Anne Frank tree

The Anne Frank tree was a horse-chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) in the city center of Amsterdam that was featured in Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl. Anne Frank described the tree from The Annex, the building where she and her family were hiding from the Nazis during World War II. Over the years, the tree deteriorated significantly due to both a fungus and a moth infestation. The Borough Amsterdam Centrum declared that the tree had to be cut down on 20 November 2007 due to the risk that it could otherwise fall down. However, on 21 November 2007, a judge issued a temporary injunction stopping the removal. The Foundation and the neighbours developed an alternative plan to save the tree. The neighbours and supporters formed the Foundation Support Anne Frank Tree which carried out the suggested supporting construction and took over the maintenance of the tree. On 23 August 2010, the tree was blown down by high winds during a storm, breaking off approximately 1 metre (3 feet) above ground.