Stern College for Women - Kochaviah Yearbook (New York, NY)

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THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK A Book Review 10LET SHAPIRO, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN Through the pages of the diary she kept for two years, Anne Frank emerges as a warm, vibrant, and living adolescent girl. The diary, a gift from her parents, was begun soon after Anne ' s thirteenth birthday. Before the disappearance of the Frank family Anne had been a carefree schoolgirl. Despite the war she was thoroughly spoiled by her family and seemingly lacked nothing. She was the pet of her teachers and the object of many a schoolboy ' s affection. Her friends were almost countless; yet Anne felt the lack of a true friend in whom she could confide and bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart. She intended for her diary to contain not a series of bald facts, but to be her friend, whom she named Kitty. The Frank family had emigrated to Holland from Germany when Anne was four years old. Six years later, however, the Germans occupied Holland. Surmising the extent to which the Nazis would carry out their goal of exterminating the Jews, the Franks had made extensive preparations to go into hiding. Their plans for disappearing were unexpectedly speeded up, however, when the Gestapo issued a call-up notice for Anne ' s sixteen-year-old-sister, Margot. Their hiding place was a concealed apartment in the back of Mr. Frank ' s place of business. For over two years the Franks, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel lived in these rooms without once leaving. At first, living in the Secret Annex seemed to Anne like being on vacation in a very peculiar boardinghouse, but very soon the novelty wore off. Fresh air became a longed-for luxury and fear of detection was a constant menace. Frequent burglaries of the adjoining warehouse, unexpected ringings of the bell, and frighteningly close air raids gave life in the Secret Annex a nightmarish quality which the reader feels as if he himself were experiencing it. The greatest hardship for Anne was not being able to attend school. Her studies were Anne ' s main pursuit during the years of seclusion. History especially was a favorite subject and she had a strange fascination for tracing the family trees of European royal families. She longed for the day when she would be free to explore the public libraries again and read her fill of Greek and Roman mythology. Writing also meant much to Anne, whose ambition was one day to become an author or journalist. No matter how lonely, frustrated, or unhappy Anne became, there was never reason for being bored in the Secret Annex. Anne, Margot, and Peter Van Daan even learned shorthand through a correspondence course. The occupants of the Secret Annex were never completely isolated from the outside world despite the fact that for two years they could not leave their apartment. Their Gentile friends, who alone knew of their retreat and who kept the fugitives provided with all necessary supplies, were frequent visitors to the secret dwelling. The radio, their prized possession, kept them in contact with London, New York, Tel Aviv, and Berlin — but the latter station was tuned in only for classical music. The diary contains lively descriptions of the daily sessions around the radio and the arguments subsequent to each news broadcast. Anne ' s diary is interspersed with conversations, humorous situations., skillful carica- tures and philosophic reflections amazingly perceptive for a young, inexperienced girl who asked herself: How can you write about philosophy? Through its pages can be traced Anne ' s growing-up from the carefree schoolgirl to a mature person who fully realized both her shortcomings and her potentialities. The almost constant bick- ering and quarreling among the Franks, Van Daans, and Dussel tormented Anne in her sensitivity. To these altercations, coming in the midst of this upheaval in her young life, Anne ' s reaction was impertinence. Misunderstood by her parents, unable to confide in her sister, rebuffed by the Van Daans and Mr. Dussel, she was constantly scolded and reminded of her faults. To conceal her loneliness and disguise her distress, Anne put up a front, giving an impression of conceit, disrespect, and impudence. As the months passed, she became further estranged from her parents and realized the futility 24

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barrel-organs were heard. She sar quietly in the room; she was not allowed to play in the backyard, and she could not hear birds chirping. Her only pleasure was being touched by the sun. Her wide open eyes expressed a well of sadness. The girl grew thinner and thinner, and her face expressed deep yearning and longing. It happened that Monsieur Tomas took the defense of a very famous murder case, as a hobby naturally, and a new era began in his life. Every morning he submerged himself in the depth of the case, and an absolute quietness ruled his house. One afternoon, while Monsieur Tomas meditated, an extremely strange accident happened. In the backyard, under his windows, a barrel-organ was playing. The impression was mighty. Monsieur Tomas was dumbfounded, he did not know what to think or to do. His face became white as snow, his body began to tremble. For a moment he thought it was an hallucination. But the vulgar, vivacious, like circus rope dancers ' sounds of the barrel- organ revived him. This very moment his tender and tolerant heart gave birth to primitive instincts. He wanted to shout, beat, kill, to destroy this barrel-grinder. Like a tiger, he jumped to the window, he opened his mouth to shout, then suddenly he heard from across a child ' s voice. The little blind girl danced, singing happily. Her always pale face became reddish colored, her lips became full and smiling, from her poor eyes a rain of tears streamed. In this quiet house, she did not experience such a storm of feeling. What wonderful phenomena were the false tones of the barrel-organ. How magnificent the roar of the trumpet, the same which nearly brought Monsieur Tomas to an apoplexy. Especially, since the organ-grinder saw the girl ' s happiness, he began to stamp with his heels and whistle joyfully. In this moment, the faithful servant of the lawyer broke into the latter ' s study dragging the new door-keeper. I just told him, the servant explained, to throw out the organ-grinder, sir. I told him we have a contract. The organ-grinder was playing already the third tune, loudly and falsely. The blind girl was drunk with happiness. Monsieur Tomas, removing his eyes from the girl, turned phlegmatically to the new doorkeeper: Listen, my dear sir, what is your name? Andre, sir. Listen, my Andre. I shall pay you one hundred francs, every month, do you know why? No, sir. You should never let any barrel-organ in the back yard. hastened to explain the servant. No, said Monsieur Tomas, smiling sadly. On the contrary, you should let the barrel-organ play, twice a day. 23

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of hoping for their confidence. She knew that growing up would be her own accom- plishment. Her inner conflicts, struggles, and eventual victories made of Anne a mature person whose maturity was not always outwardly manifested by her behavior. However, after more than a year of mutual dislike, Anne and Peter gradually entered into a new relationship, and Anne for the first time experienced love that was returned. Peter was the only person able to penetrate her outer shell and reach the real Anne. Never- theless, Anne was disappointed in his complete dependence on her and was unable to confide completely, even in Peter. Kitty was never to be dethroned. Another diary resulting from the Second World War was The Wall, kept by Noach Levinson during the German occupation of the Warsaw ghetto. The striking dissimilarity between the two is that Anne Frank ' s diary was kept by a real person, while Noach Levinson is a fictional creation. This realism necessarily imparts much more impact to the reading of Anne Frank ' s diary. When she began her diary, Anne did not expect it to have any other purpose than to be a great support and com- fort , while Noach Levinson attempted to write his observations with historical objectivity. Levinson, like Anne, was part of a group, and like Anne, was not sparing in his depiction of his family. Heroes, heroines, cowards — all were present within The Wall. Mr. Dussell and Mrs. Van Daan especially were mercilessly caricatured by Anne, who saw both the foibles and virtues of the inhabitants of the Secret Annex. Whereas Noach Levinson escaped from the ghetto to find freedom, Anne Frank was taken from the Secret Annex to find death. Amidst the grimness and terror of the circumstances under which she was living, Anne came to realize that comfort and solace could be found in G-d ' s natural beauties, and discovered that this was all necessary for happiness. Anne did not think of all the misery in the world, but thanked G-d for the beauty and good that still existed. She never lost faith in the ultimate triumph of right and the restoration of peace. Yet Anne Frank, who wanted so much to live, died in a concentration camp, ironically only two months before the liberation of Holland. Anne had had a goal: to work in the world for mankind, and she wrote in her diary: If G-d lets me live, ... I shall not remain insignificant. G-d did not let her live, yet she did not remain insignificant. Anne Frank wanted to go on living even after . . . death. Through her diary she does live. To the reader Anne Frank speaks still — of courage in the face of death, of humor in the face of terror, of faith in the face of disparagement. FORSAKEN HOUSE SELMA STIILMAN There stands a house empty, lifeless, void of joy; Its owner once lived in it and played as a little boy. Its garden blushed with roses and a great pear tree stood Where now there is but withered grass and rotting, wormy wood. Here ' s the spot where a babe once walked, slipped, then fell — Stood again, walked, ran, climbed trees, grew well. Went away, left the house that sheltered his young years, That stares through black, blind glassy eyes, dry of tears. There is no heart inside these walls to grieve from loneliness. Old house, rusty, dirty, think not of your ugliness! Those who dwelled within your walls were to you as food Which sustained them — then they left you just a house of wood. A hundred years you ' ve watched these mortals pass before your door. Stand until the bombs descend — until there is no more. 25