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Anne Frank themed escape room in Valkenswaard (Photo: escape-bunker.nl)
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Anne Frank themed escape room in Valkenswaard (Photo: escape-bunker.nl)
Friday, 18 March 2016 - 08:13
Anne Frank-themed escape room called offensive, tacky
A new escape room in Valkenswaard with an Anne Frank theme is the focus of much criticism on social media. The escape room offers an Anne Frank experience, where you have to hide and escape from the Germans. Many find this offensive or tacky.
Escape rooms are a growing trend in the Netherlands and are a popular option for company outings and groups of friends. Participants are locked in a room and have to find their way out by solving puzzles and riddles.
The brand new Escape Bunker Valkenswaard describe the Anne Frank escape room experience as follows: "You are placed in the shoes of Anne Frank. You decide to go into hiding from fear that you too are sent to the camps. You come to face various challenges. With the constant threat of Germans who can fall on you at any moment, you will still have to overcome these challenges."
Anne Frank did not succeed in staying out of the hands of the Germans. She and her family were betrayed. The Germans stormed their hiding place and transported the family to death camps in Polant. Camps that Anne did not survive.
On Twitter people react negatively to the idea, calling it offensive, tasteless, shameless and tacky. But 19 year old owner Thijs Verbene disagrees. "Opinions differ, but we do not want to offend anyone", he said to newspaper AD. According to him, the room is furnished to resemble Anne Frank's hiding place and you have to solve themed puzzle, such a a morse code puzzle to get out. "I see it as more of an educational thing, rather than a game. We want to teach young people about the story of Anne Frank, so history can be fun for children."
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