The Diary of a Young Girl

Author: Anne Frank

Genre: Autobiography

Publication Date: 1947

Overview

Published in 1947, Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl remains one of the most enduring works of the twentieth century. Although initially published in Dutch, it has since been translated into sixty languages, with the first English translation released in 1952. Owing to its popularity, it was adapted as a play in 1955, and later for the screen in 1959.

Set amidst the Holocaust, the book is a journal maintained between 1942 and 1944 by Anne Frank, a thirteen-year-old girl who went into hiding in Amsterdam with her parents and sister to escape persecution by the Nazis. The book is a record of her fears, hopes, and experiences during the two years she spent in an annex with her family and four other individuals. The diary is a remarkable historical text, providing first-hand insight into the lives of those who endured the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II.

In August 1944, Anne Frank and her companions were discovered and taken to concentration camps. Otto Frank, Anne’s father, was the only member of this cohort to survive the war; the rest died in concentration camps. Miep Gies, a secretary in Mr. Frank’s office, rescued Anne’s diary after the Nazi raid and safeguarded it until Mr. Frank’s return to Amsterdam in 1945. Mr. Frank edited his daughter’s diary with a young adult audience in mind and later published it.

Beautifully written, this book is not just about the Holocaust but also examines questions about identity, human nature, pain, and loneliness.

The Diary of a Young Girl Biography

The Diary of a Young Girl Background

The Diary of a Young Girl Characters

The Diary of a Young Girl Summary and Analysis

The Diary of a Young Girl Themes

The Diary of a Young Girl Quotes

The Diary of a Young Girl Discussion Questions