Friday, October 2, 2009

The only motion picture of Anne Frank known to be in existence, released for viewing on YouTube.


For those not in the know, or never read the book, The Diary of Anne Frank is a moving document about humanity. Written by a 13 year Jewish girl in hiding from the Nazis that invaded her country of Holland, Anne documents her life in cramped quarters with 7 other people, their misery and joy. Her musings on the human condition show a surprising maturity and her budding romance with the other boy in hiding, Peter, show how the turns of the heart works.

She maintained the diary, hoping to publish it after the war and to become a writer.

It was not to be. She was arrested in August 1944 and sent to Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

She died sometime in March 1945 from typhoid fever. She was only 15 years old.

Her book, published in 1948, resonated with a world audience and gave voice to the millions of nameless victims of Fascism worldwide.

Until a few years ago, we only had photos of Anne Frank. Recently, however, the Anne Frank Museum came across a piece of film of a marriage ceremony in Holland. The couple can be seen walking down the apartment to see the judge for the ceremony. The neighbors came out to see the happy couple and one of the curious neighbors that came out to see was none other than Anne Frank, months away from her hiding ordeal.

This is the only piece of film that exist of Anne Frank. It's history come alive.

The Anne Frank Museum has released this as part of their new Anne Frank Channel on YouTube.

Take a look at this and wonder what could have been.

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