A new exhibition hosted by the University of Worcester will give personal context to the horrors of the Holocaust, through the famous diary of Anne Frank.
Thanks to a collaboration between the University and education charity, The Anne Frank Trust UK, the exhibition, titled Anne Frank: A History for Today, will be open to the public at The Hive, from this Saturday (January 19) to January 31.
Alongside educating visitors about Anne’s diary and her tragic story, as well as wider events of the Holocaust, the multiple panel exhibition will also ask questions about the human consequences of war and persecution and what we can learn from such events today.
In addition, University of Worcester students trained by the Trust will be hosting the exhibition and providing guided tours. Schools can book visits to the exhibition for pupils from Year 6 and above.
Anne, whose family were Jewish, was living in the Netherlands during the Second World War, but the family was forced by Nazi persecution to go into hiding, living in a secret annex in Amsterdam for more than two years.
After the annex was discovered, the families inside were deported to various concentration camps. Anne died aged just 15, while her father Otto was the sole survivor from the secret annex.
Anne’s diary, published in 1947, became a worldwide bestseller translated into more than 70 languages and is one of the most famous accounts of the Holocaust and life living under the Nazi regime during the Second World War.
The exhibition, which fits with Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, will cover Anne Frank’s diary and the history of the Frank family, their lives before and during the war, the introduction of the Nazi state, the victims of the Holocaust and its long-lasting consequences, and the deliberate and organised nature of genocide.
The exhibition, which is free and open to the public during The Hive opening times, challenges us to think about how these issues are relevant today and what we can do to prevent prejudice and discrimination.
Coinciding with this exhibition, Holocaust survivor Mindu Hornick, from Birmingham, will return to the University on January 23 to speak with students and staff about her experiences of the Holocaust. At 13 she was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp, along with her mother, sister and two young brothers. Mindu and her sister survived by lying about their age but never saw their other family members again. Mindu received an honorary doctorate from the University of Worcester back in November for her tireless work in raising awareness of the Holocaust.
Professor David Green, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Worcester, said: “Anne Frank’s diary is one of the most moving ever written. The terrible story of the Holocaust is one which must be told to every new generation to help us avoid future genocides. We are proud that The Hive, now one the country’s most successful libraries, is hosting this evocative exhibition and helping to counter wicked prejudice which is so often the forerunner to truly dreadful crimes.
“Last November, the University of Worcester was delighted to award an Honorary Degree to the inspirational Mindu Hornick. As a young girl, Mindu survived Auschwitz. She tells her true story most compellingly and is one of the most remarkable people it has ever been my privilege to meet. She is a true inspiration and friend to all those working for peace, equality, justice, democracy, freedom and understanding. We look forward to welcoming Mindu back to the University for what is sure to be another unforgettable event.”