Clinging to the normal during horrible times

Chapter 27

By Times staff

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 5, 2000

In the '30s and early '40s, Anne Frank and her sister, Margot, were like most girls their ages: They went to school and brought home report cards, they went on outings with their family to the beach, they posed for photographs.

In the months before the Franks were forced into hiding, even though their parents were terribly worried about what the future held for their family, they tried to keep life normal for their daughters. Their success at creating a normal environment was obvious in this diary entry by Anne about her grades:

"My parents are quite different from most, they don't care a bit whether my reports are good or bad as long as I am well and happy, and not too cheeky, then the rest will come by itself."

But things were getting much worse. Jewish people were being restricted more and more by such German edicts as the "racial laws" enacted in 1935 (the year of the first photos here), stating that only those with "German blood" could be full citizens. In 1942 (the year of the last photos here), Jews were forbidden to take pictures, although photographs of them could be made by others.

Anne used some of the studio photographs of herself to decorate her diary. There were no photographs taken of the Frank family during their years in hiding.

Please address questions or comments about this series to: Floridian, Anne Frank and Human Rights, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or e-mail Floridian@sptimes.com.

Next: Genocide in Armenia

On exhibit

This year's Newspaper in Education series Introduction, previous chapters and Web Links

"Anne Frank: A History for Today,'' an international touring exhibit at the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, 55 Fifth St. S. The exhibit, which traces Anne Frank's life and times through family photographs and diary passages as well as examines prejudice and violence today, is made available through the Anne Frank Center USA. Exhibit sponsors include the Eckerd Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Martin Jr., the Sembler Family and the state of Florida.

Find out more
Many resources on Anne Frank are available at libraries and bookstores. These Anne Frank-related books are available in the Florida Holocaust Museum bookstore:

Books:

• Anne Frank and After, Dick van Galen Last and Rolf Wolfseinkel, $19.95.
  
• Anne Frank Beyond the Diary, Ruul van der Rol and Rian Verhoeven, $7.99.
• Anne Frank in the World, Handey Ver den and OG Hendes Verden, $14.
• Anne Frank, the biography, Melissa Muller, $23.
• Diary of a Young Girl, Definitive Edition, edited by Otto Frank and Mirjam Pressler, $5.50.
• Diario de Ana Frank (Spanish text), $6.95.
• Diary of Young Girl - Reader's Companion, $3.
• A History for Today, Anne Frank, Anne Frank House, $15.
• Stolen Legacy of Anne Frank, Ralph Melnick, $30.
• Anne Frank, Richard Amour, $19.95.

Videos:

• Dear Kitty, $25.
• Diary of Anne Frank, $24.99.
• Just a Diary, $20.

Audio and CD:

• I Am Anne Frank, $19.95.
• Diary of a Young Girl, $25.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.