Ride mountain bike drops in total control-learn how-it's easy

Who was Anne Frank? For kids, can you imagine having to hide in a secret room behind a bookcase to protect yourself and your family? Because that is exactly what Anne Frank and her family had to do during World War II. Anne Frank also wrote a diary, which is one of the most famous diaries ever published. Today, we are going to learn all about Anne Frank and why her story is so important. Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany in the year 1929. She lived there with her sister, Margot, who was about three and a half years older, her father Otto, and her mother Edith. Otto Frank's family had lived in Germany for many generations. Anne and her family were Jewish, which is super important because of what happened a few years later. When Anne was about four years old, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party gained control of the German government. This was a sad and scary time for Jewish people throughout Europe because Hitler did not like Jews and thought they should be eliminated. During World War II, the Nazis killed over six million Jews. Because of this, the Franks feared for their lives. Anne's father left their home and set up a business in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The rest of the Frank family moved there a year later. For a few years, life was pretty normal for the Frank family. Anne and her sister went to school, Otto worked in his business, and Edith managed their home. The Franks were worried that a war might begin soon, so they tried to move to England or to the United States in order to be safe, but were unable to do so. Just as the Franks feared, Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939, and World War II officially began. At the beginning of the war, the Netherlands was not involved, so life did not really change for the people living there. Unfortunately, Germany invaded the Netherlands less than a year later, and anti-Jewish laws and persecution against the Jews began to spread across the country. Jewish people had to wear yellow stars on their clothing to identify themselves, were given curfews, and were not allowed to travel. Because of these laws, Anne's father lost his business, and Anne and her sister were only allowed to attend school with other Jewish children. The threat of being sent to German work camps or concentration camps became a scary reality. Not willing to leave things to chance, the Frank family began planning to go into hiding. Otto furnished a few rooms connected to his business and began stocking it with things that they would need. When Margot received a notice to report to a German work camp, the Frank family knew it was time to hide, and they moved to the secret annex on July 6, 1942. Anne Frank was just 13 years old. Let's take a look at the secret annex. Even though it had two floors and an attic, it was still very small. So small that a lot of the rooms had multiple uses. The entrance to the secret annex was hidden behind a revolving bookcase. Pretty cool, right? The first floor had two small rooms which were used for studying and sleeping, plus a bathroom that was shared by all of the people living in the annex. There was another small room on the second floor that served as the kitchen by day and another bedroom by night. A landing on the second floor held another bed and a staircase that led to the attic. The attic was mostly used for storage. There were a few brave people who helped deliver food and other goods to those hiding in the secret annex at great risk to themselves. They did their best to make sure that the Franks and their friends stayed safe as the war raged on. During this time, Anne kept a diary and wrote about the events in the secret annex. This diary was filled with Anne's thoughts and feelings, as well as information about herself and those hiding with her. She also included news about the war with the goal of editing and publishing her diary as a novel called The Secret Annex. After the end of the war, she dreamed of becoming a famous writer one day. Sadly, Anne and those hiding with her were discovered and arrested by German police on August 4, 1944. Anne was just 15 years old. No one knows exactly how the hiding place was discovered or who the informant might have been. A brave woman named Miep Gies saved and hid Anne's diary and other writings after the Franks were taken. A month after their arrest, Anne's family and the others hiding with them were sent to Nazi concentration camps. Anne and her sister Margot were sent to the Bergen-Belsen camp, where both died of a disease called typhus in March of 1945. The war finally ended in Europe two months later on May 7, 1945, when the Germans surrendered. Of those living in the Secret Annex, Otto Frank was the only person to survive and learned of the deaths of his wife and daughters after he returned to the Netherlands at the end of the war. Miep Gies gave Anne's diary to Otto and he published it in 1947 under the title The Secret Annex. Later, the name was changed to Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl. Five years later, in 1952, the diary was translated into English and published in the United States. Today, Anne's diary has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into 70 languages. Anne Frank's wish came true. She did become a famous writer. And every year, many people travel from all around the world to visit the Secret Annex for themselves. It is now a museum called the Anne Frank House. Now that we have learned all about Anne Frank, let's sit together and think about a couple of things. First, why do you think that Anne's diary is so important, even today? Next, how would you feel if you had to hide like Anne and her family? Last, how can you be brave and kind and help others when they need help? Thank you, friends. Anne Frank did not set out to be remarkable. She just wanted to tell her story. Today, her diary is a vital record of what happened during World War II and is also a really powerful story about the brief but beautiful life of a young girl.