WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2013

and photos--including that era's big film
stars and a young Princess Elizabeth, today's
long-reigning British queen. Anne
had pasted them on the walls to give it
some cheerful decor. On one wall in her
parents' room are pencil marks, where
Edith had measured her daughters’
growth. A map of Normandy pin-pointing
the Allied advance, which Otto had
hung up, still remains.
Another room is where the group had
gathered for daily meals; there's still the
small sink and stove. The tiny bathroom
has just a sink, mirror, and toilet. Food
supplies were kept in the attic.
It was in these hidden rooms where
the group tensed upon hearing burglars
downstairs; where they celebrated
birthdays, anniversaries, and Jewish
holidays. And where they listened to war
news on the radio, and held out hope
that one day soon they would be free
to pursue their dreams in the outside
world. Anne’s dream was to be a writer.
Another section of the museum displays
Anne’s original diary, and includes her
other writings, dramatic exhibits, commentaries,
displays, photos, and international
newspaper stories from those
sad days.
“I can feel the sufferings of millions
and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I
think that it will all come right, that this
cruelty too will end, and that peace and
tranquility will return again,” she wrote
in July 1944. “In spite of everything I
still believe that people are really good
at heart.”
Just three months earlier she had proclaimed,
“I want to go on living even
after my death!” And, through her gift
to us, she has done just that. Her story
must not be forgotten; her legacy must
endure.
Top: Anne Frank’s room with walls covered
with clippings promising a better world.
Right: Photos of baby Anne Frank and family.
WHEN YOU GO: Anne Frank House and Museum: www.annefrank.org/ About $12 adults; about $6.30 ages 10-17; about 65
cents for ages 10 and under. It’s important to pre-book timed tickets online to avoid waiting in a long line. Some tours include a lecture
in English. Unfortunately, the hidden rooms are not wheelchair accessible. The tour involves climbing several flights of steep,
narrow stairs. There’s also a café and a spacious gift shop with numerous books—by and about Anne in various languages.
Discover Anne Frank’s Amsterdam: www.annefrank.org/en/Subsites/Annes-Amsterdam/
PHOTO CREDITS: Copyright Anne Frank House, photographer Cris Toala Olivares; Ron James
winedineandtravel.com | 23