Wounds from the past

Teacher: Daniela Ghițulescu Liceul Tehnologic Costești, Argeș

Anne Frank's diary, along with its young author, became a symbol of Nazism and the Holocaust. Published by the author's father after she died in the camp, this diary book is a symbol of the suffering of all those oppressed and terrorized by the Nazi regime. The 13-year-old is a cheerful girl, with an overflowing joy of life, but who, born in a family that did not fit into the agreed norms of power, was forced to hide for a period of almost 2 years. Together with his family and 4 other Jews, they hid in an annex, believing and hoping until the last moment that the period of terror would end and life would continue its usual path. Unfortunately, as was the case with thousands of Jews, their fate was unfavorable and, being discovered in hiding, they were taken to camps and soon killed by diseases, starvation or inhuman treatment conceived by the sick minds of those who thought themselves superior. Of the 8 who remained hidden, only Anne's father survived, and he was the one who then published the Anne's Diary and set up an Anne Frank Fund to help Holocaust survivors. The story of the Journal is not an ordinary one, because from its pages, where the story begins before isolation, penetrates a literary talent that could have had a future, but which, unfortunately, was prevented from growing. In addition to the fears caused by the terror of isolation, Anna's youth pervades the pages of the book. Kitty, as she calls her diary, is a living witness to her feelings, helplessness and turmoil, heard horrors that take on enormous proportions for such a young soul and the daily fear that floods the souls of the inhabitants of the Annex. However, her youth and optimism do not cease to intertwine with the imminent sadness, sentimentality and her youthful desire to know, to find out, to learn. Her moods are changeable, sometimes happy and sometimes worried about what is happening outside with her friends and acquaintances. Her youth and rebellious nature manage to animate the oppressive and monotonous atmosphere of the Annex. All the characters are seen and described through her eyes, thus managing to see society as it was lived and felt by the victims of the regime. Marked by a huge sadness due to the tragic end of Anna and the others who hid with her, the Journal contrasts with the notes of joy and optimism that emerge from the author's entries. She never stops hoping that life will resume its normal course and she will be able to return to school. In fact, in the almost 2 years of isolation, Anne and her sister Margot do not stop studying, intensely preparing for a future in which they believe, but which betrays them. Anne Frank's story has been the subject of many reinterpretations, in various environments and forms. The latest film released in 2019 called Anne Frank: Parallel Stories is a unique interpretation of the diary. A reinterpretation intertwined with other stories and historical statements. The story told in the diary is completed with the stories of 4 survivors of the camps, who together with members of their families come and tell their incredible stories. The film contrasts with the optimistic tone of the original book, because if in the diary almost all the