TARE Tours Travelling Display on Anne Frank

Joan Goble and Joan Dawson

An international exhibit chronicling the life of Anne Frank and her experiences hiding from the Nazis during the Holocaust arrived in Winnipeg this summer and was on display until September 3. Since then it has been going to high schools throughout the province and was in Thompson for the month of October. The goal of the exhibit is to encourage people to discuss racial discrimination and diversity. The travelling exhibit from Anne Frank House in the Netherlands has been on display in more than 60 countries, but this is the first time it has been in Manitoba.

The exhibit includes a video chronicling the life of Anne Frank and her experiences hiding from the Nazis during the Holocaust as well as photographs from Frank's childhood and information about how the Nazi regime's persecution of Jewish people affected her family. There is also a display of artifacts from that time in Germany.

On Tuesday, October 23, a group from the Thompson Association of Retired Educators (TARE) met at R.D. Parker Collegiate to tour the Anne Frank exhibit. We were met in the forum and escorted up the elevator to a classroom on the second floor. There we were met by Hannah who was our guide for the rest of the morning. First she introduced herself and the video and after watching that, Hannah took us into the Library where the Anne Frank display was situated. She led us through it panel by panel giving a brief explanation of each. She was happy to answer questions we asked, we were then free to wander through the exhibits at our leisure and observe the memorabilia in the display case. We enjoyed the informative hour and the display which evoked quiet comment and conversation.

Afterwards, we adjourned to The Hub, a local restaurant, for lunch. We were joined there by others who had had prior commitments. After a good meal, great conversation, and very little official business we dispersed but plan to meet again later in November. 