Twitter Debate on Anne Frank and White Privilege Condemned

A Twitter debate among some users broke out over the weekend on whether Anne Frank had “white privilege.” The debate was widely condemned among Jewish and non-Jewish users alike.

The tweets, highlighted by both The Jerusalem Post and TMZ, involved a couple of Twitter users stating that “Anne Frank had white privilege. Bad things happen to people with white privilege also but don’t tell the whites that.” Another Twitter user said: “No one is saying the nazis didnt target white people, just that white people can hide behind their whiteness, whereas in nazi USA Black people cant. Go tell black people the whites got it hard.”

It’s time for our bi-annual garbage Holocaust take featuring Anne Frank and Jews as ‘white people’. pic.twitter.com/3vbyZDysud

— Claire (@Claire_V0ltaire) July 9, 2022

These tweets were roundly denounced throughout Twitter.

“Over the weekend, Anne Frank was trending on social media with users debating whether she had ‘white privilege,’” the American Jewish Committee tweeted. “It is an absurd and deeply offensive claim that this victim of the Holocaust benefited from any privilege, white or otherwise.”

Over the weekend, Anne Frank was trending on social media with users debating whether she had “white privilege.”

It is an absurd and deeply offensive claim that this victim of the Holocaust benefited from any privilege, white or otherwise.

Here’s why 🧵👇:

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 11, 2022

“Let’s make one thing very clear: the Jewish people were systematically murdered during the #Holocaust in large part because they were seen as existing outside of the white, ‘Aryan’ ideal that was prevalent in #Nazi Germany,” StandWithUs tweeted. “This applied to even the lightest-skinned Jews.”

Let's make one thing very clear: the Jewish people were systematically murdered during the #Holocaust in large part because they were seen as existing outside of the white, 'Aryan' ideal that was prevalent in #Nazi Germany. This applied to even the lightest-skinned Jews.

— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) July 11, 2022

The World Jewish Congress also tweeted: “It seems that some people need a reality check this morning. In 1940’s Europe, Anne Frank was not able to hide behind her ‘whiteness.’ Because she was a Jew, Anne and her family hide from the Nazis in an attic…behind a bookcase. But, as we know, it wasn’t enough.”

It seems that some people need a reality check this morning.

In 1940’s Europe, Anne Frank was not able to hide behind her “whiteness”.

Because she was a Jew, Anne and her family hide from the Nazis in an attic…behind a bookcase.

But, as we know, it wasn’t enough.

— World Jewish Congress (@WorldJewishCong) July 11, 2022

Journalist David Collier tweeted, “There is a Twitter debate over whether Anne Frank had ‘white privilege’. Anne Frank! A 15-year old girl who died in a concentration camp as one of 6 million Jews who perished during the Nazi’s extermination campaign. Seriously – can’t you just leave the Jews alone?”

There is a Twitter debate over whether Anne Frank had 'white privilege'.

Anne Frank! A 15-year old girl who died in a concentration camp as one of 6 million Jews who perished during the Nazi's extermination campaign.

Seriously – can't you just leave the Jews alone?

— David Collier (@mishtal) July 11, 2022

Educator and author Ben M. Freeman tweeted, “It is disgusting, racist and absurd to describe Anne Frank as benefiting from white privilege. The woke world has lost their minds.”

It is disgusting, racist and absurd to describe Anne Frank as benefiting from white privilege.

The woke world has lost their minds.

— Ben M. Freeman (@BenMFreeman) July 10, 2022