Does Anne Frank's home still exist?

Visit the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

Yes, Anne Frank's former residence, often referred to as the Anne Frank House, still exists and stands as a poignant memorial to the young diarist and the millions who suffered during the Holocaust. Located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the Anne Frank House is situated at Prinsengracht 263, where Anne and her family lived in hiding for over two years during World War II.

The house has been preserved to maintain its historical authenticity, allowing visitors to step back in time and gain a deep understanding of the harsh realities faced by Anne Frank and her family. The rooms in which they lived in secret, known as the Secret Annex, have been kept much as they were during their time in hiding. The walls are adorned with excerpts from Anne's famous diary, providing a haunting reminder of her courage and resilience.

In addition to the Secret Annex, the Anne Frank House contains an informative museum that chronicles the broader historical context of the Holocaust, as well as the lives and fates of those who lived in hiding. Photographs, documents, and personal artifacts are on display, offering a comprehensive and emotional portrayal of the period.

Visiting the Anne Frank House is a powerful and somber experience, as it allows visitors to connect with Anne's story on a deeply personal level. It serves as a stark reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering and learning from history. The Anne Frank House stands as a living testament to the enduring impact of Anne's words and the need for tolerance, empathy, and the protection of human rights.

The Anne Frank House, located in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands, remains a poignant historical site, preserving the memory of Anne Frank and her family who went into hiding during the Nazi occupation. This house, where Anne, her sister Margot, parents Otto and Edith Frank, and four other people lived in concealment, has been transformed into a museum that opened to the public in 1960. Today, it offers visitors from around the globe the opportunity to walk through the hidden annex behind the original 17th-century canal house at 263 Prinsengracht, where the Frank family and others lived in secrecy from July 1942 until their discovery in August 1944.

Anne Frank's diary, known as "The Diary of a Young Girl," which she wrote while in hiding, has become one of the world's most read books, shedding light on the life of a young Jewish girl during the Holocaust. The museum not only allows visitors to explore the secret annex where Anne and her family hid but also serves as an educational center, detailing the history of the Holocaust and promoting messages of tolerance and resistance against anti-Semitism and discrimination.

The house's significance is amplified by its detailed preservation and the impactful story it tells. The rooms, though emptied of furniture after the arrest of its occupants, still resonate with the stories of the people who lived there. Otto Frank, the only member of the immediate Frank family to survive the concentration camps, was instrumental in the establishment of the Anne Frank House as a museum, ensuring that Anne’s legacy and the lessons from her life endure.

In collaboration with the Anne Frank Foundation, the house has been maintained meticulously to serve as a memorial to the lives lost during the Holocaust and as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. The museum not only displays excerpts from Anne's diary but also exhibits personal items, photographs, and documents that paint a vivid picture of the times.

The Anne Frank House also plays a crucial role in supporting freedom of expression. It hosts the annual Anne Frank award ceremony, recognizing foreign writers who cannot work freely in their home countries. This further underlines the museum's commitment to human rights and the importance of not forgetting the lessons from the past.

The partnership with Google Arts & Culture has enabled virtual tours of the Anne Frank House, allowing people who cannot visit in person to explore the annex and learn about Anne Frank’s life. This digital project ensures that Anne's story continues to reach a global audience, emphasizing the relevance of her experiences today.

Visitors to the Anne Frank House often describe the experience as moving and sobering, highlighting how the museum not only commemorates Anne and the Frank family but also serves as a mirror reflecting the atrocities of the Holocaust. The diary, with Anne's hopes, fears, and insightful observations, brings a deeply personal connection to the history that unfolded during the dark days of World War II.

As people walk through the rooms of the Anne Frank House, they are reminded of the fragility of freedom and the horrors of persecution. The museum stands as a beacon of remembrance and education, ensuring that the story of Anne Frank and millions of others is not forgotten. It invites reflection on the importance of standing against oppression and promoting a world where such injustices are never repeated.

The Anne Frank House, where the Frank family and four other people, including the van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer, sought refuge from Nazi persecution, stands today as a solemn museum at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam. The family went into hiding in the secret annex behind the building in July 1942, with Anne Frank providing a vivid account of their life under constant threat. This historic house has been preserved to tell their story and that of six million Jewish people who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

The secret annex, known as "Het Achterhuis" in Dutch, was concealed behind a movable bookcase, designed to hide the entrance to the rooms where the Frank family, along with others, lived in fear and hope. Visitors to the museum can see the bookcase and the secret rooms, almost frozen in time, offering a profound insight into the hardships they endured. The museum displays original items and documents related to the Frank family’s life and the broader context of World War II.

Tickets to the Anne Frank House are highly sought after, with the museum's opening hours and ticket availability accessible online. Due to the historic nature and the relatively small space of the hiding place, the number of visitors per day is limited to ensure a respectful and contemplative environment. Planning to visit this poignant site requires forethought, and visitors are strongly advised to purchase tickets online well in advance.

The museum not only commemorates the lives of those in hiding but also serves as an educational center highlighting the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism, and discrimination. Ronald Leopold, the museum's executive director, emphasizes the importance of remembering Anne Frank's story and the lessons it teaches about the value of freedom and the dangers of societal indifference to forms of persecution and discrimination.

Upon returning to Amsterdam in June 1945, Otto Frank, Anne's father and the sole survivor of the family, discovered Anne's diary, which Miep Gies, one of the helpers, had preserved after the family was arrested in August 1944. The diary, first published in Dutch in 1947, has since become known throughout the world, translated into numerous languages and read by millions, symbolizing the enduring human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.

The Anne Frank House also manages the apartment at Merwedeplein where Anne Frank lived with her family before going into hiding. Restored to its original 1930s style by the Dutch Foundation for Literature, the apartment serves as a residence for foreign writers who cannot work freely in their home countries, continuing the house’s tradition of supporting freedom and free speech.

Visitors to the museum can explore a range of exhibits, including a display on the Opekta company owned by Otto Frank and the life of the Jewish people in Amsterdam before and during the war. The museum also offers guided tours, providing deeper insights into the historical context and the Frank family's life during their time in hiding.

For many, visiting the Anne Frank House is a solemn and impactful experience, a stark reminder of the atrocities of World War II and the resilience of those who lived through it. It stands as a testament to the importance of remembering our past to ensure that such history does not repeat itself.

Adjacent to the Anne Frank House, visitors will find a bookshop where they can purchase the diary of Anne Frank, scholarly works on the period, and other related literature. The museum also features a cloakroom for visitors and is located near other significant cultural sites in Amsterdam, such as the Rijksmuseum, making it a central point for those looking to understand the city's rich history.

Anne Frank's home, the poignant backdrop to her and her family's harrowing story during World War II, indeed still exists and is now the Anne Frank House museum, located in the heart of the city of Amsterdam. This historic site, where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding, has been preserved and opened to the public, allowing visitors from around the world to visit the house and step into the secret annex that concealed the Frank family and others from Nazi persecution. The museum not only offers a deeply moving glimpse into the life of Anne Frank but also serves as a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust, situated within the city that once was home to Anne and her family. Through its preservation and educational programs, the house where Anne Frank lived continues to educate and inspire countless visitors, ensuring that her legacy and the lessons from her life story endure.