'Anne Frank' kindergarten is being renamed for the sake of diversity: 'We wanted a name without a political background'

A school in northern Germany has decided it's high time for a name change. For over 50 years, the kindergarten in the town of Tangerhütte has been called the "Kindertagesstätte 'Anne Frank'" after the Jewish German girl who provided future generations with a firsthand insight into life in hiding under Nazi occupation. She was ultimately captured, taken to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, and murdered along with her sister.

Parents and school officials no longer feel the Holocaust victim's name is diverse or inclusive enough for their institution. They would rather the school be called "World Explorers" to both evoke a sense of international diversity and accommodate immigrants' preferences.

Linda Schichor, the director of the kindergarten, told the local newspaper Volksstimme, "We wanted a name without a political background."

Schichor indicated that not only was Anne Frank's story difficult to explain to children, it did not resonate with immigrant families who had "often never heard of her."

One local suggested to the German paper Bild that this explanation failed to pass muster, noting, "Here in Tangerhütte we mainly have Ukrainians and Russians – hardly any Arab roommates."

Officials have nevertheless stressed that such a name change would move the needle on emphasizing the "self-determination and diversity" of the children at the center, reported the Telegraph.

Mayor Andreas Brohm, an initial supporter of the change, said, "It is important to the institution to make this conceptual change visible to the outside world."

"If parents and employees want a name that better reflects the new concept, that has more weight compared to the global political situation."

Christoph Hebuner, the deputy head of the International Auschwitz Committee, has implored the local council to reverse the decision, criticizing the apparent eagerness "to forget one's own history so easily, especially in these times of renewed anti-Semitism."

The country has recently seen a significant spike in anti-Semitic violence. Extra to the massive anti-Israel protests that have popped up across Germany following the savage Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks, there have been reports of radicals once again marking the residences of Jewish citizens as part of a broader intimidation campaign.

Max Privorozki, chairman of the State Association of Jewish Communities in Saxony-Anhalt, told Bild, "I am not sure that now is the right moment to change the name of the day-care center, which has existed for more than 50 years."

"The reference to the parents with a migrant background, who often cannot do anything with the name of Anne Frank, is the best argument against the name change," added Privorozki. "This argument means that the integration of these parents into German society is failing."

In the face of mounting outrage, the town noted in a Monday statement, "These discussions are still ongoing without a decision being made at the moment."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!