Anne Frank: The Core of Peace and Optimism Despite Extremely Difficult and Dark Situation

The Horrors of the Holocaust

One of the most horrific terms in history that still strikes terror into the minds of people is “Holocaust.” It was a term used by Nazis to dehumanize individuals whose lives they deemed unimportant. The Holocaust represents one of the most brutal and horrible periods in human history. During the Second World War, Nazis killed millions of Jews. Many people were killed for no reason, and many were sent to concentration camps where they were treated like vermin, especially the Jews, who were tortured and humiliated without cause. The Nazis wanted Jews to be expelled from Germany, making them victims of discrimination, violence, and exclusion. Even in the midst of such suffering, there remains a glimmer of hope and a striving to be optimistic in such tough situations. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” This was a sentiment embodied by Anne Frank when she went into hiding in the Secret Annex with her family.

Anne Frank: The Core of Peace and Optimism Despite Extremely Difficult and Dark Situations

“The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank is a widely recognized diary throughout the world, in which Anne Frank describes the despair and suffering of her family during their two-year hiding period in the Secret Annex. Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, a Jewish girl who moved with her family to Holland, hoping for a better life. Anne Frank and her family became victims of the Holocaust. Anne was an intelligent, precocious, innocent, perceptive, and pretty girl whose ambition in life was to become a journalist. During World War II, as Germany intensified its aggression, the Nazis made life for Jews increasingly dangerous and restrictive. One day, Anne's sister, Margot, received a call-up notice from the Nazis. Everyone in the house was stunned; visions of concentration camps and lonely cells raced through their minds. The family decided to go into hiding. They packed their belongings and moved into the Secret Annex, a concealed space located in Otto Frank’s office building. The Van Dan family also joined them later.

In the Secret Annex, the eight individuals lived in a small apartment under the constant fear of being discovered. They could not leave the Annex, remaining silent during the daytime to avoid detection by the people working in the warehouse below. Their windows were curtained, and they could not make noise—no flushing toilets, no walking around. Sometimes at night, they heard the sounds of guns and firebombs, which terrified them. Their only relief came from Mr. Kleiman, Mr. Kugler, and Miep, who helped them from the outside. Outside the Secret Annex, Jewish people were being arrested and sent to concentration camps, where they were brutally humiliated and tortured. Firebombs caused destruction in the streets. Within the Annex, the group lived in constant fear of being caught by the Nazis.

Throughout the diary, we observe how the Franks and the Van Dan families suffer in the gloomy Secret Annex. However, even in the darkness and despair, we see optimism and hope in Anne Frank's writings. Despite the brutal hardships Anne and her family endured, Anne maintained a sense of optimism. She stands as a courageous girl who never loses her optimism, even in dreadful situations. Many instances in the diary describe her sense of optimism. When Anne reached the Secret Annex, she made the best of things, transforming her room into a beautiful living space. She wanted her room to resemble her real home, which was her first step towards normalcy. An undeniably optimistic image of Anne Frank is linked to her famous words, “It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams, and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.” This quotation leaves a strong impression on readers and encapsulates Anne Frank’s thinking. It boldly expresses optimism in the face of impending and incomprehensible cruelty. This passage also gives us insight into Anne’s last days in the Annex and shows how she changed her attitude. In this extremely difficult and dark situation, she was able to discover within herself a core of peace and optimism.

References

Frank, A. (1993). The Diary of a Young Girl. Doubleday.

Lee, C. (2001). The Biography of Anne Frank: A Life of Hope. HarperCollins.

Müller, M. (1999). Anne Frank: The Biography. Metropolitan Books.

Ozick, C. (1997). What Anne Frank Means to Me. The New Yorker.