Anne Frank is famous for her diary.
'Maybe one of my nicest presents.' -She wrote.
This red checked book was a present from her parents on her 13th birthday.
It wasn't a surprise gift, Anne was allowed to choose it herself.
A few weeks after her birthday, the family went into hiding in the secret annex.
I am oh-so glad that I brought you with me. -She wrote in her diary.
Anne missed her friends and in her diary she pretended she was writing letters
to a large group of imaginary friends. Finally, she picked one
and the rest of the diary entries were addressed to Kitty.
'Dear Kitty...I like writing to you most.
You know that don't you, and I hope the feeling is mutual.'
In the diary, Anne wrote about her life in the secret annex.
About the arguments with her mother
and Fritz Pfeffer, the final addition to the group in hiding
who shared her room, and about her fears and emotions.
'The whole house is echoing with arguments.
Mother and I, Van Pels and Papa, Mother and Madam,
everyone's angry with everyone else, nice atmosphere, don't you think?'
After the Dutch government-in-exile broadcast a radio appeal
asking people to keep diaries and documents, Anne decided to edit her diary
so it could be published as a book after the war.
She even had a title: The Secret Annex.
She rewrote parts of the original diary on loose sheets of paper.
Leaving out some entries she found too private.
But Anne never got to finish her book.
The hiding place was discovered and they were arrested.
Two of the helpers, Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl
found Anne's diaries and saved them.
Only Anne's father, Otto, survived the war.
On his return to the Netherlands, he read her diaries and was surprised.
He had had no idea she had such profound thoughts or was so self-critical.
He decided to carry out Anne's wish and publish the diary.
Her book was published on the 25th of June, 1947.
Two years after her death.