Laughter on the Sled: Anne Frank in Merwedeplein
Julianne Duke’s memory of her childhood friend, Anne Frank, offers a beautiful, intimate glimpse into Anne’s energetic and affectionate nature before the war. Her recollections are filled with the simple, tactile joys of growing up on Merwedeplein.
Julianne remembered Anne’s constant, vibrant energy and her affection. “I will always remember her energy and laughter,” she recalled, describing Anne’s habit of buttoning her coat, hugging her, and taking her by the hand.
Her most vivid memory involves the pure, unadulterated joy of winter:
“In the winter, if there was snow on the ground, Anne pulled me around our horse-shoe shaped street on a small wooden sled. I remember hanging on and both of us laughing when we went over a bump.”
In better weather, their playground was the small park in the center of Merwedeplein. Even when Julianne was sitting on the steps, observing, she watched Anne, who was always in the middle of the action with her friends, playing their pavement games.
This memory is a powerful testament to the fact that before Anne Frank was a symbol of the Holocaust, she was a child overflowing with life, laughter, and a spirited, magnetic personality. It’s a treasured snapshot of the innocence and freedom that were so tragically lost.