Anne Frank: The Remedy

Anne Frank: The Remedy

Attic Anne Frank House

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy, is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God.”—From Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (1947).

Anne Frank House Annex

Anne Frank hid in a cramped, secret upstairs annex of an office building for over two years with her parents, sister, and four other Jewish people: Hermann and Auguste van Pels, their son Peter, and Fritz Pfeffer. Otto Frank’s company owned the building; a bookcase concealed the entrance. Anne and the seven other people could never venture outside. A small window in the attic through which she could see a chestnut tree was her only chance of getting fresh air. In a powerful reflection in her diary, she calls it “the remedy.”

Anne was fifteen when her family was discovered and sent to Auschwitz’s death camp. Later, she was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where she died weeks before British soldiers liberated the camp.

Today, we thank Miep Gies, one of Mr. Frank’s employees, who helped the Frank family hide and later retrieved Anne’s diary. Otto was the only member to survive. He received the diary from Gies on returning to Amsterdam after the liberation.

Every day, I know that I take Anne’s “remedy,” the world outside my window, for granted. So, I am putting Anne’s picture on my desk, hoping to honor her brief life and its truth. I also hope I can always hear Miep’s call to reach out to those who desperately need our help.

Anne’s remedy was the remedy for so many during this pandemic who felt like the Franks, trapped in a smaller world. People were walking, sitting, biking, and running outside. Like Miep, we were also given a chance to care for others in some small way by staying socially distant and wearing our masks. We did this to care for ourselves and showed that we cared for others, one person at a time. What amazing remedies are we charged to continue! Enjoying and caring for nature and ourselves is also a way to care for our neighbors in the present and for our neighbors who will come after us.