Lot 103

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Lot 103
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Otto Frank TLS Discussing Portuguese Children's Painting Competition to Illustrate "Tales from the Secret Annex"; Submissions Would Later be Exhibited at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam!
Otto Frank TLS Discussing Portuguese Children's Painting Competition to Illustrate "Tales from the Secret Annex"; Submissions Would Later be Exhibited at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam!
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Description:

Otto Frank TLS Discussing Portuguese Children's Painting Competition to Illustrate "Tales from the Secret Annex"; Submissions Would Later be Exhibited at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam!

A small lot of two letters exchanged between Otto Frank (1889-1980), father of teenaged German Jewish diarist Anne Frank, and the Portuguese publishers of "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Tales from the Secret Annex." The correspondence was written in Basel, Switzerland and Lisbon, Portugal on July 6, 1961 and July 31, 1961 respectively.

Punctuation, grammar, and spelling remain unchanged. The lot is comprised of, in chronological order:

1. A 1p typed letter in English signed by Otto Frank as "Otto Frank" at bottom right. Written in Basel, Switzerland on July 6, 1961. On a single sheet of cream stationery with "Otto Frank / Herbstgasse II / Basel, Schweiz / Tel. 245300" letterhead. Double hole-punched at left, and stapled at top left to a Portuguese translation on green onion skin paper. Expected light folds and uneven edge toning, else near fine. 6.875" x 7.875."

Frank's correspondent was Antonio Souza-Pinto, the Portuguese publisher of Anne's work at Livros do Brasil. Frank wrote in part:

"I am just back from Amsterdam, where I discussed my plan for an exposition of the children paintings in the Anne Frank House. The direction agreed gladly to it and so I kindly ask you to let me know how many paintings you exposed in your building, as I imagine that you made a choice already. The people in Amsterdam proposed to have the exposition there in fall, in case you do not need the paintings at this time in your country.

Of course I would be interested to hear if your exposition has been visited by many people and if you could let me know something about the propaganda you made for it.

Your edition has been admired wherever I showed it…"

2. A 2pp autograph letter written in Portuguese, presumably in the hand of Portuguese publisher Antonio de Souza-Pinto, comprising the first draft of a letter later typed, translated into English, and sent to Otto Frank. Stapled to a retained copy of the typed letter on green onion skin paper dated July 31, 1961 from Lisbon, Portugal. Double hole-punched at left. Expected light folds and a few extra wrinkles, else near fine. 6.75" x 9."

De Souza-Pinto wrote in part: "We are most pleased to know that the direction of Anne Frank House agreed to your plan of opening an exposition in fall, in Amsterdam, for the exposure of paintings received by us for the competition of Anne Frank Tales' illustration…"

In the exchange of letters, Frank talks with enthusiasm about the prospect of launching a traveling children's art exhibit which would be displayed at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam during the fall of 1961. (The Anne Frank House had officially opened fourteen months earlier, on May 3, 1960.) Portuguese publishing company Livros do Brasil had recently sponsored a competition of children's artwork, winning selections of which would be chosen to illustrate their Portuguese edition of Anne Frank's "Tales from the Secret Annex." The publishers received some 3,000 submissions which were exhibited and reviewed by jury.

This idea of increasing awareness of Anne Frank's story through community outreach perfectly aligned with the mission of the Anne Frank House. Through the foundation, Otto Frank wished to memorialize his daughter while urging children and young people to affect positive change in the world. The Anne Frank House receives over 1 million visitors a year.

Otto Heinrich Frank was the only member of his 4-person family, comprised of wife Edith (1900-1945), daughter Margot (1926-1945), and Anne (1929-1945), to survive the Holocaust. The Franks, along with four others, hid in a secret annex located in the back upper stories of an Amsterdam business between July 1942 and August 1944. The Franks were discovered, arrested, and sent to Auschwitz in September 1944. Edith died of starvation at Auschwitz in January 1945; her two daughters died of typhus in February or March 1945 at Bergen-Belsen. Otto was released after the Soviets liberated Auschwitz in late January 1945.

Anne's writings had been collected and preserved by Otto's coworker Miep Gies, who had sheltered the families in the annex. Otto had initially transcribed Anne's diaries in order to give them to family members, but was eventually persuaded to seek publication. The final manuscript was a combination of two versions of the diaries Anne wrote, with Otto's edits and redactions. The book was first published in Dutch on June 25, 1947 as "The Secret Annex: Diary Letters from June 14, 1942 to August 1, 1944."

In early January 1958, the Portuguese publishing firm of Livros do Brasil, Ltda. wrote to notify Otto of their first 3,000 limited edition printing of "The Diary of Anne Frank." The book's popularity was such that it had already been published in German and French in 1950, and then in English (for both the US and UK markets) in 1952. The Portuguese publishers had been eager to acquire the publication, and worked closely with Otto Frank during the process. Livros do Brasil, Ltda. collaborated with Frank over the next twenty years, as they sought to publish similar and complementary works about Anne Frank and the Jewish war experiences.

The book's success in multiple languages led to an adapted stage play, which premiered at Cort Theater in New York City on October 5, 1955. The play, while not a strict reproduction of the book, won both the Pulitzer for Theater and the Tony Award. In turn, Hollywood set out to produce a film version, which premiered on March 18, 1959 and would go on to win three Oscars.

"The Diary of Anne Frank" received both critical and popular acclaim. As of 2015, the book has been translated into over 60 different languages. Both its literary and historical importance cannot be overlooked. Dutch historian Jan Romein put it this way: "To me, however, this apparently inconsequential diary by a child... stammered out in a child's voice, embodies all the hideousness of fascism, more so than all the evidence at Nuremberg put together."

Anne Frank's "Tales from the Secret Annex" was originally published in the Netherlands in 1949, and appeared in an expanded edition in 1960. It was an assortment of Anne's diary entries, some heavily revised; along with her short stories, longer compositions, and musings, all salvaged from the Secret Annex by Miep Gies after the Franks were arrested.

This letter demonstrates Otto Frank's lifelong commitment to preserving his daughter's spirit. Anne Frank's writings serve at once as a celebration of her life, and as a warning.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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