Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Anne Frank House *UPDATED*

My class and I visited the Anne Frank house. It is a MUST SEE even if you don't see anything else in Amsterdam.

The building itself is not that interesting. It is not. The Nazis stripped the house of all furnishings and belongings after the family were captured. After the war, Anne's father, Otto Frank wanted it to remain as it was.

What IS remarkable is the story and walking through the house. The curators have written verses from Anne's diary on the walls. Reading them as you go from room to room - It is haunting, especially since you know that only one person who resided there survived the war.

I think what struck me even more than knowing that the family and housemates were captured and sent to concentration camps, is that they lived for nearly two years in fear and terror. One false step, one tidbit of light or noise escaping the house would tip the Nazis off to their existence. Can you imagine what it would be like to not go outside for two years and spend upwards of eight hours each day being absolutely silent?

   

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