Update

 

The Anne Frank Tree has started his second life !

From the good part of the tree, which is not hurt by the fungus, several shoots have been coming out. In future one of them will grow up to the Anne Frank Tree in its second life. Tree experts say: there is a good chance that In 2044, 100 year after Annes diary, there will be a big tree again. The Foundation Wereldboom (Worldtree) takes care of the boom in his new life.

Helga Fassbinder (Foundation Support Anne Frank Tree) and Ton Stokwielder (Foundation Worldtree) at the tree, 2011-08-25.

             

 

 

 
 

...Why didn't the support structure for the tree work?

A major report by a reputable independent engineering bureau, JG Hagemans Ltd was requested by the Generali insurance to investigate the matter and concluded that the welds of the construction connected to the deep set foundation were poorly made and substandard.
 
One welder who simply glanced at the construction and foundation immediately after the collapse of the tree could see the welds were bad. He was interviewed by NOS Radio 1 and said "It's absolutely clear: the welds were done by an amateur. Totally unprofessional, completely ridiculous!
The SAFT is holding the company who built the structure responsible.

The remains of the tree seized by the constructor 

The remains of the Anna Frank tree have been seized by the contractor who built the support construction for the tree. The contractor is still demanding money from the Foundation support Anne Frank Tree who ordered the support structure. However it was precisely this construction which caused the tree to fall because of poor welding. (These welds were done in order to fasten the support construction to a foundation  set 24m deep into the marsh ground.)
The contractor now has the remains of the tree in his possession and has transported the remains to his site and refuses to release them for distribution to institutions, museums and schools that have expressed interest who wold use the block of wood from the Anna Frank tree as a memorial sculpture.

 

....After the fall of the tree

We received many, many emails and letters because of the fall of Anne Frank's tree. We really are touched by this. We thanks all of you very much! We did a great effort to answer to everybody individually but perhaps we could have missed one of the other of all these hundreds letters.

Many of the letters ask for a piece of wood of the tree – for artist work, for objects or just for remembrance.Thank you for very much your ideas on what to do with the Anne Frank chestnut tree. It showed a wonder world of creativity!

You might have seen in the press coverage that the fate of the wood of Anne Franks chestnut tree is, in fact, in the hands of the owner, Mr. Henric Pomes.The Foundation Support Anne Frank Tree took care for the tree and we did our best for it.
But now we can not decide on our own about the wood – but we talk about your ideas with Mr. Pomes.

In principal Mr. Pomes has decided to offer the wood to a number of Jewish museums namely the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Jewish Museum in New York providing a righteous and honorable place for the wood as a memorial to the Holocaust.

Nevertheless there is an other way left: our Foundation has still a few seedlings left from the Anne Frank tree. We give them away with a certification to donors. Unfortunately we still have a debt for care and construction. So if somebody wishes to have a vivid peace of the tree, this would be a possibility.

 
 
The Anne Frank tree collapsed during a violent storm and heavy rains at 14.20 on the 23rd of August. The construction supporting the tree could not keep it from falling. There were no casualties, no damage to surrounding buildings save two supporting walls and gazebos. This was a terrible and unexpected event. An investigation  into the collapse should reveal what, exactly, took place. 

Was the battle to save the tree all for nothing?
The answer is a resounding NO!
The tree and the struggle to preserve it in the last two years has fulfilled an important task in an extraordinary manner: The reawakening of the worlds' collective memory of the Holocaust and a call for tolerance and mutual respect. The seedlings planted all over the world will continue to spread the message, a grand and dignified final stage in the life of this tree. This would not have happened were it not for the battle for its preservation.
 

Download the press release