The “Anne Frank Exhibition” that’s now in South Florida includes something very special: a limited-edition copy of her diary, donated by a Boca Raton resident.
The traveling exhibition — on display at The Holocaust Documentation and Education Center in Dania Beach through June 30 — is the creation of the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina, which is the official partner of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
“I had been looking for an Anne Frank exhibit to showcase here for four or five years, but I wanted to work with an organization that was still affiliated with the official Anne Frank House in Amsterdam,” said Rositta Kenigsberg, president of the Dania Beach Holocaust center. “Then I found the Anne Frank Center in South Carolina, which had just created this exhibition. So the timing was incredible.”
An element not in the traveling exhibition is the donated “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,” which The Holocaust Documentation and Education Center received from Paul Hart and which will remain as part of its permanent collection in Dania Beach.
The copy is one of 350 books produced in 1985, and Hart had a hand in creating that unique collection.
“It was coming up on the 40th anniversary of the death of Anne Frank, and I had this idea that I wanted to do something special to commemorate her and her legacy,” Hart said. “So, not being a writer or artist myself, I reached out to an acquaintance who is an art dealer who thought this would be a great idea.”
The first American edition of the diary, which tells the story of Anne Frank and the time she spent hiding with her family from the Nazis during World War II, was published in New York in 1952 by Doubleday and Co., about five years after the Dutch edition.
According to Hart, he reached out to Doubleday to acquire the copyright. Once that was secured, book designer Barry Moser of Massachusetts-based Pennyroyal Press was commissioned to create a new edition of the book and artist Joseph Goldyne signed on to illustrate drawings of what Frank’s life may have looked like during that time. This edition became “Diary of a Young Girl: Het Achterhuis,” printed by Pennyroyal Press in collaboration with Jewish Heritage Publishing in 1985.
“Each illustration is depicted in these narrow drawings, which Joseph chose to do to represent the tight, enclosed space they were living in,” Hart said. “Some of the illustrations show Anne looking out a small window and how scant their meals were because of the limited amount of food they had access to. Joseph really wanted to illustrate what their daily lives were like, and I think he accomplished that beautifully.”
As for why Hart wanted to donate such a rare book to The Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, he said it is important for as many people as possible to see Anne Frank’s story depicted in this way, especially with the current state of the world.
“I had a few copies left over, and I wanted a copy to be somewhere where people can see it and hopefully appreciate it. Also, my hope is for people to see this book and the greater exhibition to understand what can happen if discrimination and antisemitism, which are both on the rise again, are left unchecked. It’s not only important but crucial to not forget history and how it can be so easily repeated,” said Hart.
In addition to the book on display, the exhibition features “History for Today,” which explores Anne Frank’s early years living in Frankfurt, Germany, as well as the years spent in hiding with her family in Amsterdam, and ultimately, the devastating fate they suffered after being sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp when she was 15.
Following this historical look at Anne Frank’s life, visitors are invited to view a photo album made by her father, Otto Frank, in “Anne Frank: A Private Photo Album.” The album includes rare family photos during her childhood in Frankfurt.
“We’re so lucky to have these photos on loan to us from the Anne Frank Center because they have made such an impact on visitors,” Kenigsberg said. “There are photos of Anne as a baby, days spent at the beach, playing games with her friends, and it gives us a view into how happy and full their lives once were.”
“Reading and Writing with Anne Frank” includes a film about her life as well as a display with snippets from her diary. Visitors are encouraged to create their own diary passage about what they thought of the exhibit and what they learned about her story.
“It’s always amazing to see the impact the film has on people, especially the young people who come to see the exhibition. The kids are just enamored with her, and some of the things they write are so amazing,” said Kenigsberg.
The Anne Frank Exhibition is expected to be on display through Monday, June 30, but the Holocaust center plans to extend its run. A new closing date has not yet been announced.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: The Anne Frank Exhibition Tour
WHEN: Through Monday, June 30
WHERE: The Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, 303 N. Federal Highway, Dania Beach
COST: $10 for general admission, $5 for students, free for “survivors (and their spouses), liberators, rescuers, and Veterans”
INFORMATION: 954-929-5690; hdec.org
This story was produced by Broward Arts Journalism Alliance (BAJA), an independent journalism program of the Broward County Cultural Division. Visit ArtsCalendar.com for more stories about the arts in South Florida.
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