Anne Frank
Who was Anne Frank?
Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany on
12th June, 1929. Her parents were Otto and
Edith and she had an older sister, Margot. Anne
was lively and outgoing. She had lots of friends
and she enjoyed writing, going on family trips to
the seaside and riding her bike.
The Second World War
In 1933, Adolf Hitler became the leader of Germany
and life was never the same again. Anne was Jewish
and Hitler despised Jewish people. He unfairly blamed
them for many of Germany’s problems. To keep his
family safe, Otto Frank moved to Amsterdam in the
Netherlands when Anne was just four years old.
However, the Second World War began in 1939, and
in 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands.
Life became hard for Jewish people, who were forced to wear
a yellow star and were not allowed to own businesses. Anne
celebrated her thirteenth birthday and received a red journal
that was to become a record of her experiences as a Jew in
the Second World War. Anne loved to write and, naming her
journal ‘Kitty’, she began to write in it every day.
Going Into Hiding
Otto Frank had a secret annexe behind his office
where his family could hide away from the Nazis.
After packing what they could, the family went
quickly to the small annexe and with the help of
friends, hid away for two years. Anne wrote in ‘Kitty’
every day. Her journal tells us about how her family
struggled to stay alive.
Captured
Eight people were able to hide in the annexe. They
had to be very quiet, walking barefoot and hanging
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Anne Frank
heavy curtains at the windows. Anne often wrote
about how tired she was of living in the cramped
space. Towards the end of the war, Anne and her
family were betrayed and the Nazis found their
hiding place.
The End
In 1944, the families were arrested, split up
and sent to concentration camps. Anne died
just a month before the end of the war from a
disease called typhus. She was just fifteen years
old. The only family member to survive was “Think of all the beauty
Otto Frank. When he returned to Amsterdam, he still left around you and
decided to publish Anne’s journal. It has been be happy.”
read all over the world and is translated into Anne Frank
sixty-five languages.
Anne Frank Timeline
1929 12th June: Anne is born in Germany.
Adolf Hitler comes to power as leader of Germany.
1933
Anne Frank moves to Amsterdam.
1940 May: Germany invades the Netherlands.
Jewish people must wear a yellow star.
1942 14th June: Anne begins her journal.
July: Anne’s family go into hiding.
4th August: The Franks are discovered and arrested.
1944
3rd September: The Franks are taken to a concentration camp.
1945 March: Anne dies from Typhus.
1947 Anne’s father Otto publishes her journal.
Photos courtesy of kelli_moss3, z_dead, archer10 and Lukas Rauscher (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
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Anne Frank
Questions
1. When and where was Anne Frank born?
2. Who was Adolf Hitler?
3. Otto Frank decided to move his family from Germany because it was becoming dangerous
for Jewish people. Give two reasons why it was dangerous.
4. Where did Anne Frank and her family move to?
5. Give two ways life became hard for Jewish people.
6. What gift did Anne Frank receive on her thirteenth birthday?
7. Use information from the text to show whether these statements are fact or opinion.
Fact Opinion
Anne loved to write.
Anne would write every day.
Anne named her diary ‘Kitty’
because her journal was like
a friend to her.
8. Where was the secret annexe Otto Frank used to hide his family? Tick the answer that
is correct.
In the cellar of his office.
Behind his office.
In a friends house.
In a cupboard under the stairs.
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Questions
9. Eight people lived in the secret annexe. Give two ways they were able to stay hidden.
10. How old was Anne Frank when she died?
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