Living in Holland has inspired me in many ways, especially Amsterdam’s WW2 history and Anne Frank’s diary. After I read her original diary in Dutch, I dreamed of writing about Anne Frank, not just as a historical figure but also as an aspiring writer.
I found my sound in Anne’s words and a resemblance between her and my-teenage-self dreaming of being published one day. Just like Anne, when I was a teenager, I always tried to find some quiet spot in the house or take long walks in nature to find peace and listen to my inner thoughts. I desperately needed my own time and space to be able to write freely. I had similar quarrels with my mother, and it was frustrating to express myself to others while nobody seemed to be understanding. I don’t know if every young girl with a writer’s vibe has the same issues.
This book contains my personal opinions and interpretations of Anne Frank’s ideas and how she presented herself in her diary and her stories. I did not use any original quotes or passages both from her diary and her stories. I did not repeat or rewrite the original diary and violate the copyrights. I enriched Anne’s ideas over humanity, feminism, God, religion, nature, and love. I tried to fill in the blanks and create a deeper emotional world for Anne Frank with the help of a fictional conversation with the chestnut tree that she mentioned three times in her diary.
Unfortunately, now the chestnut tree is gone. It was more than 150 years old and suffering from a fungal infection, and fell after a storm on 23 August 2010. If Anne had a chance to live longer, she would be a terrific writer. It was not only her story that made her special but also her passion for writing and living. Even she was very young, she had very profound original ideas, and she was wise beyond her years. It is a shame that she was taken away from us so early.