Anne Frank’s complete manuscripts go online for the first time

Anne Frank in 1941. Image by Wikimedia Commons

By Danielle Kaye October 7, 2021

Anne Frank’s handwritten manuscripts, complete with commentary, are now accessible online in their entirety for the first time.

The Association for Research and Access to Historical Texts published a new digitized edition of Frank’s manuscripts last week, offering the first-ever online access to Frank’s complete original texts, including both her diary and lesser-known novel called “The Secret Annex.”

The online hub, which also incorporates historical context, is the result of research conducted through a partnership between the Anne Frank House and Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands, or Huygens ING. Presented alongside the original manuscripts, the historical information aims to contextualize the texts and paint a picture of Frank’s development as a writer.

“The research carried out by Huygens ING and the Anne Frank House has led not only to new insights but also to an innovative digital edition that gives researchers and enthusiasts a fascinating glimpse of how Anne Frank wrote and rewrote her texts,” Ronald Leopold, executive director of the Anne Frank House, said in a statement. “Anne Frank’s development as a writer has never before been so well documented.”

In addition to providing historical context, the digitized edition delves into the material details of the manuscripts, from the writing materials Frank used to the annotations and photographs she added to her diary.

Access to the digitized manuscripts is currently limited by copyright law. The edition is available in about 60 countries, including Belgium and Germany.

Danielle Kaye is an intern at the Forward. Contact her at kaye@forward.com

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