The Diary of a Young Girl | June 15–July 26, 1943 | Summary

Summary

June 15, 1943

On June 15 Anne wonders if she's boring her diary, Kitty, with her "dreary chitchat." She decides to keep her news brief. Mr. Voskuijl, Bep's father and the man who built the bookcase that conceals the entrance to the Secret Annex, has been diagnosed with advanced cancer and sent home to die. "Mr. Voskuijl was our greatest source of help and support when it came to safety measures," Anne laments. Now there will be no one to inform the Annex residents about what's going on in the office warehouse. Anne also notes how important it is for her and the other residents to have a radio to help them keep up their spirits and their hopes.

July 11, 1943

On July 11 she says she's beginning to realize that "a little hypocrisy gets me a lot further than my old method of saying exactly what I think." The "hypocrisy" seems to consist mostly of keeping her temper rather than lashing out when adults provoke her.

July 13–July 16, 1943

Then Anne gets the chance to practice her new strategy when she confronts her roommate, Mr. Dussel, about the fact that he refuses to share the work table in their bedroom. Though Mr. Dussel is rude, dismissive, and stubborn, Anne hears him out and then restates her claim to the work table for two afternoons a week. In the end, with a bit of help from her father, Anne wins the battle. She reminds herself that Mr. Dussel is never going to change his ways.

July 23, 1943

The office warehouse is burgled yet again—a serious break-in this time, not just an attempt. The thieves steal money, blank checkbooks, and ration coupons, including coupons for 330 pounds of sugar, "our entire allotment." Worse, the city endures a bombing on July 18 so serious that it causes major death and destruction throughout. Two separate air raids take place on July 25, frightening Anne thoroughly: "The whole time I kept thinking, 'Here it comes, this is it.'"

July 26, 1943

There's good news as well: the July 26 entry relates that Mussolini has resigned as dictator of Italy, a major fighting ally of Germany, and the King of Italy has taken over the government. The residents of the Annex are thrilled. This event may be an indication that the war is turning in favor of the Allied Forces.

Analysis

In the section before this, during the battle with her mother about evening prayers, Anne states firmly that she doesn't want to be a hypocrite. Though she doesn't mention that dispute, perhaps it's in the back of her mind when she says on July 11 that "a little hypocrisy" is a better strategy for her than speaking her mind plainly. Her negotiation with Mr. Dussel shows that she is becoming more mature in her dealings with others.

Anne and the other residents are glad to hear about Mussolini's resignation as dictator of Italy. Because he is Hitler's ally, and a similarly overbearing dictator, his loss of power brings some much-needed hope that the tide may be turning against Hitler, too. Italy did not figure in the war against the Netherlands per se. But as a partner in the Fascist coalition, the Italians were seen as enemies of the Dutch. The fall of Mussolini was a good sign to the people in the Annex.