The Diary of Anne Frank is a forgery
| The Diary of Anne Frank is a forgery | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The Diary of Anne Frank was not written by Anne Frank but was fabricated after the war, for example by her father, Otto Frank, or a ghostwriter, and parts were written in ballpoint pen, which did not exist during the war." | |
| Domain | History |
| Tactic | Fabrication Propaganda Technique |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1950s |
| Origin | Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazi writers from the late 1950s onward, who sought to discredit one of the most widely read accounts of the Holocaust |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-27 |
| Further reading: books on History | |
The claim that the Diary of Anne Frank is a forgery has been promoted by Holocaust deniers for decades. Anne Frank, a Jewish girl in Amsterdam, wrote her diary while hiding with her family and others from 1942 to 1944. They were discovered and deported, and Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in early 1945. Her father, Otto Frank, the only survivor among them, published an edited version of the diary in 1947. After his death, the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation commissioned a forensic examination by the Netherlands Forensic Institute, which concluded in 1986 that the diary was authentic and that the handwriting, paper, ink and glue were consistent with the period. The investigation found that ballpoint notes on loose sheets had been added later by an investigator and had no bearing on the text.
What the evidence shows
- Forensic examination. The Netherlands Forensic Institute analyzed the handwriting, comparing it with other documents written by Anne Frank, and found it matched. The paper and ink were consistent with materials available in the 1940s.
- Ballpoint notes. The ballpoint writing was found on two loose slips inserted among the papers, in a different handwriting, and was later attributed to a researcher who examined the diaries in the 1960s.
- Critical edition. In 1986 the institute published a critical edition including Anne's original diary, her own revised version and Otto Frank's edited version, documenting the editorial changes.
- Court cases. Courts in Germany and the Netherlands have ruled in cases brought against people who claimed the diary was a forgery. Proceedings in West German courts from the late 1950s onward did not uphold the forgery claims.
- Edits. Otto Frank edited the diary for publication, removing some passages, which deniers have misrepresented as evidence of fabrication.
Why it persists
The diary is a powerful and widely read testimony of the Holocaust, making it a target for deniers who seek to undermine historical evidence. Misrepresenting normal editing as forgery confuses readers.
Lessons for readers
- Editing a text for publication is not forgery.
- Forensic analysis can authenticate documents.
- Attacks on famous testimonies often serve broader agendas of denial.
- Check whether supposed anomalies have been explained.
See also
- Library:Denying the Holocaust
- Misha Defonseca lived with wolves during the Holocaust
- The Hitler Diaries
Sources
- Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition (Doubleday, 2003; first published 1986).
- Anne Frank House, "Is the diary of Anne Frank genuine?"