Life in the Attic
Most teenagers spend their days worrying about what they’re going to wear, what food they want to eat, and what they want to do after school. They write in journals about their hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the future. This was not the case for a teenager named Anne Frank back in the 1940s. Her family, as well as many other Jewish families, was forced to endure a life of hardship, misery, and a struggle to survive.
For more than two years, Anne Frank and her family hid away in a small attic located above her father’s business. They shared the little space they had with another family as well as a dentist, eight people living in close proximity to one another. There was little privacy in the attic. Anne shared a tiny bedroom with an older man who was a dentist. He did not like for her to turn over in bed or move and would shush her constantly. They all shared one bathroom and had to announce when they were going to use it in order to have some privacy.
The attic was very cold during the winter months. Anne and her family had very few clothing items to wear, since they fled with only the clothes on their back. Since they lived in the attic over two years, many of the clothes did not fit anymore, but they had to wear them anyways to stay warm. At times there was very little to eat. They had to depend on other people to bring them food and those people had to be careful not to get caught smuggling food for eight people into a business. Bathing was nearly impossible, since the bathroom did not have a bathtub.
The fear of being discovered was constantly on everyone’s mind. Everyone in the attic had to be very careful to be quiet so they would not be discovered. Even when Anne’s sister Margot became ill with a bad cold, they forbade her to cough. During the day they would have to sit still for many hours and not make any noise. Windows could not be opened for fresh air and peeking out of the window was forbidden. At night it was nearly impossible to sleep because of the noise of shootings, bombings, and just plain fear of being caught and killed.
Staying indoors for over two years became very boring for everyone in the attic. Tempers flared and fights became common among the attic dwellers. Each day was about surviving and depression loomed over everyone eventually. Each one of them would fantasize about things they couldn’t have. Anne wrote that they longed for a hot bath, cake, coffee, fresh air, freedom to go to school, and living without fear. Sadly, those things would never be realized by any of them. After being discovered, each one except Anne’s father died within months. This story tells of people that displayed bravery, determination, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Here you can take a virtual walk-through of the "Secret Annexe".
For more than two years, Anne Frank and her family hid away in a small attic located above her father’s business. They shared the little space they had with another family as well as a dentist, eight people living in close proximity to one another. There was little privacy in the attic. Anne shared a tiny bedroom with an older man who was a dentist. He did not like for her to turn over in bed or move and would shush her constantly. They all shared one bathroom and had to announce when they were going to use it in order to have some privacy.
The attic was very cold during the winter months. Anne and her family had very few clothing items to wear, since they fled with only the clothes on their back. Since they lived in the attic over two years, many of the clothes did not fit anymore, but they had to wear them anyways to stay warm. At times there was very little to eat. They had to depend on other people to bring them food and those people had to be careful not to get caught smuggling food for eight people into a business. Bathing was nearly impossible, since the bathroom did not have a bathtub.
The fear of being discovered was constantly on everyone’s mind. Everyone in the attic had to be very careful to be quiet so they would not be discovered. Even when Anne’s sister Margot became ill with a bad cold, they forbade her to cough. During the day they would have to sit still for many hours and not make any noise. Windows could not be opened for fresh air and peeking out of the window was forbidden. At night it was nearly impossible to sleep because of the noise of shootings, bombings, and just plain fear of being caught and killed.
Staying indoors for over two years became very boring for everyone in the attic. Tempers flared and fights became common among the attic dwellers. Each day was about surviving and depression loomed over everyone eventually. Each one of them would fantasize about things they couldn’t have. Anne wrote that they longed for a hot bath, cake, coffee, fresh air, freedom to go to school, and living without fear. Sadly, those things would never be realized by any of them. After being discovered, each one except Anne’s father died within months. This story tells of people that displayed bravery, determination, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Here you can take a virtual walk-through of the "Secret Annexe".