Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) will be hosting the “Let Me Be Myself – The Life Story of Anne Frank” exhibition in room 2 of the Stephen Ward Rooms from 14 February till 14 March 2023.
This travelling exhibition contains seven historical modules enabling visitors to identify with the personal story of Anne Frank.
Information from the annefrank.org.au website outlines the story of the exhibition and the Frank family story.
In many countries Anne Frank has become the symbol of the mass murder of Jews during the Second World War. Born on 12th June 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. Anne’s family fled Germany in 1933 to the Netherlands after Hitler and his National Socialist party came into power. In May 1940 the Nazis occupied the Netherlands and soon anti-Jewish measures were introduced. In July 1942 large-scale deportations of Jews took place. The Frank family went into hiding along with four others. They hid in the annex of Otto Frank’s office building on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam, right in the heart of the city. During their time in hiding, Anne Frank kept a diary. In August 1944 the hiding place was betrayed and the eight people were taken to different concentration camps. Anne Frank eventually died in the camp Bergen-Belsen. Only Otto Frank survived the war.
The Anne Frank Travelling Exhibition tells Anne’s story to a new generation.
A new section, “Let Me Be Myself – The Life Story of Anne Frank” specifically highlights the contemporary relevance of the story of Anne Frank.
The structure and design of the exhibition enables visitors to identify with the personal story of Anne Frank. Large-size pictures show Anne’s happy early childhood in Frankfurt, followed by the immigration to Amsterdam and the time in hiding. In a consequent manner the exhibition connects the personal story of the Frank family with the important historical events of that time: the rise of the national socialists, the isolation and discrimination of the Jewish population, eventually escalating in the Holocaust. The connection between the personal story of Anne Frank and the historical context shows the consequences the anti-Jewish measures had on one particular person. To emphasise the chronological order of events, almost every panel contains a timeline. (Source annefrank.org.au).
The exhibition will be open daily and will evoke and bring to life the Anne Frank story. Large-size pictures show Anne’s happy early childhood in Frankfurt, followed by the immigration to Amsterdam and the time in hiding. It also includes original WW2 artefacts including a yellow Star of David, which Dutch Jews were forced to wear, a film and a copy of Anne’s diary.
Picture and caption
Let Me Be Myself – The Life Story of Anne Frank Exhibition will be on display at the Stephen Ward Rooms, Wallendoon Street Cootamundra from 14 February until 14 March 2023. Photo credit: Photo collection of the Anne Frank Stichting (Amsterdam)
