In the footsteps of Anne Frank
Anne Frank is one of Amsterdam’s best-known historical figures. Anne and her family lived in hiding from the Nazis for more than two years in a house on the Prinsengracht. Eventually she was deported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, where she later died at the young age of 15. Today, Anne’s spirit lives on through her diary and the million visitors who come to Amsterdam every year to learn more about her short life.
During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, more than 100,000 people were deported and killed in concentration camps. The Hollandsche Schouwburg serves as a sobering memorial centre to all of these souls. The touching and honest diary that Anne Frank left behind made her a renowned figure, and it remains one of the world's most widely-read books. Over the years, the diary has also served as the basis for several plays and films. Anne’s original diary and other notebooks are on display in the Anne Frank Huis.
Anne Frank Huis
The Anne Frank Huis at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam is where Anne Frank lived in hiding with her family for more than two years. Despite being empty, the attic rooms still exude the atmosphere of the hiding period. Some personal items remain, like the pictures of movie stars that Anne pasted to a wall, a section of wallpaper where Anne’s father marked the height of his growing daughters, and a map on which he recorded the advance of the Allied Forces. The museum also features a sobering exhibition about the persecution of the Jews and discrimination in general.
Merwedeplein 37
Around a million visitors flock to the Anne Frank Huis every year. However, her previous residence at Merwedeplein 37-II is less well known. Anne lived at Merwedeplein for nine years before going into hiding on the Prinsengracht. In 2005, the apartment was restored to its 1930s appearance, inspired by descriptions in Anne Frank’s letters. It is not open to the public, but provides refuge to foreign writers who are unable to work freely in their home countries. Don't miss Jett Schepp's sculpture on Merwedeplein of Anne looking back at her house one last time before going into hiding.
Other Anne Frank memories in Amsterdam
Anne spent her primary school years at the Anne Frank 6th Montessori School in Amsterdam’s Rivierenbuurt. An excerpt from her diary is displayed outside the school entrance. The school still has one classroom preserved in its original state, but it is not a museum. Unfortunately the Anne Frank Tree blew down in a gale in August 2010. Located near the Westerkerk, she could see the tree from her hiding place and wrote about it several times in her diary. And amongst the Amsterdam City Archive collection there is a police report from when Anne's bicycle was stolen in April 1942.
Combination tour
The Jewish Historical Museum (JHM) and the Anne Frank Huis have a special combination tour for Amsterdam visitors. Starting at the JHM before regular visiting hours, a private guided tour introduces you to the highlights of the museum’s collection. From there, a Canal Bus boat takes you on a canal cruise to the Anne Frank Huis. A museum guide then provides a short introduction before you visit the rooms where Anne wrote her diary.
A true hero
In June 1999, Time magazine published a special edition entitled "Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century". Anne Frank was selected as one of the "Heroes & Icons" of the twentieth century and Amsterdam is proud to protect her legacy.
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