The Berlin youths in the exhibition
Maria, Jonel, Editha, Junior and Esther live in Berlin. They are between 12 and 17 years old and their lifestyles are very varied. They share many views on modern society, and also see many things differently. Their statements, alongside those of Anne Frank, can be seen in the exhibition. They illustrate how relevant the questions still are that Anne asked herself in her diary.
Moreover, you now have the opportunity to watch a small selection of the films on our website (information in German).
"When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that's a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer? I hope so, oh, I hope so very much, because writing allows me to record everything, all my thoughts, ideals and fantasies." (Anne Frank, 5 April 1944)
"I am Editha, I am 15 years old and I live in Berlin-Hellersdorf. In my spare time I like acting but I also like doing things to do with politics. Apart from that, I like playing football with my brothers, going for walks and having fun. For me, religion is a time when I can rest and be at peace. It’s almost exactly one year since I was baptised and that was a wonderful day."
"I am Junior, I am 16 years old and I am from Cameroon. My parents were not able to take care of me any more, so I came to Berlin. My sister and I are being looked after in a children's home. There, we live like a family and everybody takes good care of me. It's quite okay."
"I am Esther, I am 12 years old. I attend the Jewish secondary school and I have a cheeky brother. At school I like music, art and PE the most, because these are subjects where I don’t get any homework. I am a bit lazy too."
"My name is Maria. I am 13 years old and people say I am a bit crazy. I can understand Turkish and Arabic but I speak only German and Arabic myself. I am a practising Muslim but I don’t wear the hijab, because wearing it makes it hard for me to play sport."
»I am Jonel. I’m 17 years old and I have lived in Berlin since the age of two. I attend the Sophie-Scholl-School, will soon have my A-Levels and I will move away from home. I am looking forward to that, to all these things, and I am actually quite happy with my life.«