In March 2000, I was privileged to be a guest speaker at the lecture series connected with a six-month viewing of the international exhibit, Anne Frank in the World, held in New Mexico. I spent nearly a year preparing a programme entitled Sounds of Turmoil: Music in Anne's World. During that time I often thought about my first experience with Anne's diary, at the age of eight whilst living in France, where physical reminders of World War II surrounded me daily.

It was hard for me as a child to imagine another child being imprisoned for religious and ethnic reasons, living in secret, fearful of making too much noise, and suffering for being different from a standard created by a political and military entity. It was also hard for me to comprehend how Anne managed to fill her world in small ways with so much joy, love and hope despite the oppressive fear which surrounded her daily and threatened to end her existence.

I read the diary many times over the years, never envisioning myself connected with her in any physical sense. When the opportunity arose to be a guest speaker for the International Foundation, I leapt at the chance. It had been some time since I had actually held her book in my hands. I carefully laid the battered old softcover volume aside and bought a copy of the new expanded hardbound version. Over the course of a year I immersed myself in her thoughts, in her words, in her surroundings, and in the sounds of music as it changed in Europe under the demands of socialism.

Some friends in Holland visited the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam and sent me pamphlets, magazines, books, and souvenirs, as well as a set of Dutch/English, English/Dutch dictionaries. Here is a picture of my friend Tiny (pronounced Tee-ny), who spent hours translating documents for me, standing next to Anne's statue:

Shortly after speaking about Anne's world, I penned these brief lines:

Rising above your human frailty
you planned for the future, never despairing,
believing in the innate goodness of mankind.
You lived your life with the eyes of a child,
yet you saw the world about you
through ageless eyes of wisdom.

© 2000 Jane Ellen. All rights reserved.

Anne's life has touched my own in a deep and profound way. If you would like to know more about Anne and her continuing impact upon the modern world, please visit the following links:

Anne Frank House
Anne Frank Internet Guide
Anne Frank Online

References and resources for further study:

BOOKS:
Diary of a Young Girl definitive edition, paperbound
Beyond the Diary a photographic remembrance
Last Seven Months of Anne Frank by Willy Lindwer
Anne Frank Remembered story of Miep Gies

VIDEOS:
A&E Biography Anne Frank 1996
Anne Frank Remembered 1996
     contains the only known moving film footage of Anne
Diary of Anne Frank classic 1959 film