Launch ‘Anne Frank Tree’ and ‘Anne Frank Guide’ - the official Anne Frank House website

Launch ‘Anne Frank Tree’ and ‘Anne Frank Guide’

Emma Thompson places the first leaf with her name in the virtual tree

Press Release - Amsterdam, 1 February 2006

The academy award winning actress and screenplay writer Emma Thompson officially launched the Anne Frank House’s new ‘Anne Frank Tree’ website today (www.annefranktree.com). The website, in six different languages, offers people around the world a platform to express their affinity with Anne Frank. For many people Anne Frank symbolizes their hope for a world in which people can live together in freedom, regardless of their origin, faith or political beliefs. Also the American version of the Anne Frank Guide (www.annefrankguide.net) had its premiere today. This online database helps US students independently create a paper, report or website on Anne Frank and the Second World War. A section of the website is devoted to the links of the Frank family to the United States. The pictures are shown to the public for the first time on the internet.

Anne Frank Tree

The core of the website ‘Anne Frank Tree’ is the chestnut tree that Anne Frank could see from the attic window in the hiding place. Visitors to the site can express their affinity with Anne Frank by leaving their name on a leaf and also attaching a story, poem or drawing. The website is also intended for the more than 200 Anne Frank Schools around the world. They can show the kinds of projects they have developed, and share their experiences.

In her speech at the Anne Frank House, today, Emma Thompson made an appeal to the public to carry on the ideals of Anne Frank. 'All her "would haves" are our possibilities and opportunities.' At the end of the presentation Emma Thompson received a shoot from the real chestnut tree. The tree is more than 150 years old and has been damaged by a fungus.

The website is the result of a cooperative effort between the Anne Frank House and the communication company Lost Boys. Michiel Mol, founder and Board member of Lost Boys, co-financed the website.

Anne Frank Guide

The website ‘Anne Frank Guide’ helps students ages 10 to 16 work independently on papers, reports and websites on Anne Frank and World War II by giving them access to a unique database of texts, photographs, short films, and sound fragments. The Guide is suitable for students on various levels and with differing backgrounds. The website offers not only ready-to-use ideas for topics together with the relevant sources, but also enables students to create their own topic and search for the relevant material on their own.

A special feature of the US website is devoted to the links of the Frank family to the United States. Two uncles of Anne Frank, Julius and Walter Holländer, emigrated to the United States after Kristallnacht. The Kristallnacht was an organized attack against Jewish citizens in Germany during the nights of November 9 and 10, 1938. Anne’s uncles attempted to help the Frank family get to the States, but it was in vain. For the first time students can learn more about these relatives through photos and documents on the internet.

Last year - on Victory Europe Day - the European version of the website was launched for students in seven countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic. All Anne Frank Guides are provided with country-specific information. The European Union financed the European Guides in part within the framework of the Minerva Programme.