According to Katz (2003: 4) the term holocaust refers to the period from January 30, 1993, when Hitler became chancellor of Germany, to May, 1945 (V.E Day) when the war in Europe ended.
Learning about the Holocaust is very important to me as an individual and to us all South Africans. It should create many educational opportunities. Through the same exhibition, we have the chance of being educated not only of our past but as a new generation we carry the hope of transforming the future by sensitising those who will shape it. According to Silbert (2003: 3) the holocaust is one of the most significant events in the country. She believes that patterns of cruelty, callousness, indifference, heroism and human dignity reached new degrees and
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Its message of courage and hope in the face of adversity has reached millions. According to The Anne Frank Centre USA (2008: 01) the diary has been translated into 67 languages with over 30 million copies sold. They continue to state that Anne Frank’s story is meaningful especially to young people today. For many years, she is their first, if not their only exposure to the history of the Holocaust. Anne Frank has become a symbol of the tragic fate of the 6 million Jews who perished during the holocaust and indeed of all people who are victims of racism. At the same time, her diary has become a universal symbol of courage and hope.
In her diary, Anne Frank poses questions such as ‘what is war?’ Why are Jewish people hated and discriminated against? What is freedom? What is the importance of being cared for and caring for others? These questions that Anne Frank asked herself and tried to answer are unfortunately still relevant today. According to Anne Frank journal (2002: 9) sometimes in her diary, Anne looks at herself… Who is she, what does she want to be, how do others see her, how does she want others to see