Anne Frank's Tree: Saplings of Toppled Chestnut Tree Distributed in U.S. to Preserve Her Legacy [VIDEO]
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is distributing saplings across the United States from the chestnut tree that stood as a symbol of hope for Anne Frank as she hid from the Nazis. The project, according to The Washington Post aims to preserve the legacy of the young girl, and promote tolerance around the world.
The tree was one of the Jewish teen's only connections to nature while she hid with her family in the Secret Annex in her father's company building. Although it had diseased and rotted when heavy rain and wind toppled it in Aug 2010, saplings grew from its seeds, reported The Post. The saplings will be planted beginning in April of this year.
"The heart of our mission is tolerance... Tolerance is really essential for being able to bring better welfare to everybody," said center spokesman Mike Clary in the report.
The saplings will be distributed to 11 U.S. locations, including a park memorializing victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack in New York City, an Arkansas high school that was the heart of the desegregation battle and Holocaust centers in Michigan and Washington state.
The tree is referenced several times in the diary that Anne Frank kept during the 25 months she remained indoors until her family was arrested in August 1944, The Post reported.