The Diary of a Young Girl
The Diary of a Young Girl, journal by Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager who chronicled her family’s two years (1942–44) in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. The book was first published in 1947—two years after Anne’s death in a concentration camp—and later became a classic of war literature.
Feb 13, 2025, 07:53 IST
Literature
Nonfiction
The Diary of a Young Girl
work by Frank
Also known as: “Het Achterhuis”, “The Diary of Anne Frank”
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Last Updated: Jan 17, 2025 • Article History
Anne Frank
Anne Frank
The Diary of a Young Girl, journal by Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager who chronicled her family’s two years (1942–44) in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. The book was first published in 1947—two years after Anne’s death in a concentration camp—and later became a classic of war literature.
Background
Anne Frank
Anne FrankAnne Frank at her school desk in the Netherlands, 1940; taken from her photo album.
In 1933 Anne’s family—her father, Otto; her mother, Edith; and her older sister, Margot—moved to Amsterdam from Germany following the rise of Adolf Hitler. In 1940 the Netherlands was invaded by Germany, which began to enact various anti-Jewish measures, one of which required Anne and her sister to enroll in an all-Jewish school the following year. On June 12, 1942, Anne received a red-and-white plaid diary for her 13th birthday. That day she began writing in the book: “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.” The following month Margot received an order to report to a labour camp. Facing arrest if she did not comply, the family went into hiding on July 6, 1942, moving into a “secret annex” at Otto’s business in Amsterdam, the entrance to which was soon hidden behind a moveable bookcase. The Franks were later joined by four other Jews—Hermann and Auguste van Pels and their son, Peter, and Fritz Pfeffer—and were aided by several friends, including Miep Gies, who brought food and other supplies.
"The Diary of a Young Girl" is a book based on the real-life diary of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who went into hiding during World War II. The diary was written between 1942 and 1944 while Anne and her family were hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Summary
Anne Frank, along with her parents, sister, and four other people, lived in a hidden annex behind her father’s office for two years. During this time, she documented her thoughts, fears, dreams, and daily life in her diary, which she addressed to an imaginary friend named "Kitty."
Anne’s diary gives a firsthand account of:
The challenges of living in hiding
The fear of being discovered
Her thoughts on human nature, relationships, and growing up
Her hope for the future despite the horrors of war
Unfortunately, in 1944, their hiding place was discovered, and the family was sent to concentration camps. Anne and her sister Margot died in Bergen-Belsen in early 1945. Only her father, Otto Frank, survived and later published her diary.
Why It’s Important
A powerful historical document about the Holocaust
A universal story about hope, resilience, and human emotions
Shows the impact of war on innocent lives