Lately i ve beenthinking about Ann Frank, anyone else?

[Bilboard]

Just that really, with the current clima i ve been thinking about them a lot. I remember reading her diary years ago. Her family along with another family had to live in hiding from the Nazis. They all( i think 7) lived in an attic, about 40sqm, for two years.
My thoughts keep going back to them, how did they manage? I definitly need to re read the book.
Anyone else?

Just to clarify, i am not comparing my situation with them, it's just I have been thinking about them a lot

Definitely do read it again. Re read this recently with DD, having first read it as a teen, and noticed different things as an adult/parent.

Her writing was outstanding and captured the difficulties of relationships within and between families/housemates in awful circumstances.

It's Anne with an e.

And while I applaud everyone reading Anne Frank at any time, let's get a grip. She was hiding in an attic for 2 years with her family because if the Nazis found them, they'd be taken away to almost certain death (as they were).

It's really, really, really not comparable to life under lockdown in your own home where you can go out for exercise/to the shops every day and you live in a democratic country.

It's quite belittling of her horrific experience (and that of all of those who died in the Holocaust) to suggest that lockdown is similar.

Seriously - get over yourself as far as that is concerned.

But do read Anne Frank. Just don't imagine it's about you.

No need to be nasty, effingterrified. OP isn’t comparing. Understandable that the VE day anniversary reporting and the strange current situations bring WW2 and well known people such as the Franks to mind.

@effingterrified the OP specifically said she wasn’t comparing the two situations, stop being so unpleasant.

This might be of interest:

artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/anne-frank/wQi4lSIy

effingterrified

The OP is clearly thinking of them with an enhanced understanding of how brutally difficult their situation must have been. She even specifically said she wasn't comparing her situation to theirs.

Honestly, what was your comment about? Nasty.

@Bilboard I was thinking of Anne Frank as well. More thinking that we've got it good in comparison - but I think if you can look at it it does make you feel more appreciative of our lives.

I also just recently read 'A Journal of the Plague' by Daniel Dafoe - it's interesting what people went through in that year - then followed by the Great Fire of London.

effingterrified *I totally agree, the two situations are totally incomparable.

You don't have to be 'comparing' situations to take strength and inspiration from the way historical figures coped with times of trouble and tragedy; nor is it wrong to look at worse situations as a reminder of ways in which we are well off.

PicsInRed - hadn't seen the OP's second comment.

So you're right, I was too quick off the mark there.

Just seen too many people melodramatising lockdown like it was such a big deal rather than a temporary and fairly mild measure. Also seen people directly comparing it with Anne Frank's experience.

My df had to hide in an attic like Anne Frank to flee the Nazis (not nearly as long as Anne Frank did though). So yes, I'm a bit sensitive to people comparing the two.

I recommend everyone read Anne Frank's diary at some point though. Now is as good a time as any.

Not comparing of course but while not leaving the house for 8 weeks with two toddlers I have often thought that Elisabeth Fritzl must be one of the strongest people ever to have lived.

Anybody with teens stuck at home, might give them Anne Frank's diary to read. Put current family/social frustrations and stress into perspective and open up some thoughtful discussions about everyone's feelings.

effingterrified Do read what the op wrote before having your rant about comparing

effingterrified OP specifically said she wasn't comparing their situations. YOU get a grip.

One of the best comments on why we shouldn't blindly line up and parrot "it's the law" can be summed up:

The people hiding Anne Frank were breaking the law. The people who killed her were obeying the law.

Please trust your conscience before you trust the law.

I got it for dd10 to read not because it's in any way comparable but to consider how absolutely lucky we still are despite this situation. I enjoyed re reading as an adult too . How awful for Anne when they moved the obnoxious dentist in to her tiny room.

Yes, I’ve been thinking and reading about her too. I think about how she used to look out of the attic window, where she could get a glimpse of the sky, passing birds and a horse chestnut tree, and how much that view meant to her.

How awful for Anne when they moved the obnoxious dentist in to her tiny room.

There was a BBC adaptation some years ago that presented the dentist in a more sympathetic light - showing how difficult it must have been for him to be parted from his wife (who was a Christian) - and his part ended with a touching scene of Anne trying to fasten her shoes with trembling hands when they were captured, and Dr Dussel kneeling down to help her.

In her diary, Anne was initially pleased that someone else would be taken in (and therefore saved) but it's understandable that the reality of a shy adolescent having to share her room with an impatient adult would soon become difficult.

@ProfessorSlocombe - great post. Yes, absolutely. Always.

Many of us are moaning about this and that during lockdown/isolation but come on, even those of us who may be struggling financially, we are all still millionaires and living in the lap of luxury compared to the likes of Anne Frank and her family. She was not the only one who had to hide in that way from the Nazis. Many people including small children hid in sewers too and in case anyone not aware, some parents had the horrendous dilemma of crying babies while in hiding so they chose to smother their babies to hopefully save the rest of the family.

Anne Frank wrote her diaries which survived, so we now have a book but thousands of similar stories never got to see the light of day.

If we break the rules of lockdown we are not going to be marched to some grey prison then shot or hanged.

we are all still millionaires and living in the lap of luxury compared to the likes of Anne Frank and her family

Yes. Yet, Anne often reminded herself while in hiding that she was well off compared to the millions who had been captured by the Nazis. It's humbling.

@Pelleas

Yes that is so true. To have spent all that time in hiding then the tragic ending was so very sad.

@Pelleas I'd be interested to see that. I suppose reading the diary alone you only get the teenage view, although it did seem he became increasingly unpleasant. I guess it's hardly surprising given the circumstances.

It was this adaptation, midnightstar

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diary_of_Anne_Frank_(2009_miniseries)

I don't have anything like Netflix so I don't know if it's available to watch anywhere.