During the last Open Day in May, I received an invite! A peek inside this historic Anne Frank family home. I must.
According to the Anne Frank House organization, the former home is inhabited and therefore, not open to the public. They acquired the house in 2017 and the Dutch Foundation for Literature uses it to house refugee writer(s) who cannot work freely in their own countries. Thus, the house is a safe haven and a place to write in peace.
📍Merwedeplein 37-II
I was so thrilled upon this chance.
The real story has it …
Shortly after the Nazis came to power in Germany in January 1933, Otto Frank decided to leave the country with his family and their home in Frankfurt, Germany. He was to become the managing director for Opekta, expanding into the Netherlands. He was in charge of the manufacturing and distribution of this pectin-based gelling agent to make homemade jam.
On 5 December 1933, Otto Frank and his wife, Edith Frank, moved into a rental house on Merwedeplein, part of a new cluster of housing blocks in Amsterdam. A modern apartment on the second floor at Merwedeplein 37, equipped with central heating and hot water on tap.
Later that month, they were joined by their oldest daughter, Margot (aged 7), and in February 1934, Anne (aged 4) came to Amsterdam. In March 1939, Rosalie Holländer-Stern, Anne and Margot Frank’s grandmother, came to live with the family.
They were not the only Jewish families in this neighbourhood. In fact, there were many Dutch and German Jewish families living in Amsterdam’s River District.
The bookshop called Boekhandel Blankevoort, where Anne Frank chose her world-famous red checkered pattern diary the day before her thirteenth birthday (12 June 1929), was just a stone’s throw away. It is called Boekhandel Jimmink now.
On 5 July 1942 when Anne’s sister Margot received a call-up notice for a labour camp in Germany, the Frank family decided to go into hiding in the annexe of the business premises. They left this apartment on 6 July 1942 to go into hiding on the Prinsengracht 263. The family Frank lived here for more than eight years. They never return to this address.
The home of Anne Frank House has been restored to its original 1930s style. All furniture was selected carefully to reflect what could have been used by the Frank family. Since the home is occupied presently, there are hints of modern technology.
I took my time to walk through the house, room by room. Stood by the window in the living room and carefully observed the green field outside. I could not see Anne Frank’s statue from here.
In the dining room, there were photocopies of documents about the Frank family all over the table. I glanced through quickly. Again, I stood by the window looking out. I remember a particular wedding film that briefly captured Anne Frank looking out at the celebrations from an apartment window. This was the spot. The only known footage of Anne Frank!
I casually made my way further continuing to the bathroom, the master bedroom and the kitchen. Next, the room on the right was supposedly Anne’s bedroom. There was a desk where she could have sat and wrote her famous diary. I got the chills.
I took the stairs up to another bedroom space. I was told this was Margot’s bedroom.
The flat is a good size. More than adequate for a family of four.
You can view the house in 360 degree: https://g.co/arts/K3mRpPYtxpvELGkc9
Imagine the Frank family were living a normal life in their community until persecution drove them into hiding. Just awful.