Trees in History! Anne Frank’s Chestnut.
Anne Frank Chestnut sprout at the National Plant Germplasm Quarantine Center
Anne Frank’s Chestnut Lives Again!
“Our chestnut tree is in bloom. It’s covered with leaves and is even more beautiful than last year.” Anne Frank wrote to her diary May 1944.
For those who have read The Diary of Anne Frank, you might be familiar with the entries about the chestnut tree that she could see from the attic window. The tree no doubt brought her hope and joy.
The Anne Frank Museum reports that the tree was a White Horse Chestnut and was close to 170 years old. It stood outside Anne Frank’s house and was reportedly one of the oldest in Amsterdam.
In 2007 a dispute erupted when the tree was deemed unstable and was slated for removal. Local conservationists argued that the tree was a treasure and that it should be retained. A metal structure was created to support the tree and local horticulturists predicted the tree could live fifteen or more years.
In August of 2010 the tree suddenly snapped in the midst of a windstorm, at about three feet off the ground, falling across a fence, missing the Anne Frank House which is now a museum. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the house was not damaged.
Though the tree has fallen and been removed, it still brings hope because seeds from the tree were gathered and germinated. Seedlings have been sent all around the world, including some which are at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Coincidently, the Children’s Museum will open a display celebrating the tree soon.