War in Diary of a Young Girl

War was a period that tested human endurance beyond measure and brought forth unforetold suffering. Anne considered her family to be fortunate in living in the annex and luckier than millions of people because it was warm and safe haven. They were away from the strife that characterizes wartime and still able to procure food, clothing and shelter. Terrible things were happening outside with poor helpless people being dragged out of their homes at all hours of the day. They were robbed of their possessions,separated from their families, children found themselves orphaned all of a sudden, women returned from their shopping to find their houses sealed and families gone.

The war brought its share of anxiety, misery and brutality. In the annex, they could at least talk about a post war period from the comfort of their hiding place and look forward to new shoes and clothes. This was while children in the neighbourhood roamed around in thin shirts and wooden shoes with no coats, caps, stocking or anyone to help them. They would be plagued with gnawing hunger and live in cold homes passing on to colder streets and even colder classrooms. People were always under compulsion to do something during a war, either to enlist to kill others or cope with the pain of loss and separation.