Court grants Anne Frank tree reprieve

Wednesday 21 November 2007

An Amsterdam judge on Tuesday ruled that the horse chestnut tree which Anne Frank wrote about in her WWII diary may not be cut down until all sides in the argument have been properly heard.

Amsterdam Centrum borough council had planned to cut down the 27-ton tree on Wednesday. It argues that the tree is so sick it is in imminent danger of falling over.

However, locals and the tree foundation Booomstichting went to court, arguing that the tree was still stable. The foundation wants to carry out further research.

The judge said that the permit to cut down the tree would be withdrawn until the borough council had properly assessed all objections. He gave the protestors until January 1 to submit their arguments and said the council must deal with them within two weeks.

According to the Telegraaf, Anne Frank Foundation director Hans Westra now plans to take the tree's owner to court because it is a threat to the safety of visitors to the house where Anne hid from the Nazis.

Meanwhile, a nut from the tree which a neighbour has offered for sale via online auction Ebay has received a bid of nearly €7,000.

© DutchNews.nl

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