Hitler's Ascendancy to Power
Frank and his companions remained in hiding from June 1942 until August 1944. World War II, spanning from 1939 to 1945, involved the United States, Japan, and the majority of Europe, including Russia. Although the war's origins are multifaceted, historians concur that Adolf Hitler's regime was pivotal in igniting World War II during that period.

After World War I, Hitler began formulating his concept of a "Master Aryan Race." This vision entailed expanding Germany by annexing neighboring nations. The National Socialist Party, known as the Nazis, advocated for a totalitarian government that purportedly aimed to equitably distribute wealth and ensure full employment.

Amid economic strife and political instability, Germans were drawn to Hitler's fervent oratory. He claimed that radicals and Jews were responsible for Germany's woes, asserting that the Aryan race was inherently superior and destined to dominate the world. In 1933, Hitler ascended to the role of Chancellor of Germany. Defying the Treaty of Versailles, which concluded World War I, Hitler began rearming Germany. The lack of resistance from other European nations allowed Hitler to amass a formidable military. This militarization generated jobs, revived the economy, and bolstered national pride, thereby increasing public support for Hitler.

With a powerful military at his disposal, Hitler invaded Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938 and targeted Poland after France and Britain declared war on Germany. The Allies, unprepared and under-equipped, were no match for Hitler's forces. Between 1939 and 1940, Hitler invaded Poland, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France. In 1941, he violated his pact with Stalin and launched an invasion of Russia.

Hitler's societal blueprint involved outlawing all other political parties, censoring non-Nazi publications, and prohibiting interactions between Jews and Aryans. Increasingly restrictive measures against Jews ensued: they were barred from holding public office, teaching, practicing law or medicine, working in the press, or operating businesses. Property was confiscated, fines were imposed, and emigration was curtailed. The Nazis compiled lists of Jews in every area, forcing them to wear identifying yellow stars. These oppressive measures prompted Mr. Frank to relocate his family to Holland when Hitler rose to power in 1933. Hitler's anti-Semitism was absolute, and the Nazis systematically exterminated "undesirable" and "inferior" groups, including Jews, Romani people, individuals with mental disabilities, and homosexuals. The Nazis deemed these groups subhuman and often exploited their labor under brutal conditions before killing them. As the Nazi defeat loomed, they intensified efforts to kill as many prisoners as possible before the Allies could liberate the camps. By the war's end, six million Jews had been murdered, accounting for two-thirds of the world's Jewish population at the time.

German Occupation of Holland
Hitler's forces invaded Holland on May 10, 1940. Bombs rained down on the Dutch countryside, and after five days of fighting, the Dutch were compelled to surrender. Initially, it seemed Holland might escape the harsh social policies seen in Germany, but it soon became evident that Jews in Holland would face the same intolerance. Consequently, Mr. Frank began planning a secret apartment in the warehouse where he worked, convinced that his family would need to go into hiding. He established a network of trustworthy individuals to assist them.

The treatment Jews faced in Holland mirrored that in Germany. Dutch Jews had to wear yellow stars and carry identity cards marked with the letter J. They were prohibited from visiting Christians, had to be indoors by 8 p.m., could not use public transportation, and were barred from conducting business. The next step was relocating Jews in Amsterdam to a Jewish ghetto. Soon, Jews from other cities were also forced into this ghetto, allowed to bring only a few personal items but no furniture. Their money and valuables were deposited in German banks.

When the Germans couldn't persuade the Dutch to leave their homeland to work in German ammunition plants, they resorted to force. Initially, the unemployed were sent to Germany, followed by the closure of Dutch factories to increase the labor force for Germany. By 1944, over half a million people had been sent to work in Germany. Given that Holland's population at the time was nine million, this was a significant portion, leaving the Dutch economy in severe disrepair.

In 1943, the Germans established the Country Guard, a group primarily composed of discharged convicts, tasked with patrolling Dutch streets, demanding identity cards, and hunting down healthy men in hiding. To heighten the fear, Dutch men were regularly sentenced to execution, resulting in over 30,000 deaths.

In every Nazi-occupied country, there existed a small, courageous group that helped Jews hide. In Holland, this was the Dutch Resistance Movement. Besides organized strikes, there were instances where anti-Nazi Dutch citizens severely beat Nazis with sticks and pipes. The Nazis frequently offered rewards to those who turned in Jews, and anyone caught hiding them faced death or concentration camps. This is why Frank was astonished by the generosity and bravery shown by Miep, Bep, Mr. Kleiman, and Mr. Kugler.

On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank celebrated her thirteenth birthday. Of the gifts that she received, the one that she liked best was a clothbound diary. Anne and her family lived in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, and the net of genocide was closing inexorably around them. A few weeks after Anne’s birthday, her sister, Margot, was ordered to report to the reception center for a concentration camp. The family, driven to desperate measures, foresaw their future. They had prepared a space above Otto Frank’s warehouse and office at 263 Prinsengracht, where they planned to hide, aided by loyal Dutch friends. They entered their loft through a door hidden by a bookcase made in anticipation of this eventuality.

The family went into hiding in July, 1942. Anne’s diary, first published in its totality in 1989, reveals that the Frank family had planned to disappear on July 16, but that the situation in The Netherlands became so threatening for Jews that on July 9 they left their apartment and began their twenty-five-month exile at 263 Prinsengracht. In the full version of Anne’s diary, the resettlement of the Frank family, related in some detail, is accompanied by a detailed description of the rooms where the Franks and four other Jews—the Van Daan family (in real life, the Van Pels family) and Dr. Düssel—lived.

The diary, written chronologically with occasional additions and revisions made within some of the entries, exists in two versions because Anne recopied the original. Also, as she ran out of space, she wrote entries, always dated, on loose sheets of paper. Otto Frank’s former employees gathered these materials immediately after the Nazis arrested and removed the eight people hiding in the loft, leaving these papers behind.

The Diary of a Young Girl is one of the most important documents about Adolf Hitler’s attempts to destroy a major part of Europe. Anne Frank did not set out to create a public document. Rather, on an almost daily basis, she related what life was like for her and the seven people sharing the small space in the loft. A toilet unthinkingly flushed, a water faucet turned on, a laugh, a cough, or a song might call attention to the presumably unoccupied space above the warehouse. Even though the windows were painted blue against air raids, light from the rooms of this hiding place might escape through a chip in the paint and be noticed.

Obviously, none of the eight people in hiding dared ever venture into the street. Their only respite was brief weekend excursions into the warehouse when it was officially closed, but even those outings jeopardized their security. Given such confinement, the tempers of the eight people sequestered in the loft sometimes flared. They had no respite from one another and little privacy. The specter of arrest and deportation always loomed over them.

Despite this situation, the Franks did what they could to live as normally as possible. Otto educated his daughters and Peter Van Daan. Anne and Margot helped their mother bake cakes and cookies when they got some butter at Christmas. Anne Frank was unfailingly optimistic despite occasional bouts of moodiness. Her sense of humor never left her, nor did her hope for the future.

Anne Frank’s diary is a chronicle of a young girl growing to womanhood. At a time when she should have been exploring her world, Anne, an optimistic, bright, gregarious adolescent, was confined with seven other people to a small, enclosed space. Sounds, light through the painted window, or any small miscue put everyone in this hiding place at risk. The concerns of this young girl focused on a society that arbitrarily singled out specific groups of people and marked them for annihilation. The organized madness that marked more than a decade of Hitler’s rule in Germany blurred the lines that usually define human morality. Under Hitler, wrong equaled right, despotism equaled patriotism.

In such a climate, the thirteen-year-old Anne began a diary that suggests extraordinary writing skills in a young woman coping with a hopeless situation by thinking and writing her way around it. Although she cannot be called a feminist writer, Anne Frank stands as a beacon to all people, especially to writers. The diary contains little rancor, because Anne believed that she would prevail in the end. Although she died, she was correct in her assumption: In the end, she has prevailed through her words. Her most lasting monument is the diary that she left behind. Translated into more than forty languages and transformed into drama, it has perhaps made those who have been exposed to it less willing to subscribe to the kind of despotism that marked the era in which Anne Frank grew to womanhood.

How does the diary format help readers feel like the writer is a good friend?

What details does Anne Frank share about herself that make her seem like an ordinary teenager?

What passages in the diary are particularly effective in making readers aware of the effects of prejudice?

How do the residents of the annex cope with the stress of life in hiding and of sharing tight living quarters with so many other people?

How does Frank place her family’s problems in the larger context of Adolf Hitler’s effort to eliminate the Jewish people?

Frank revised passages of her diary with publication in mind. What evidence is found in the text that she was thinking about an outside audience?

The Diary of a Young Girl is written in the form of letters to Anne Frank’s imaginary friend, Kitty, telling of daily life and of her thoughts while in the “secret annex” where she and seven other Jews were in hiding after the Nazi invasion of Holland. Although cast in letters, the book is really an autobiographical narrative of Frank’s experiences as she grew up under extremely oppressive conditions. The secret annex consisted of four small rooms with a primitive bathroom and a stove for cooking, concealed at the top and back of a warehouse in central Amsterdam. The book’s original Dutch title, Het Achterhuis, means “the backhouse,” where the entire action takes place.

The Franks had emigrated to Holland in 1933 when the Nazis had come to power and begun to persecute Jews. In July, 1942, together with the Van Daan family, they moved into the secret annex, where they were later joined by Mr. Dussel. They were totally dependent on the kindness and ingenuity of Mr. Koophuis, Mr. Kraler, Miep, and Elli for food and other necessities. Beneath their attic hiding place, there was an office and warehouse, where business was carried out during the day. Consequently, the fugitives had to sit still and silent for hours on end, not daring to speak or move for fear of being discovered. For more than two years, Frank did not leave the hiding place. She longed for fresh air, nature, exercise, and the company of friends; she had only Peter Van Daan, whom she idealized as her boyfriend, although before long she recognized his shyness and immaturity. At night, the Franks listened to the radio for news of the war, hoping for liberation by the Allies before they were caught. They watched with a mixture of joy and terror the bombing of Amsterdam: While it represented a risk to them, it also meant that the Allies were advancing and beating the Germans.

The Diary of a Young Girl ends abruptly on August 1, 1944, with a long letter in which Frank expresses her hopes, ideals, and dreams for the future in a more peaceful world after the war. She was not destined to fulfill these hopes. The Nazis suddenly broke into the secret annex; it is not known who betrayed the Franks, but it may have been the grocer across the street. All the occupants were deported to concentration camps, and only Mr. Frank survived; the others disappeared into unrecorded deaths. Anne and Margot both died of typhus in Bergen-Belsen in March, 1945, only two months before the end of the war. The manuscript of The Diary of a Young Girl was found among the things abandoned in the secret annex.

Anne Frank's diary begins on Sunday, June 14, 1942, amid World War II. At this time, thirteen-year-old Anne and her family reside in Amsterdam, where she attends the Montessori School. As the Nazis invade Holland, they mandate that Jews wear badges displaying the Star of David. Soon after, Jews start receiving "call up notices" and are sent to concentration camps. When Anne's sister, Margot, is ordered to report to S.S. Headquarters, their father realizes the family must go into hiding and arranges for them to stay in the "Secret Annexe" of a warehouse on Princengracht Street.

The three-story building overlooks a canal frequently patrolled by Nazis. The first floor serves as a warehouse, the second floor houses offices, and the third floor functions as a storeroom. The storeroom contains several attic rooms not visible from the street. A sliding bookcase at the bottom of the staircase separates the offices from the concealed area where the Franks hide along with the Van Daan family and the dentist Mr. Dussel. It is within this setting that Anne's story unfolds.

Berryman, John. The Freedom of the Poet. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1976. Berryman’s essay “The Development of Anne Frank” reads the diary as an important document about a girl’s maturation into an adult. Berryman draws heavily upon specific examples from the diary, interpreting them well, sometimes in Freudian terms.

Bettelheim, Bruno. Surviving and Other Essays. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979. In his essay “The Ignored Lesson of Anne Frank,” this noted child psychologist and concentration camp survivor criticizes Otto Frank for not fleeing Holland when he could and for trying to sustain some semblance of normal life for his exiled family. Bettelheim suggests that, once in their situation, the Franks might have armed themselves and had a shoot-out when the Grüne Polizei arrested them.

Ehrenburg, Ill’ia. Chekhov, Stendhal, and Other Essays. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1963. Ehrenburg’s chapter “Anne Frank’s Diary” deals feelingly with Anne’s recollection of her school days and with the personal contradictions that one expects to find in a girl at the formative stage Anne was in when she went into hiding.

Frank, Anne. The Diary of Anne Frank: The Critical Edition. Edited by David Barnouw and Gerrold van der Stroom. Translated by Arnold J. Pomerans and B. M. Mooyaart-Doubleday. New York: Doubleday, 1989. The most important piece of Anne Frank scholarship. Besides offering detailed chapters about the Franks’ background and their arrest and subsequent detention, it provides the only complete version of the diary in its various forms. Indispensable for those seriously interested in Anne Frank research.

Morton, Frederic. “Her Literary Legacy.” The New York Times Book Review, September 20, 1959, 22. In this review of The Works of Anne Frank, Morton attempts an objective assessment of her writing. He concludes that none of it has the power and literary strength of the diary, her best-known book.

Diary as Confidante
Through her diary, Frank forms the friend she never had. Her diary becomes a confidante with whom she can be completely candid. Within its pages, readers witness Frank being humorous, reflective, spiteful, furious, resentful, casual, and hopeful. She initially explains that her classmates like her for her outgoing nature, which frustrates her because she has never revealed her serious side to anyone. Her first entry states, "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support."

Frank treats her diary as if it were a person, naming it "Kitty" and writing to it as if it were an outsider. Discussing boys on June 20, 1942, she remarks, "You're probably a little surprised to hear me talking about admirers at such a tender age." By the end of the same entry, she concludes, "There you are. We've now laid the basis for our friendship." On July 9, 1942, she describes their hiding place, noting, "The hiding place was located in Father's office building. That's a little hard for outsiders to understand, so I'll explain." Frank's tone implies she is writing letters to someone separate from her situation. On July 11, 1942, she writes, "You no doubt want to hear what I think of being in hiding." She not only addresses her diary as if it were a distinct person but also imagines this person has questions and reactions to her writings. For example, on April 6, 1944, Frank answers Kitty's imagined question about her hobbies and interests. On June 15, 1943, Frank worries that Kitty might sometimes be bored with her writings: "Heaps of things have happened, but I often think I'm boring you with my dreary chitchat and that you'd just as soon have fewer letters. So I'll keep the news brief." When she feels Kitty might judge her harshly, she makes a comment such as the one ending the entry on November 7, 1942: "Don't condemn me, but think of me as a person who sometimes reaches the bursting point!"

Irreverent Humor
One of Frank's most appealing traits is her sense of humor, which is typical of a teenager in its irreverence and sarcasm. She holds nothing back in her sharp portrayals of the other hideaways, often resulting in comical observations. On August 4, 1943, she comments on Mrs. Van Daan, explaining that her bed is "shoved against the window so that Her Majesty, arrayed in her pink bed jacket, can sniff the night air through her delicate little nostrils." Anne's humor is also directed at herself, as in the entry on December 22, 1942, where she concludes, "I'm afraid my common sense, which was in short supply to begin with, will be used up too quickly and I won't have any left by the time the war is over."

Sarcasm is a crucial component of Frank's humor, playing a significant role in helping her manage her dire circumstances. When she realizes that sharing a room with Mr. Dussel is less enjoyable than anticipated, she writes on November 28, 1942, "I have the singular pleasure (!) of sharing my far too narrow room with His Excellency." On September 27, 1942, she remarks about her sister, "Margot doesn't need it [the Van Daans' parenting advice], since she's naturally good, kind and clever, perfection itself." Through such instances, Frank uses sarcasm to feel affirmed. By making sarcastic comments at her sister's expense, she diminishes her sister's intimidating presence. Similarly, she neutralizes the Nazi threat on October 9, 1942, by describing the injustices inflicted on Jews: "Fine specimens of humanity, those Germans, and to think I'm actually one of them! No, that's not true, Hitler took away our nationality long ago." In another entry on March 19, 1943, Frank writes about the Nazis, "The wounded seem so proud of their wounds—the more the better. One was so beside himself at the thought of shaking hands (I presume he still had one) with the Fuhrer that he could barely say a word."

Frank's ability to maintain her sense of humor under such conditions is a testament to her resilience and determination to remain the person she was before going into hiding. Her capacity to laugh and mock her adversaries in the face of unimaginable events in war-torn Europe is truly commendable.

Organization
Many readers and critics are impressed by Frank's innate talent as a writer. Her diary is well-organized, with each entry clear and logical. She meticulously includes details of daily life, news from the outside world, events in the Secret Annex, and her personal reflections. While other teenagers might focus extensively on their emotions and future aspirations, Frank provides a comprehensive picture, offering context for her thoughts. The Definitive Edition of the diary includes not only the passages Frank wrote for herself but also the revisions she made with the intention of having her diary published after the war as part of a historical account collection. Her ability to organize her material showcases foresight and a writing skill beyond her years.

The diary's exceptional quality has led to scrutiny in the past. Some groups argued that a teenage girl could not possibly have written it, suggesting it was falsified. Following Mr. Frank's death, the Netherlands State Institute for War Documentation, which inherited Frank's manuscripts, conducted a thorough investigation, conclusively verifying the diary's authenticity.

Anne documents her personal experiences and emotions using warm, straightforward conversational language. Her imagery is striking, and her writing is genuine. She addresses Kitty, her diary, as if it were a person, revealing her true self. Anne narrates the daily struggles of the characters with such detail that readers become intimately acquainted with each of them. These vivid descriptions, combined with Anne's unpretentious style, make the story even more realistic, capturing the hearts of people worldwide.

Anne Frank serves as an example of dramatic irony because, unlike the narrator, the reader is aware of how the story will conclude. This knowledge adds a profound poignancy to the optimism expressed in Anne's final entry.

The central social issue explored in Anne Frank is the persecution of Jews. Understanding the history of anti-Semitism can enhance the reader's comprehension of the book's events. Anti-Semitism is not a recent phenomenon; it dates back to biblical times and has manifested in various forms throughout human history. During the Middle Ages, Jews were compelled to wear "Star of David" badges to set them apart from the rest of society. This badge, intended to humiliate, was known as the "Badge of Shame." Similarly, when the Nazis occupied Holland, they not only mandated that Jews wear the badge but also forced them to surrender their bicycles. Jews were restricted to shopping only during specific hours and could purchase goods exclusively from "Jewish shops."

Anne Frank serves as an insightful introduction to the Holocaust, offering substantial information about this horrific event without exposing readers to graphic details. Anne conveys her understanding and emotions regarding the suffering caused by the war, describing families being torn apart and transported in cattle cars to inescapable destinations. She acknowledges that, despite the harsh conditions of her life in hiding, it is still better than the plight faced by Jews outside.

Early 1940s: For Frank's fifteenth birthday, she receives art history books, underwear, belts, a handkerchief, yogurt, jam, two honey cookies, a botany book, a bracelet, a sticker album, peas, candy, notebooks, flowers, and cream cheese.

Today: A typical fifteen-year-old girl in the United States might receive music CDs, hair accessories, video games, designer clothing, make-up, jewelry, gift certificates for shopping, and dinner at a nice restaurant for her birthday.

Early 1940s: The diet of those in hiding includes small portions of bread, beans, soup, turnip greens, rotten carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, peas, pickled kale, and strawberries—but not all at once.

Today: The American diet features a wide variety of foods including chicken, beef, pork, fish and seafood, pasta and grains, fruits and vegetables, and an assortment of fast foods and sweets.

Early 1940s: Frank studies subjects such as French, English, shorthand, genealogy, history, math, geography, mythology, theology, and social studies.

Today: Most teenagers in the United States are taught subjects like history, math, geography, economics, government, science, literature, computer skills, and have elective classes ranging from music to forensics.

Early 1940s: In occupied Holland, Jews face restrictions like being banned from using public transportation, entering non-Jewish shops, and attending mainstream schools. They must wear yellow stars for identification and adhere to a strict curfew.

Today: In the United States, laws prohibit restrictions based on ethnicity. Everyone is legally entitled to equal rights, and racism and prejudice are not tolerated. Despite occasional racially-motivated incidents, the culture is progressing towards greater acceptance of all people.

Early 1940s: Frank feels misunderstood and overlooked by adults, believing they do not comprehend the youth of her generation. She seeks independence from her parents and contemplates her future adulthood.

Today: American teenagers often share Frank's feelings of being misunderstood by adults, sensing a generation gap that separates them from their parents. They also strive to establish their own identities.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl has inspired adaptations for both stage and screen under the title The Diary of Anne Frank. These adaptations stay true to the core themes of the diary and effectively convey the essence of Anne's spirit. The play, adapted by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, premiered on Broadway in 1955 and was met with great success. It won a Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for best new American drama.

Based on the Hackett and Goodrich script, George Stevens directed a film adaptation, which was released by Twentieth Century Fox in 1959. The movie featured Millie Perkins as Anne, Joseph Schildkraut as Otto Frank, and Shelley Winters as Mrs. Van Daan. It achieved both commercial and critical acclaim, with Winters earning an Academy Award for her role. In 1980, another adaptation, a made-for-television movie directed by Boris Sagal and also based on the Hackett and Goodrich script, aired successfully. This version starred Melissa Gilbert as Anne.

The Diary of a Young Girl was adapted for the stage by screenwriters Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Their play, Diary of Anne Frank, premiered in New York City in 1955 and was published by Random House in 1956. The play earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1956. Additionally, another stage adaptation was created for the English stage in 1955.

In 1959, Twentieth-Century Fox produced a film adaptation titled The Diary of Anne Frank. A television movie version, featuring Melissa Gilbert, was released in 1980.

Spoken Arts released a recording of selected diary passages in 1974, followed by Caedmon's version in 1977, narrated by Julie Harris.

In May 2001, Steven Spielberg produced a three-hour television documentary called Anne Frank: The Whole Story, which was broadcast by ABC.

Sources
Alter, Robert, Review of The Diary of a Young Girl, in New Republic, Vol. 213, No. 23, December 4, 1995, pp. 38-43.

Angier, Carole, ‘‘Spoiling a Good Story,’’ in Spectator, Vol. 278, No. 8792, February 1997, p. 30.

Berryman, John, The Freedom of the Poet, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1976.

Ezrahi, Sidra Dekoven, By Words Alone: The Holocaust in Literature, University of Chicago Press (Chicago), 1980.

Gilman, Sander L., ‘‘The Dead Child Speaks: Reading The Diary of Anne Frank,’’ in Studies in American Jewish Literature, Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring 1988, p. 9.

Hughes, Kathleen, Review of The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition, in Booklist, Vol. 91, No. 16, April 15, 1995, p. 1476.

Kamm, Anthony, Twentieth-Century Young Adult Writers, St. James Press, 1994.

Levin, Meyer, Review of The Diary of a Young Girl, in New York Times Book Review, June 15, 1952.

Moss, Joyce, and George Wilson, eds., ‘‘Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,'' in Literature and Its Times: Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events That Influenced Them, Vol. 4, The Gale Group, 1997.

Pommer, Henry F., ‘‘The Legend and Art of Anne Frank,’’ in Judaism, Vol. 9, No. 1, Winter 1960, pp. 37-46.

Review of The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition, in Publishers Weekly, Vol. 242, No. 7, February 13, 1995, p. 70.

Romein-Vershoor, Annie, ‘‘The Book that Started a Chain Reaction: Prefaces to the Diary,’’ in A Tribute to Anne Frank, Doubleday, 1971, p. 34.

Rosenblatt, Roger, ''The Diarist: Anne Frank with a Diary Kept in a Secret Attic, She Braved the Nazis and Lent a Searing Voice to the Fight for Human Dignity,’’ in Time, Vol. 153, No. 23, June 14, 1999.

Further Reading
Block, Gay, and Malka Drucker, Rescuers: Portraits of Moral Courage in the Holocaust, Holmes & Meier Publishers, 1992.
This book collects the memories of forty-nine individuals who survived World War II in Europe by hiding Jews from persecution, despite the legal risks. The book features photographs and provides insights into the motivations behind their brave decisions during such perilous times.

Schabel, Ernst, Anne Frank: A Portrait in Courage, Harcourt, 1958.
Schabel offers details about Anne Frank as recounted by fellow prisoners at Westerbork, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen. These first-hand narratives depict a girl with unwavering spirit, who continued to show kindness to others in dire circumstances.

Shirer, William L., The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Simon & Schuster, 1960.
In this renowned historical analysis, Shirer examines the factors behind the National Socialists' ascent to power, the nature of their regime, and the reasons for its downfall. The book includes material from first-hand accounts of individuals within the regime and those persecuted by it.

vander Rol, Rund, and Rian Verhoeven, Anne Frank, Beyond the Diary: A Photographic Remembrance, Viking, 1993.
With an introduction by acclaimed author Anna Quindlen, this book presents hundreds of photographs depicting the Frank family and their environment before World War II.