Every year, 12th June marks the birthday of Anne Frank. Anne lived for just 15 years, but her importance in history is unmistakable due to her famous diary, which documented the treatment of Jewish people during World War 2. With now>press>play’s KS2 Relative Clauses Experience, you can celebrate Anne Frank’s importance both as a writer and as a historical figure.
Who was Anne Frank?
Anne was born on 12 June 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. She enjoyed four happy years growing up in Frankfurt until the Nazis came to power. She and her family then moved to Holland in 1933 where Anne attended school and showed a talent for reading and writing.
When Holland was occupied by the Nazis in 1940, their background as German Jews put the family under threat. The children could only attend Jewish schools, Anne’s father Otto was not allowed to own a business and they were forced to wear a yellow star and to observe curfews. On 6 July 1942, Anne, her sister Margot and her parents went into hiding after Margot was called up to attend a work camp. Their hiding place, the annexe, was in the loft above the business.
Anne wrote a diary which she kept from 12 June 1942 until 4 August 1944. She wrote an incredibly detailed account of the family living in confinement, it expresses her fear, boredom and confusion at the situation she found herself in.
Her diary ends in 1944 when the annexe was raided by the Nazis. Anne and Margot were first sent to Auschwitz and then to Bergen-Belsen where they died of typhoid in 1945.
The appeal of the diary is that it gives a personal account of such a dark time in history and also allows young people to relate to Anne and her struggles with growing up.
Exploring Anne Frank’s legacy with now>press>play
Our Relative Clauses Experience is set under Nazi rule in World War 2. Expelled from school for being Jewish and under attack in your own home, you seek refuge at your neighbour’s. Hidden in the cellar you record the historic events in your diary but no one’s safe in Berlin: the Secret Service track you down and pack you onto a train. In the concentration camp, you find an old school-friend and together you hatch an audacious escape plan… but will it come off?
The Relative Clauses Experience is one of over 100 immersive learning Experiences available through now>press>play. You can explore our full library on our website.