Happy 91st Birthday, Anne Frank!

It is hard to believe that if Anne Frank were still alive today, she would be celebrating her 91st birthday today! 

Annelies ‘Anne’ Marie Frank was born on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt Germany to Otto and Edith Frank. Anne had one older sibling, a sister named Margot. The Franks were a Jewish family living in a time and place where being a Jew was dangerous. That is why on July 6, 1942 Anne Frank’s family went into hiding. They would remain in hiding until they were found and arrested on August 4, 1944. Sadly, just weeks before the end of the war, Anne Frank died from illness in Auschwitz. Anne Frank was among many children that perished during the Holocaust. 

Anne Frank’s Famous Diary

Shortly before Anne Frank and her family went into hiding, Anne received a very special gift for her thirteenth birthday on June 12, 1942. That very special gift was a blank diary. Throughout her time in hiding, Anne filled this diary and several notebooks with fascinating day-to-day occurrences, her deepest secrets, random thoughts, jokes, stories, and more. 

Through her diary, Anne Frank has offered us a unique glance into her life and what is was like to live as a Jew in hiding during the Holocaust. Through it she also achieved one of her greatest dreams.

“I don’t want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death!” ― Anne Frank

And go on living she most certainly did. Here almost 78 years since she wrote her very first diary entry, people from all around the globe keep her alive by reading the pages of The Diary of a Young Girl. While writing it as simple letters to an imaginary friend named Katy, I am certain that Anne Frank could never have imagined how frequently read and discussed her writing would be. Her words of wisdom and insight have captivated readers for generations, as well as the story behind the entrance to the secret annex….

If you are interested in reading her diary, you can find links to the book and audiobook at the end of this post, as well as links to other books about Anne Frank like Who Was Anne Frank by Ann Abramson and The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank by David Lee Miller.

Celebrate Anne Frank’s Birthday

You can celebrate Anne Frank’s birthday with these FREE resources. Simply click on the links that interest you and follow where they take you. If you have any free resources that you would like me to add to this list, please let me know about them!

Learning About Anne Frank

• Who Was Anne Frank (short biography & video)
• Anne Frank Biography with Maps & Pictures
• Timeline of Anne Frank’s Arrest
• Anne Frank: Her Life in Pictures (YouTube Video)
• Flip Through Anne Frank’s Photo Album
• Anne Frank Exhibition (Flash player required)

Virtual Tour the Secret Annex

• Tour the Secret Annex
• Check out the room that Anne Frank’s sister shared with their parents
• Check out the room that Anne Frank shared with Fritz Pfeffer
• Check out Peter van Pels Room

More Free Resources

• FREE Anne Frank Characters Poster Printable
• Anne Frank Colouring Page
• Anne Frank Activity Page
• Anne Frank Quote Poster

Resources That Aren’t Free

• The Diary of a Young Girl (book)
• The Diary of a Young Girl (Audible)
• The Diary of Anne Frank (movie)
• Anne Frank and the Children of the Holocaust by Carol Ann Lee
• Who Was Anne Frank by Ann Abramson 
• The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank by David Lee Miller
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Number the Stars Novel Study
• The Doll With the Yellow Star by Yona Zeldis McDonough
• Always Remember Me by Marisabina Russo

Pick and choose from the resources above and use them to teach your kids about Anne Frank. She was a remarkable young girl with so much life left in her that was stolen away. Today she would have turned 91 years old and even though she only lived to be fifteen, we can keep her alive in memory be sharing her story with the next generation.

If you enjoyed reading this post, then please consider sharing it and checking out our other posts, specifically the sister post to this one: 14 Insightful and Wise Anne Frank Quotes.

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