The House That Came Back to Life
Every house has a story, but some stories hold the weight of history. For the Frank family, their story was woven into the walls of a quiet apartment at Merwedeplein 37 in Amsterdam. It was here, from December 1933 until July 1942, that Anne and her family lived a life filled with school, friendships, and the simple comforts of home.
But as the world grew darker, that normal life came to an end. On the day they went into hiding, the family left their home behind, but their hope never truly left. For an entire year, until July 1943, Otto Frank quietly continued to pay the rent. It was a desperate, silent act—a small promise to a future he clung to, a belief that one day, they would all be able to return. For decades, the house stood as a symbol of that unfulfilled hope, a silent witness to a story that, for most of the family, had no happy ending.
The apartment’s story, however, was far from over. In 2004, the Ymere housing corporation purchased the property. With the help of the Anne Frank House, they meticulously restored the apartment to its 1930s style, using old photos to bring back the look and feel of the home as the Franks knew it. The space was no longer empty; it was a living memory, a physical bridge to the past.
This restoration was not just about preservation; it was about purpose. Since 2005, the apartment has been rented by the Dutch Foundation for Literature and serves as a safe haven for writers from around the world who cannot express themselves freely in their own countries. The very walls that once contained a family’s silent fear now protect those who are fighting to use their voices.
Today, the apartment is owned by the Anne Frank House, but its mission remains the same. The house at Merwedeplein 37 teaches us that a place of loss can become a place of hope. The door that was once locked behind a family is now a door that opens wide, welcoming and protecting the very ideas of freedom and expression that Anne Frank herself fought to preserve.
🏠Photos: Anne and Margot Frank, Merwedeplein 1934-1941.
