The site, now a museum, is where teenager Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis for two years before they were caught and deported to concentration camps. Anne Frank died in Bergen-Belsen in 1945 at age 15, but her wartime diaries have made her a symbol of Holocaust suffering.The bakery’s owner, named as Roberto Barsoum in several local media reports, did not anticipate the backlash he received.“Anne Frank is for many people a hero and for me too,” Barsoum told the local AT5 television station on Monday.“Because my business is in the neighborhood of the Anne Frank House, it seemed like a nice name to me. She is, of course, world famous.”Barsoum added that he did not intend “to hurt anyone.What she has experienced was so much. That’s why I thought it was just a nice tribute.”According to images posted on social media, by Tuesday Barsoum had removed the words “Anne & Frank” from the bakery window.Onder de Westertoren om de hoek van dat Achterhuis open je winkel vermomd als bakkerij en dan denk je even, heel even maar, na over de naam..... wtf .. (en ze kan er ook zweet krijgen). pic.twitter.com/Gk5bDUqDVU
— Ingrid Kerr (@ingridkerr) August 25, 2018
Usage of Anne Frank’s name and image have often been controversial. Last year, a German railway company announced plans to name a new high-speed train after the murdered teenager. After many complained about the insensitive decision, the company eventually reversed course and scrapped its plans to name trains after historical figures.De bakker van Anne & Frank verandert de naam van de winkel.Mooie nieuwe naam: Bakkerij. Niks aan veranderen. pic.twitter.com/Z1cebZx9zL
— LeanBrains (@LeanBrains) August 28, 2018