Understanding the setting of a story, whether fictional or historical, is extremely important for any reader. The historical setting of the Anne Frank diary is paramount to comprehending the significance of the Franks going into hiding and the difficulties they faced there. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl stands on its own as a good read for young people growing up, but is also an excellent book to accompany a unit on the Holocaust.
Even though the occupants of the Secret Annexe are very isolated from the outside world, they still get news from their Dutch helpers and from the radio programs out of England. Anne points out that she is not very interested in politics, and so she does not talk about the particulars very much, but she still keeps us apprised of the major events. Because her future is so dependent on the developments of the war, Anne hints at or directly states important information for “Kitty” to understand her situation.
Whether you teach World War II alongside the Anne Frank diary, or merely review the major events of the war, a timeline is a great activity to map how the story aligns with history. The example timeline only takes a few events into account, but, of course, there are many, many options from which to choose, such as the Treaty of Versailles after World War I, D-Day, the end of the war, when the English or the Americans entered the war, burglaries of the warehouse, arrest of the green grocer for housing Jews, or the start of air raids. Use Anne’s diary and other historical resources to find important events.
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Student Instructions
Use Anne's Diary and other historical resources to find important events that relate to Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.