Anne’s birth
Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Anne’s birth
It’s Wednesday 12 June 1929. At half past seven in the morning, a cry sounds in a hospital room in Frankfurt-am-Main in Germany. Anne Frank makes herself heard for the first time. The birth was difficult and lasted all night. But Anne cries just like a new-born baby should cry and everything seems fine.
The nurse who has helped mother Edith that night is so tired that she enters ‘a boy’ in the hospital records by mistake. But it’s a girl – a long, solid baby. Otto and Edith call her Annelies Marie. She’s their second daughter.
When Otto comes to see Edith and Anne the next day, he brings his camera with him. Otto likes taking photos and special moments like this must be recorded. Anne is a beautiful girl with lovely black hair and a fine face. Edith holds the baby close to her. Later she’ll make a lovely album with Otto’s photos, just like she’d done for Margot earlier.
Margot is Anne’s sister. She’s three years older. Two days after Anne’s birth she comes to the hospital with her granny from Aachen, Edith’s mother. A little sister! She thinks it’s fantastic! She can’t wait until her mother and Anne come home but that would be a while yet. Edith and Anne stay in hospital for twelve days.
Once home little Anne will quickly discover that she’s part of two loving German families. When she’s a bit bigger she’ll often go to stay with her Granny Holländer in Aachen. Two bachelor uncles, Julius and Walter, live there too. Granny Frank lives in Frankfurt, like her. When she’s a little older, some of father’s family, including both of her cousins, will go to live in Switzerland. Visiting them will be great. But that all comes later.
Now she lives with her parents and sister in a big comfy yellow house with green shutters at no. 307 Marbachweg in Frankfurt. Kathi, the housekeeper, makes sure everything is in perfect order. When she can crawl in a few months’ time, there’s a whole world to discover in the house. There’s a living room and a dining room, kitchen, bedrooms, mother’s own room and Kathi’s. And then the long wall of father and mother’s books of course.
The house is in a pleasant, green neighbourhood. It has a garden and a balcony. As soon as the sun comes out, there are children playing on the street. They’re from all kinds of backgrounds. Some are from Christian families. Others are not. Often their parents have good jobs but aren’t rich. Virtually none of them are Jews like Anne and her family. Most Jewish families live in other areas of Frankfurt.
When she can walk in a year’s time, her mother will take her to the sandpit behind the house. She’ll throw the sand where she can. She’ll jump in every puddle she sees. She’ll smear mud on her dress. Or in her hair. Doesn’t matter. The dirtier the better. Mother will shake her head and at home quickly get something clean out of the cupboard. Mother likes neatness. Father will laugh about it. That Anne. She radiates spirit and a zest for life. How can you be angry with such a child!
Edith will look after her girls to the best of her ability. And after work father Otto will bath them, play with them and tell them stories. Together they’ll do everything to give both the girls a safe, happy childhood. They’ll want for nothing.
It’s Wednesday 12 June 1929. At half past seven in the morning, a cry sounds in a hospital room in Frankfurt-am-Main in Germany. Anne Frank makes herself heard for the first time. The birth was difficult and lasted all night. But Anne cries just like a new-born baby should cry and everything seems fine.
The nurse who has helped mother Edith that night is so tired that she enters ‘a boy’ in the hospital records by mistake. But it’s a girl – a long, solid baby. Otto and Edith call her Annelies Marie. She’s their second daughter.
When Otto comes to see Edith and Anne the next day, he brings his camera with him. Otto likes taking photos and special moments like this must be recorded. Anne is a beautiful girl with lovely black hair and a fine face. Edith holds the baby close to her. Later she’ll make a lovely album with Otto’s photos, just like she’d done for Margot earlier.
Margot is Anne’s sister. She’s three years older. Two days after Anne’s birth she comes to the hospital with her granny from Aachen, Edith’s mother. A little sister! She thinks it’s fantastic! She can’t wait until her mother and Anne come home but that would be a while yet. Edith and Anne stay in hospital for twelve days.
Once home little Anne will quickly discover that she’s part of two loving German families. When she’s a bit bigger she’ll often go to stay with her Granny Holländer in Aachen. Two bachelor uncles, Julius and Walter, live there too. Granny Frank lives in Frankfurt, like her. When she’s a little older, some of father’s family, including both of her cousins, will go to live in Switzerland. Visiting them will be great. But that all comes later.
Now she lives with her parents and sister in a big comfy yellow house with green shutters at no. 307 Marbachweg in Frankfurt. Kathi, the housekeeper, makes sure everything is in perfect order. When she can crawl in a few months’ time, there’s a whole world to discover in the house. There’s a living room and a dining room, kitchen, bedrooms, mother’s own room and Kathi’s. And then the long wall of father and mother’s books of course.
The house is in a pleasant, green neighbourhood. It has a garden and a balcony. As soon as the sun comes out, there are children playing on the street. They’re from all kinds of backgrounds. Some are from Christian families. Others are not. Often their parents have good jobs but aren’t rich. Virtually none of them are Jews like Anne and her family. Most Jewish families live in other areas of Frankfurt.
When she can walk in a year’s time, her mother will take her to the sandpit behind the house. She’ll throw the sand where she can. She’ll jump in every puddle she sees. She’ll smear mud on her dress. Or in her hair. Doesn’t matter. The dirtier the better. Mother will shake her head and at home quickly get something clean out of the cupboard. Mother likes neatness. Father will laugh about it. That Anne. She radiates spirit and a zest for life. How can you be angry with such a child!
Edith will look after her girls to the best of her ability. And after work father Otto will bath them, play with them and tell them stories. Together they’ll do everything to give both the girls a safe, happy childhood. They’ll want for nothing.
Download the free izi.TRAVEL app
Create your own audio tours!
Use of the system and the mobile guide app is free
