The question has been raised whether or not people should continue to read Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl.” This comes seventy-one years after World War Two, when Frank’s diary is among some of the most well read Holocaust books in North America. Surprisingly, Frank’s diary has sparked contentious arguments and debates as to whether or not it should continue to be read. Critics have suggested that it would have been better if Frank’s diary had never been published on the basis that the diary lacks educational historic value. Arguably, Frank’s diary does have historical significance as a primary evidential text that has informed people of the annihilation of the European Jews. For this reason, “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank …show more content…
Frank’s diary is one of the greatest primary evidential texts to demonstrate this fear. An understanding is gained about the anxiety thousands of Jews lived with on a daily basis. Frank’s own distress was driven by being discovered, which would result in immediate execution or deportation. After a frightening false alarm, Frank writes, “My hand’s still shaking, though it’s been two hours since we had the scare… I was so scared I nearly fainted at the thought of this stranger managing to discover our wonderful hiding place” (Frank, 56). Frank’s diary provides insight on the fear millions of Jews lived with, which is often overlooked by the majority of Holocaustic books. Since the diary is primary evidence, the personal feelings of Frank allow individuals to comprehend the Holocaust on a deeper emotional …show more content…
On the same day, January 1, 2016, Adolf Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” also entered the public domain. An ethical dilemma is raised since the story of a courageous, loving girl who said, “I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart” (Frank, ) is being questioned over its historical value, meanwhile the story of a dictator who said “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it” (Hitler, 205) is being republished and sold in German bookstores without a blink. Surely if a book that charts out the branding, the dehumanization, and the depravity that the Jewish community experienced, then a book that gives hope and courage in light of such gravity should continue to be