Anne Frank Exhibtion in Swindon

Will go and see this soon.

Anne Frank display has special meaning for council leader (From This Is Wiltshire)

Anne Frank display has special meaning for council leader
FOR Swindon Council leader Rod Bluh, yesterday’s official opening of the Anne Frank + You exhibition at the Central Library had a very special meaning.
While Rod’s father was able to escape Vienna by fleeing to London at the start of the Second World War, he left behind his grandmother and uncle who both perished at the hands of the Nazis.
Rod believes his grandmother was transported to Minsk, in what is now Belarus, and shot in a forest along with other Jews before being buried in mass graves.
His 14-year-old uncle, who was mentally disabled, was used by the Nazis as part of their human experimentation programme, and later died in a gas chamber.
Rod, along with South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove, Swindon mayor Steve Wakefield, and Dr Mike Pringle, director of the Swindon Cultural Partnership, were among the prime movers to bring the Anne Frank exhibition to the town.
“I think everyone can learn from the Anne Frank story,” said Rod.
“I don’t believe when Anne wrote her diaries that she could have possibly imagined the effect it would have on millions of people.”
He added: “With the Holocaust you never forget it, it will always live with me. This was the blackest period in human history and we need to learn from it. We have to make sure that something like this never happen again.”
The chilling story of Anne, who together with her family sought sanctuary in the upper floors of an Amsterdam house during the Nazi occupation of Holland, is told through an absorbing exhibition.
It not only deals with the diary and Anne’s writings, but looks to wider issues such as racial hatred, war and conflict.
Mrs Snelgrove revealed that talks to bring the exhibition to Swindon took place a while ago when she was having dinner with the chairman of the Anne Frank charity in this country.
“She started telling me about the profound effect the exhibit was having on the community wherever it went,” she said.
“This exhibition brings the Anne Frank story up to date and allows us to think about the terrible things which did happen in the past and asks us what lessons can be learnt, in particular of our society.
“We only have to look around the world today. Problems like this start off very small, like in Nazi Germany, and which are then exploited. I can only commend the council for bringing this important exhibition to Swindon.”
The Anne Frank exhibition, which is free and is hosted at the Central Library in Regent Circus until April 29, is part of the Think Swindon initiative which features a range of cultural events in the town during the month.

 

THINK Swindon – that’s the message being given to residents as a month-long campaign celebrating all the good things happening in the town gets under way.
The official launch of the project, which has been organised by the Swindon Cultural Partnership (SCP), takes place this morning at the Central Library - which is home to the Anne Frank and Me exhibition for the rest of the month.
The exhibition was created by the Anne Frank Trust to give a contemporary profile to the story of the teenager, pictured right.
Mike Pringle, director of SCP said it was a huge achievement for the town to see the exhibition brought here.
“Both Anne Snelgrove and Rod Bluh wanted it to come and had been trying to find a way of getting it here, when I arrived they gave the task to me and I was delighted to take it on,” he said.
From a starting point of Anne’s writings and experiences, the exhibition has been described as a journey of self-exploration for the visitor.
Themes that the youngster wrote about in her diary such as racial hatred, war, conflict and the value of democracy and freedom are presented to the viewer in an up-to-date fashion.
There is also a strong focus on the issues of identity and moral choice we face in 21st century Britain.
“People should go along to see it as obviously it is the tragic tale of Anne Frank and it reminds us why we should never allow the events of those years to happen again, but also because here we have a first class exhibition in Swindon and it is a real coup for us,” said Dr Pringle.
Among the different parts of the exhibition are the chilling ‘genocide tunnel’, a near life-size replica of Anne’s bedroom in the Secret Annexe, a virtual tour of the Secret Annexe and a range of photographs and replica artefacts.
Anne Frank and Me runs until April 29 and is free to visit. It is open from 10am until 7pm Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm on Saturdays and 11am until 3pm on Sundays.
Other events taking place throughout the month include movie nights, a St George’s Day parade, other exhibitions and much more.

Anne Frank exhibition to mark Think Swindon (From Swindon Advertiser)

 

Went to see it today.
It wasn't that big so was only in it for twenty minutes or so.
The bedroom was 84% life-size & was just a walk in display with a large video screen for the window with the walls decorated as her bedroom, no furniture.
Didn't take any pics even though I took the camera.
A few photos of the Frank family , a facsimile of her diary, some ID cards , photos of the annexe etc were on display.
My daughter loved the exhibtion, as she has just read the Diary after watching the TV series.

I bought her a copy of 'The Last Seven Months of Anne Frank' by Willy Lindwer, she pestered me to buy a blank diary similar to Anne's but i said no, when she got home she made one herself.
She's also really into Jacqueline Wilson's books who was also a great fan of Anne Frank.

I bought a couple of graphic novels for the boys, A Family Secret & The Search

Graphic novel 'A family secret' - the official Anne Frank House website

The Search - the official Anne Frank House website

The Search is a fantastic book to give younger readers an insight to the Holocaust, I've just read it & my older son was reading the other book in bed.

Although I personally didn't learn anything from the exhibition my children loved it & still want to go to Amsterdam when I can afford it & see Anne Frank's house.
When they're older we'll be off to Auschwitz , I'm sure.

 

Well it's over 2 years since seeing the Anne Frank exhibition in Swindon and we got to see the real house.
We didn't go in though , the queue I knew would be massive & indeed it was HUGE.
My daughter didnt want to go in as she said she'd find it too upsetting.
There was noway I was going to queue all that time with my youngest lad either.
At least we saw the house for real .
Here's a photo of the outside, my older lad stood by the front door & a view of the Westerkerk which is nearby .
Anne mentions the church in her diary.