Exploring the Annex and Exploring the Seas

In yet another strange mashup of events in our daily outings, we chose to see one of the most popular tourist traps in all of Amsterdam, the Anne Frank House, and the National Maritime Museum. We went to the maritime museum first, knowing how long and miserable the line to the Anne Frank House would be. In a strange building with a glass roofed courtyard, the Maritime Museum had different sections pertaining to the Dutch history of the slave trade and the Dutch West and East India Companies, a whole section just on whaling, a collection of historical navigational instruments, a collection of art with themes on the sea or Dutch sailing, and finally an outside area with a replica Dutch trading ship and an authentic Royal barge. It was all very interesting, but there is not a whole lot I can personally add to the experience.

Then we set off for our pilgrimage to Amsterdam's tourist nightmare of the Anne Frank House's line. For some reason, despite warm temperatures earlier in the day (and every day before and after that exact period of time) the weather was horrible. It was in the mid-50s, gusting winds in every direction that refused to cease, and with periodic cold, drizzling rain accenting the lovely experience of waiting in the cold for hours. I am not proud of myself, but I strongly considered giving up. Luckily the resolve of my friend and the foresight to know I would feel the pangs of regret if I did not visit the epitome of what I had gone to Amsterdam to research allowed me to steel my resolve and kept me standing in that line for the remaining three hours. Of course, no pictures were allowed which was understandable yet annoying. So in its stead I have pictures of the outside of the building and of the statue of Anne Frank that they have outside of their photophobic venue. Everyone pretty much knows the story of Anne Frank and her family's unsuccessful attempt to flee Germany, and then their unsuccessful attempt to hide in a hidden annex in the densely populated city of Amsterdam, so I will not delve into much more than that.

 However, I feel that more so than the artifacts they presented, the story of the young girl they tried to present as both a saint while reminding everyone how much she "was not a saint" and merely one of millions of victims, the most emotionally gripping thing was at the end of the museum. At the end, one of the last things they show you is a screen with a projector showing you they final thoughts and quotes written in the guestbook from famous actors, directors, and regular people. The final thoughts by Jewish actress Natalie Portman, and Jewish director Steven Spielberg were especially gripping knowing that they undoubtedly have a deeper knowledge and sense of loss when viewing the history of the Holocaust. Even strangers and tourists they simply interviewed and put in the video had such strong convictions in never allowing such a heinous act like the Nazi persecution happen, it really helped to personally give me faith that despite the evidence of growing antisemitism, good people will not be as silent and compliant as they had in years past. As a Jew and history student, hearing those words from average people means the world to me - and of all the things in the Anne Frank House, that is what stood out most to me.

First the pictures from the Maritime Museum, also called the Het Scheepvaartmuseum (quite a mouthful, right?)

Now the few pictures I have from the Anne Frank House.

View across the canal from the Anne Frank House