the most stirring parts of the museum is watching the video of Anne's father (the only member of the family that survived the concentration camps) talking about reading Anne's diary. He states that he never really understood his child when she was alive--how deep were her thoughts and how much she had suppressed her emotions. 

Although all three of us travelers had read the diary, seen movies and knew the history, none of that prepared us for actually walking into those cramped rooms. We walked through the space thinking about these people not moving for all the hours that the workers below were in the lower part of the building, thinking about never going outside, never smelling nature. Because Anne wrote her diary and we can now know what those years were like. And we know death was just around the corner!

Should you go to Amsterdam and want to enter the Anne Frank House Museum,  here's the scoop to get tickets. Plan ahead!

https://www.annefrank.org/en/museum/tickets/ is the official ticket office. Tickets are only available through this website! Every Tuesday at 10am CET all tickets become available for a visit six weeks later.  

I recommend including the introductory program!