Thursday, 24 July 2014

Benjamin Franklin

NAME Benjamin Franklin

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Franklin is celebrated as a Founding Father, co-author of the Declaration of Independence, and pioneering electrical researcher whose lightning rod revolutionized safety. His diplomatic prowess secured French support during the American Revolution, while aphorisms from Poor Richard’s Almanack codified practical wisdom for generations.

BIRTH Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1705] in Boston, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He was born into what would become a large family during the early colonial period of American history.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Benjamin Franklin was the 10th of 17 children born to his father, Josiah Franklin, and the 8th of 10 children born to Josiah's second wife, Abiah Folger. His father, Josiah, was a candlemaker and soap maker who had emigrated from Ecton, Northamptonshire, England, in 1683. His mother, Abiah Folger, was the daughter of Peter Folger, one of the first settlers of Nantucket and a prominent Puritan figure. The family was industrious but of modest means.

CHILDHOOD Franklin's childhood in Boston was characterized by a strong work ethic and early exposure to his father's trade. He learned candlemaking and soapmaking, but quickly showed an aversion to it. He was a prodigious reader from a young age, often staying up late to read books he borrowed or purchased

At age 12, he was apprenticed to his brother, a local printer. While working at his brother's printing shop, Franklin secretly wrote articles for the newspaper and labeled them as being by "Mrs. Silence Dogood". He quarreled with his brother and at age 17 ran away to Philadelphia.

EDUCATION Benjamin Franklin learned to read early and began formal schooling at age eight. He attended South Grammar School and later George Brownell’s English school, where he excelled in reading and writing but struggled with arithmetic. By age ten, his formal education ended, and he joined his father's business, continuing his learning through self-education using his father's library.

As a boy, he taught himself geography by studying maps during his father's prayer time. Later, while working for his half-brother James, Benjamin studied arithmetic, grammar, and navigation in the evenings. To improve his writing, he copied essays from The Spectator, summarizing them, setting the notes aside, and then trying to rewrite them. Comparing his versions with the originals helped him realize the need to expand his vocabulary. 

His intellectual curiosity was boundless, leading him to pursue knowledge in various fields independently. (1)

CAREER RECORD Franklin's career was extraordinarily diverse. 

1718-1723: Worked for his brother James's printing shop in Boston.

1723-1748: Ran away to Philadelphia, worked for various printers, then established his own successful printing business.

1729-1748: Publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette: Took over and greatly expanded the newspaper.

1732- 1758: Author of Poor Richard's Almanack: Published annually, known for its proverbs and wit.

1737-1753: Postmaster of Philadelphia: Appointed by the British Crown.

1753-1774: Joint Postmaster General for British North America: Significantly improved the colonial postal service.

1757-1762, 1764-1775: Colonial Agent in London: Represented Pennsylvania, and later other colonies, to the British government.

1775-1776: Delegate to the Second Continental Congress: Played a key role in drafting the Declaration of Independence.

1776-1785: Ambassador to France: Secured crucial French military and financial aid during the Revolutionary War, negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783).

1785-1788: President of Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council: Equivalent to governor.

1787: Delegate to the Constitutional Convention : Though ailing, provided crucial counsel and promoted compromise in drafting the U.S. Constitution.

APPEARANCE  The exact measurement of Benjamin Franklin's height is approximately 5'9" or 1.75 meters, which placed him somewhat above his contemporaries as the average American male stood at around 5'6" during the late 1700s. In his later years, he reached a weight of 220 pounds (100 kilograms), likely due to indulging in fine cuisine and developing a palate for alcohol during his international experiences. 

Benjamin Franklin has been described as a stout man with broad shoulders, known to have a round puffy face and a massive balding head. He had long, curly light brown hair that he liked to tie in a bun and maintained a clean-shaven appearance. He was also known for his square hands, twinkly gray eyes, and a pointed upper lip. (2)

Benjamin Franklin c 1785 by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis - 

FASHION From a very young age, Benjamin Franklin understood that appearance was the basis on which people judged each other. He usually dressed modestly, foregoing the powdered wigs and ruffled shirts of his peers for unstyled hair and coarse, homespun suits. When appearing before Louis XV in 1767, however, he knew his signature plain dress would not do, and called upon a tailor and a wigmaker to dress him appropriately. 

During his diplomatic mission in France, he strategically adopted a fur cap from the American wilderness to captivate Parisian society.

 A three-piece silk suit that belonged to Franklin, originally a dark plum color but now faded to brownish, is thought to have been made in France around 1778. This plain suit would have created a stark contrast between Franklin and those in the elaborate dress typical of the opulent French Court.

Benjamin Franklin wore spectacles, a necessity that led to one of his most practical inventions: bifocals. 

CHARACTER Franklin possessed a complex and multifaceted character. He was incredibly industrious, pragmatic, and self-disciplined, as evidenced by his methodical approach to self-improvement. He was also highly intelligent, curious, and witty, with a knack for observation and a practical approach to problem-solving. He was a master of diplomacy and compromise, often using humor and reason to bridge divides. Despite his many accomplishments, he projected an image of humility and common sense. He was also a shrewd businessman and a deeply civic-minded individual.

SPEAKING VOICE Franklin had a clear, persuasive, and engaging speaking voice. He was known for his conversational style rather than oratorical flourishes. His arguments were often delivered with a blend of logic, wit, and relatable anecdotes, making him a highly effective debater and communicator, both in small groups and public forums.

SENSE OF HUMOUR  Franklin possessed an extraordinary sense of humor and was known for his wit and satirical writing. His humorous works included Apology for Printers (1731), where he defended printers with a wink and a chuckle. He created The Drinker's Dictionary (1737) with more than 200 hilarious synonyms for "drunk," including terms like "half-way to Concord" and "foxed". His satirical piece Fart Proudly (1781) served up flatulence wisdom with hilarity, suggesting various methods for reducing gas. 

Franklin also published satirical works like Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One and Edict by the King of Prussia, both criticizing British attitudes toward the colonies.

 “Teach your child to hold his tongue. He will learn fast enough to speak.” – Poor Richard’s Almanack

 “He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.” - Poor Richard’s Almanack

“Here Skugg lies snug. As a bug in a rug.” – This line appears in a letter Franklin wrote in 1772. It’s one of the earliest known uses of the now-famous phrase “snug as a bug in a rug.” He coined it whimsically in reference to a pet squirrel named Skugg.

“But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – This famous line appears in a letter Franklin wrote to French scientist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy in 1789. It's one of Franklin’s most quoted maxims.

RELATIONSHIPS Franklin's romantic life was complex and well-documented.

When Franklin arrived in Philadelphia on a Sunday morning in October 1723, he was tired, hungry, and had only a few coins in his pocket. He recounted in his autobiography that he found a bakery, asked for three pennies' worth of bread, and received "three great Puffy Rolls." With one roll under each arm and eating the third, he walked up Market Street. As he passed the Read family's door, Deborah Read—his future wife—saw him and, as Franklin wrote, "thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward ridiculous appearance" due to his bedraggled state and the way he carried the bread.

A few weeks later, Franklin became a boarder in the Read household, and his relationship with Deborah began to develop from that point. They entered into a common-law marriage in 1730 because Deborah's first husband had disappeared, leaving her unable to legally remarry. Benjamin and Deborah went on to have two children: Francis Folger Franklin ("Frankie") who died from smallpox in 1736, and Sarah Franklin ("Sally"). 

Deborah Read Franklin Attributed to Benjamin Wilson 

Franklin also had a son, William Franklin, from a relationship with Philadelphia's "low women". 

During his travels, Franklin had relationships with several women, including Catherine "Caty" Ray, a twenty-three-year-old he met when he was forty-nine. 

In London, he lived with Margaret Stevenson, his sophisticated landlord, and developed a close relationship with her eighteen-year-old daughter Polly. 

In France, he was smitten with Madame Helvetius and proposed marriage to her in 1780, but she declined.

During his time in England, Franklin made friends with many prominent people, including the philosopher and economist Adam Smit and the chemist and clergyman Joseph Priestley.

BUSINESS CAREER By the age of ten, Benjamin Franklin was gainfully employed in the family business, which involved the thrilling task of cutting candle wicks and filling molds with molten tallow. It was every bit as delightful as it sounds. Unsurprisingly, young Ben quickly discovered that dipping wax for a living did not quite ignite his passions, and so he briefly apprenticed with a cutler—someone who makes knives—before shuffling back to the family trade, presumably only marginally more enthusiastic than before.

At twelve, Franklin was handed over to his older half-brother James, a printer of robust opinions and limited charm, to learn the trade. James soon launched The New-England Courant, a brash and rather impudent newspaper that was revolutionary for its time—it refused to grovel before authority, which was something of a novelty in colonial America. Young Ben delivered copies by day and, with remarkable cheek, wrote anonymous essays by night, slipping them under the door to be published under the name “Silence Dogood.” No one guessed it was him, which was deeply satisfying.

At seventeen, tiring of his brother’s temper and with a taste for adventure, Franklin ran away. He arrived in Philadelphia in October 1723, famously bedraggled and munching on a roll. He found work in a printing shop and, after a few months, was persuaded by Pennsylvania’s flamboyant and possibly delusional governor, Sir William Keith, to sail to London to acquire printing equipment—with the governor promising to provide letters of credit. The only snag was that the letters never materialized. Franklin arrived in London with no money, no equipment, and no particular plan.

Stranded but unfazed, he found work as a typesetter in a print shop near the Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great, which was as good a place as any to bide one’s time, especially if you liked Gothic arches and ecclesiastical echoes.

He returned to Philadelphia in 1726 and took a job with a kindly merchant named Thomas Denham, working as a clerk and bookkeeper—jobs which, though useful, are unlikely to inspire great poetry. Two years later, Franklin partnered with a friend named Hugh Meredith to open a printing house. By 1730, he had bought Meredith out and was running The Pennsylvania Gazette, which he turned into one of the most successful papers in the colonies.

But even Franklin had his financial hiccups. In 1755, during the French and Indian War, he personally guaranteed the value of horses and wagons borrowed from Pennsylvania farmers to support General Braddock’s ill-fated expedition against Fort Duquesne. When the mission promptly collapsed in spectacular fashion, Franklin faced the cheery possibility of having to repay nearly $20,000 out of his own pocket—a ruinous sum at the time. Fortunately, the government eventually covered the loss, sparing Franklin bankruptcy and allowing him to resume being brilliant at everything.

MONEY AND FAME Franklin achieved considerable wealth through his printing and publishing ventures. He became wealthy publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack. By 1748, Franklin had made enough money to retire from business and concentrate on science and inventing. His success in business allowed him financial independence that enabled his later scientific and political pursuits. Franklin became prosperous and promoted public services in Philadelphia, including a library, a fire department, a hospital, an insurance company, and an academy that became the University of Pennsylvania.

"Remember that time is money." This phrase comes from Franklin’s 1748 essay Advice to a Young Tradesman. It's perhaps his most famous piece of practical business advice and is often quoted in time-management talks to this day.

Franklin was one of the most popular men during Europe's Age of Enlightenment and the most famous American in Europe. His portrait was to be seen everywhere in Paris, in store windows and in many private houses. His image appeared on medals, medallions, rings, watches, snuff boxes and bracelets. People paid for seats in windows to watch him ride past in his coach. His reputation was universal.  (3)

FOOD AND DRINK Franklin's dietary habits evolved significantly throughout his life. He maintained a health-conscious lifestyle in his youth, adhering to a moderate diet that included a period of strict vegetarianism. As he aged and traveled, particularly in Europe, Franklin's dietary habits shifted, leading to significant weight gain. (2)

Franklin created a recipe for milk punch that he shared with friend James Bowdoin in 1763, which included rum, brandy, milk, and vanilla extract. The recipe shares characteristics of two beverages—possets and syllabubs.

MUSIC AND ARTS Franklin had a keen appreciation for music and even invented his own musical instrument, the glass armonica, which achieved considerable popularity in Europe. He developed it in 1761 after seeing water-filled wine glasses played by Edward Delaval at Cambridge in England. Franklin worked with London glassblower Charles James to build one, and it had its world premiere in early 1762. In a letter to his friend Giambattista Beccaria, Franklin wrote: "The advantages of this instrument are, that its tones are incomparably sweet beyond those of any other; that they may be swelled and softened at pleasure by stronger or weaker pressures of the finger". In Franklin's treadle-operated version, 37 bowls were mounted horizontally on an iron spindle, and the sound was produced by touching the rims with water-moistened fingers. (4)

Franklin enjoyed playing instruments (though not a virtuoso) and was known to attend concerts. 

He also had an interest in architecture and design, evident in his own homes and civic improvements he championed. 

Franklin appreciated painting and portraiture, sitting for many famous artists throughout his life.

WRITING CAREER As a teenager, Benjamin Franklin began slipping satirical essays under the door of his older half-brother’s newspaper, The New England Courant, under the deliciously improbable pseudonym of Silence Dogood, a fictional middle-aged widow with a sharp tongue and a flair for societal commentary. It was a fine start to a lifelong habit of disguising brilliance as entertainment.

In 1732, always game for a challenge, Franklin launched The Philadelphia Zeitung, the first foreign-language newspaper in the British colonies — in German, no less. Unfortunately, the German-speaking population of Pennsylvania proved to be both large and better served elsewhere: four competing publications popped up almost overnight, and Franklin’s newspaper folded within the year, having proven mostly useful as a lesson in how fast a monopoly can vanish.

That same year, Franklin—just twenty-six years old and already exhausting—launched Poor Richard’s Almanack, a publication so wildly popular it came to rival the Bible in colonial households. Stuffed with aphorisms, weather predictions, household tips, moral exhortations, farming advice, and jokes, it was everything a growing colony could want. Franklin published it annually for twenty-five years, each edition prefaced by his alter ego, “Richard Saunders,” who was cheerfully opinionated and frequently wrong about the weather.

By the 1750s, Franklin had added yet another item to his résumé: political cartoonist. In 1754, he famously published a cartoon in the Pennsylvania Gazette depicting a severed snake, each piece labeled with the initials of a colony, accompanied by the caption: “Join, or Die” (see below). It was the first known political cartoon printed in an American newspaper and a rather efficient bit of persuasion in the run-up to revolution.

In 1758, having decided that enough was enough, Franklin wrote his final entry for the Almanack. He went out with a bang, printing what is now considered colonial America's most famous literary work: Father Abraham’s Sermon. This was essentially a stitched-together patchwork of his best proverbs delivered as a speech by a wise old gentleman named Father Abraham. Among the gems were: “There are no gains without pains” and, of course, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” which has been making teenagers everywhere groan ever since.

Franklin’s Autobiography, though never completed, is still widely considered the quintessential self-made man’s manual. Begun in 1771 and published posthumously in 1794, it became an immediate bestseller and has remained in print almost continuously ever since. It’s part life story, part how-to guide, and part national myth — and frankly, it’s hard to tell where one ends and the others begin.

Franklin in London, 1767. Painting by David Martin, 

LITERATURE He taught himself to write effectively and loved books and reading. As a child, one of his favorite books was The Art of Swimming by Melchisédec Thévenot, which he studied and practiced extensively.

Franklin, at the age of 21, established the colonies' first circulation library for all interested citizens. 

NATURE Franklin had a deep appreciation for nature and believed in its therapeutic benefits. He was known for his practice of taking "air baths," spending about an hour in the nude each morning while taking care of correspondence, believing these were healthy. (5)

He meticulously observed natural phenomena, from the behavior of lightning to ocean currents (mapping the Gulf Stream), and meteorological patterns. While not a naturalist in the modern sense, his scientific inquiries were often rooted in understanding the natural world to harness its principles for practical benefit.

PETS While Benjamin Franklin himself did not own a dog, his son William had a Newfoundland, and Benjamin became quite fond of his "grand-dog," often walking and spoiling him with treats. This dog accompanied Franklin during his time in France, and friends remarked on Franklin’s affection for the animal.

In a letter to his daughter Franklin said he wanted the Turkey not the Eagle to be the United States national symbol. He considered the Eagle to be "a bird of bad moral character as it lives by shaping and robbing." 

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Franklin was an avid swimmer and fitness enthusiast. As a child, Benjamin Franklin adored swimming in the Schuylkill River in colonial Philadelphia and taught himself how to swim when he was 8. He studied and practiced The Art of Swimming by Melchisédec Thévenot, adding his own techniques.

Franklin invented swim flippers, creating "two oval pallets, each about ten inches long, and six broad, with a hole for the thumb". He also fitted sandals to his feet for swimming. 

One day, while in London, Franklin jumped into the Thames and swam from Chelsea to Blackfriars (around 3.5 miles), performing water tricks along the way. 

Sir William Wyndham offered to pay him handsomely for swimming lessons for his sons and even offered to help Franklin open the first swim school in England, but Franklin declined because he was homesick for Philadelphia.

Franklin enjoyed playing chess and wrote an essay on the Morals of Chess.

INVENTIONS It was Franklin who gave us the first bifocals, which he designed because he was tired of constantly switching between reading and distance glasses while traveling. His solution was charmingly direct: he cut two pairs of spectacles in half and stitched them together into one gloriously practical contraption. He unveiled this life-improving invention on May 23, 1785 and promptly stopped tripping over things while reading.

He also devised one of the earliest versions of a wetsuit — essentially a floating leather sack — and even tinkered with primitive swim fins, which he strapped to his hands rather than his feet. 

Then there was the Franklin stove — a wood-burning metal fireplace that provided more warmth with less fuel and greatly reduced the odds of setting your house ablaze. A win-win if ever there was one.

A Franklin Stove

And remarkably, Franklin never patented or copyrighted a single invention. He believed that good ideas should be shared freely, like sunshine or conversation. To seek profit from them, he said, would only “sour one’s Temper and disturb one’s Quiet.” Which, like most things Franklin said, sounds like something we should all embroider on a pillow.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Benjamin Franklin, whose talents were so varied and immense it’s a wonder he ever had time to sleep, also happened to be a first-rate scientist and inventor. He was, in fact, one of the great minds in the history of physics — a distinction he somehow earned while also founding newspapers, inventing stoves, and, just for fun, revolutionizing the understanding of electricity.

Franklin also coined the term battery, not because he was feeling pugnacious, but because the linked capacitors he was experimenting with reminded him of a battery of cannons — all working together in synchronized, electrified harmony.

Of course, Franklin’s crowning scientific achievement was in capturing lightning — that capricious and terrifying force of nature — with nothing more than a kite, some string, and a metal key. The experiment was technically first carried out in France, but Franklin gave it the personal touch on a stormy June day in 1752. He launched a kite from a Philadelphia field, waited for the heavens to comply, and watched as sparks danced from his key. It was a dangerous and frankly insane thing to do. Later imitators were not so lucky — at least two of them were promptly electrocuted. Franklin, for his part, lived on to invent the lightning rod and suggest we pin them to our roofs (and, briefly, to ladies’ hats — a short-lived fashion trend, thankfully).

From this research, he proposed that lightning and electricity were one and the same and introduced the terms positive and negative to describe electrical charges — a neat bit of labeling that would outlast his rather inaccurate assumption that current flowed in the opposite direction from what it actually does. Electrical engineers still draw it that way today, mainly out of respect, or possibly inertia.

Beyond electricity, Franklin also charted the Gulf Stream using a thermometer and a great deal of persistence during his eight crossings of the Atlantic. He realized that warm ocean currents flowed with purpose — something sailors had been vaguely aware of but hadn’t gotten around to mapping.

He also suggested, half-jokingly, that people should get up earlier in summer to make better use of daylight — the first flutter of an idea that would eventually become Daylight Saving Time, for which you may or may not wish to thank him.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY  Franklin's spiritual journey was complex and evolved significantly throughout his life. He believed in a god of his own creation and lived by the morals of his own choosing in his early years. In 1728, he wrote his Articles of Belief, proposing a great hierarchy of Gods that populated the universe. 

By 1732, Franklin recognized God's direct interference in human affairs and acknowledged the free will of man. 

A significant spiritual change occurred around 1735 when he began accepting the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God. He wrote: "Christ by his Death and Sufferings has purchas'd for us those easy Terms and Conditions of our Acceptance with God, propos'd in the Gospel, to wit, Faith and Repentance". (6) 

Franklin believed in the power of prayer. During the Constitutional Convention — a famously hot, fractious, and un-air-conditioned affair — he stood up one day and suggested that the delegates begin each morning’s session with a prayer. “We need help,” was the subtext, “and divine intervention might be quicker than negotiation.”

And while Franklin admired reason, he also respected restraint. When his friend Thomas Paine was preparing to publish The Age of Reason — a passionate, if tactless, dismantling of organized religion — Franklin gently urged him to reconsider. “The world is bad enough with the Bible,” he told Paine. “What would it be like without it?”

Though he had once owned slaves, he came to regard the institution as morally repugnant. In 1775, he joined forces with the equally progressive Dr. Benjamin Rush to form the first American anti-slavery organization — the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes — an astonishingly forward-thinking endeavor for its time.

So complete was his change of perspective that Franklin added a clause to his will requiring that his daughter free her slave if she wanted to inherit anything. It was, in essence, an early example of what today we might call values-based estate planning.

After visiting a school for Black children — an experience arranged by a friend — Franklin wrote candidly that what many mistook for inherent ignorance was, in fact, the result of forced servitude, poor education, and a deliberately oppressive environment. It was a statement far ahead of its time, and a striking rejection of the prejudices that had once shaped his own views. 

Benjamin Franklin lived his life by 13 rules which he called "the 13 virtues." He wrote them when he was 20. (1)

Franklin was foundational in defining the U.S. ethos as a marriage of practical values with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the co-founders of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. It supported scientific studies as well as philosophy.   

PUBLIC CAREER In the summer of 1731, Franklin and a few of his bookish chums—members of a philosophical society that apparently believed enlightenment was best pursued by committee—pooled their pennies and founded what would become the first public library in Philadelphia. They called it the Library Company. The next year they ordered their first batch of books—weighty theological works and moral instruction manuals mostly, because it was the 1730s and fun hadn’t been invented yet. But by 1741, the shelves had become more adventurous, featuring volumes on geography, poetry, science, and even the occasional travelogue involving pirates or plagues.

The idea of borrowing books instead of buying them caught on spectacularly, and soon other cities were copying Franklin’s model, to the benefit of poor readers and frugal philosophers everywhere.

Franklin had a habit of solving problems that hadn’t quite been solved yet. In 1736, bothered by how quickly things tended to burn down in colonial towns, he founded the Union Fire Company—one of the first volunteer firefighting organizations in America. As with most things Franklin touched, it was both sensible and oddly ahead of its time.

By 1749, Franklin had turned his prodigious mind to education. He published Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania, a document that outlined a refreshingly modern vision of schooling. Gone were the usual Latin declensions and moralizing lectures; in came mathematics, science, and modern languages—things one might actually use if one hoped to make a living or invent bifocals. The proposals led to the establishment of the Philadelphia Academy in 1751, which eventually grew into the University of Pennsylvania. Franklin was its first president, because of course he was.

The curriculum he designed was so practical and forward-thinking it made other schools look like monasteries. The first graduating class, in 1757, featured seven men, six Bachelors and one Master of Arts—impressive for a school that had barely unpacked its bookshelves.

Franklin also had a rather full extracurricular schedule. In 1737, he became postmaster of Philadelphia, and eventually the first joint deputy postmaster-general for all British North America. The postal service was, unsurprisingly, a bit of a mess, so Franklin climbed into a carriage and set about measuring the distances himself, inventing a rudimentary odometer in the process—because why not invent a new device before lunch?

He also found time to get elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1750, where he remained until 1764, transforming Philadelphia into a functional city with paved streets, a fire brigade, a proper police force, and lit lamps that didn’t involve carrying a torch and hoping for the best.

In 1751, alongside Dr. Thomas Bond, he helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital—the first in what would eventually become the United States. This was a significant development, not least because it meant Philadelphians now had a place to recover when they fell off ladders or were run over by experimental postal carriages.

In 1754, Franklin attended the Albany Congress, a sort of prequel to American unity where he proposed the Albany Plan—a sensible framework for colonial cooperation that was rejected for being, well, too sensible. Franklin believed to his dying day that if people had just listened to him then, they might have skipped the whole Revolutionary War thing.

In 1757 Franklin packed his wigs and sailed off to London as Pennsylvania’s representative. After a brief stint back in Philadelphia, he returned to England in 1764 for another ten-year stay, trying to reason with Parliament on behalf of the colonies, a task roughly as satisfying as lecturing cows on the benefits of vegetarianism.

When war finally broke out in 1775, Franklin returned home, now a revolutionary in waistcoat and spectacles. He soon helped secure the crucial alliance with France, without which America might still be spelling colour with a "u." French troops and a very useful navy eventually turned the tide against Britain.

Franklin, naturally, helped negotiate the peace as well.

From 1776 to 1785, he served as America's ambassador to France, a job he handled with wit, charm, and a silk suit . While there, he also campaigned for the expansion of American ideas across Europe, reminding anyone who would listen that the colonies were not a backwater of farmers and rebels, but a place of bold thinkers and bigger dreams.

And here’s a final marvel: Franklin was the only person to sign all four of the foundational documents that shaped the United States—the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Peace with Britain (1782), and the U.S. Constitution (1787).

In short, if history were a group project, Franklin would have done most of the work—and probably invented the pencil.

POLITICS Franklin was a central figure in colonial and revolutionary politics. He advocated for colonial unity, represented American interests in Britain and France, and was instrumental in drafting the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He promoted compromise and pragmatic solutions, notably at the Constitutional Convention

SCANDAL Franklin’s personal life occasionally attracted scandal, particularly regarding his illegitimate son William and his flirtatious behavior in France. His political enemies accused him of opportunism and duplicity, but his reputation for integrity generally prevailed

Franklin became embroiled in the Hutchinson Letters affair, a major political scandal. He obtained private letters written by Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson and Lieutenant Governor Andrew Oliver and forwarded them to the Massachusetts House. Despite Franklin's wishes, the letters were published in the Boston Gazette in June 1773, causing political and civil revolt. During a hearing before the Privy Council on January 29, 1774, Franklin was accused by British Solicitor General Alexander Wedderburn of illegally obtaining the letters for the purpose of inciting rebellion in the colonies. He was accused of being a thief and of dishonor, but Franklin refused to respond to the accusations or reveal his source.

MILITARY RECORD Benjamin Franklin did not have a traditional military record as a soldier. However, he was actively involved in colonial defense:

He organized and led Pennsylvania's colonial militia during the French and Indian War, helping to build fortifications and raise troops. Franklin's command of the militia touched basic points in the power struggle between the Assembly and proprietary party. His appointment caused significant political controversy, with opponents claiming Franklin had designs to assume full personal power in the province.

Franklin was largely responsible for the 1778 alliance with France  which helped win the Revolutionary War for America. Once the French King sent troops and a fleet, it made defeat for Britain inevitable. At the end of the war he helped draw up the peace treaty.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Franklin was generally robust and healthy for much of his life, which he attributed partly to his active lifestyle and relatively moderate habits. 

In London, Franklin took ill with severe breathing problems (probably from London's foul, polluted air) and for eight weeks, Margaret Stevenson nursed him back to health.

In his later years, Franklin suffered from gout, kidney stones, and other ailments, which caused him considerable pain. Despite this, he remained intellectually active almost until his death.

HOMES Franklin 's homes included:

Boston: The Franklins lived on Milk Street, Boston for the first six years of Benjamin's life, until January 25, 1712. The Franklins moved from their rented home on Milk Street and bought a house from Peter Sargeant at the south-west corner of Union and Hanover Streets. It was about five times as large as their Milk Street home. (1)


Philadelphia: He established himself in Philadelphia, where he and Deborah set up house on Market Street as a common-law marriage

London: From 1757 to 1775, Franklin took up residence at No. 27 Craven Street in London,  near Whitehall, where he rented rooms from Mrs. Margaret Stevenson.. This address is now the Benjamin Franklin House, the world's only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin outside the USA. 

Paris: During his time as ambassador, he lived at a house in Passy, a suburb of Paris, which became a hub for American diplomacy and a salon for European intellectuals.

TRAVEL Franklin was one of the most widely traveled Americans of his era:

To Philadelphia (1723): Ran away from Boston to seek his fortune.

To London (1724-1726, 1757-1762, 1764-1775): Spent many years in London for printing training and later as a colonial agent, accumulating significant experience in British society and politics.

To France (1776-1785): His crucial diplomatic mission to Paris during the American Revolution.

Throughout the Colonies: Traveled extensively as Postmaster General, improving routes and services.

His travels exposed him to diverse cultures and political systems, profoundly shaping his worldview.

DEATH Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790, at his home in Philadelphia at the age of 84. His final illness was brought on by empyema, a condition involving pus in the lungs caused by repeated attacks of pleurisy, which he had suffered throughout his life. In his last days, Franklin experienced high fever, chest pain, cough, and severe difficulty breathing. Five days before his death, an abscess in his lungs burst, leading to a coma. He died peacefully at around 11 o’clock at night, with his grandsons William Temple and Bennie at his side. His last reported words, spoken to his daughter who had suggested he reposition himself for comfort, were: “a dying man can do nothing easy”.

Franklin’s funeral took place on April 21, 1790, and was the largest ever seen in Philadelphia at that time. An estimated 20,000 people attended—remarkable given the city’s population was only about 28,000. The funeral procession started at the State House and included clergy from all denominations, including the Hebrew congregation, walking before the coffin. The pallbearers were among the most prominent leaders of Pennsylvania, including the president of the state, the chief justice, and other dignitaries. The procession was joined by politicians, scientists, printers, members of the American Philosophical Society, and the College of Physicians. The order and silence of the crowd reflected the deep respect and sense of loss felt by all classes of citizens.

Notably absent were President George Washington and members of Congress, who were in New York City at the time.

Franklin was buried in Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia, one of America’s most historic colonial cemeteries. His grave is beside those of his wife, Deborah, who had died 25 years earlier, and his son Francis Folger Franklin. Franklin had once written a witty epitaph for himself, but his actual grave, as specified in his will, is marked simply: “Benjamin and Deborah Franklin.” Today, the gravesite is visible from the street through iron rails, and it is a tradition for visitors to leave pennies on the grave in his honor.

Franklin’s death was mourned internationally. The French National Assembly went into mourning, and memorial services were held throughout France. Count Mirabeau famously said, “He was able to restrain thunderbolts and tyrants.” In the United States, Franklin’s passing was recognized as the loss of one of the nation’s greatest citizens, and his funeral procession was described as a moment when Philadelphia “buried more of itself than ever before.”


APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Franklin has been the subject of numerous media portrayals. 

1. Books and Literature

Ben and Me (1939) by Robert Lawson – A humorous children’s book told from the point of view of a mouse who lives in Franklin’s hat and secretly helps him invent and discover things.

Franklin appears in novels like Esther Forbes’s Johnny Tremain (1943) and William Martin’s Citizen Washington (1999), often as a wise, sardonic mentor figure.

2. Film and TV

1776 (1972, musical film & stage play) – Franklin is a major character, portrayed as witty, bawdy, and politically savvy. Howard Da Silva played him in both the Broadway and film versions.

John Adams (2008, HBO miniseries) – Tom Wilkinson plays Franklin as a shrewd and world-weary diplomat. The show highlights his role in securing French support for the Revolution.

He has appeared in episodes of The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Liberty’s Kids (a PBS series), often as a slightly eccentric but brilliant inventor and statesman.

Ken Burns released Benjamin Franklin (2022), a two-part PBS documentary narrated by Mandy Patinkin, offering a detailed and humanized portrait.

3. Video Games

Assassin’s Creed III – Franklin appears as a non-playable character (NPC) in this American Revolution–era game, handing out side quests involving his famous “missing pages.”

Civilization series – He sometimes appears as a Great Person or in scenarios involving the Enlightenment or the founding of America.

4. Commercials and Pop Culture References

Franklin's image has been used in everything from car insurance ads to Drunk History (where he’s often played for laughs as a saucy genius with a quill).

His face, of course, appears on the U.S. $100 bill—a recurring gag in many films and TV shows about wealth or crime.

ACHIEVEMENTS Franklin’s achievements are vast:

Founding Father of the United States

Drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution

Secured French alliance during the American Revolution

Invented the lightning rod, bifocals, and Franklin stove

Advanced the understanding of electricity

Founded key civic institutions: Library Company, University of Pennsylvania, American Philosophical Society

Published Poor Richard’s Almanack and influential essays

Promoted religious tolerance, public education, and abolition of slavery

Sources (1) Encyclopaedia of Trivia (2) History Oasis (3) The Giant Book of Facts and Trivia by Isaac Asimov (4) Wikipedia (5) Journal of the American Revolution (6) Christian Heritage Fellowship

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Anne Frank

NAME Annelies Marie Frank

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Anne Frank is world-renowned for her diary, The Diary of a Young Girl (also known as The Diary of Anne Frank), which she wrote while hiding with her family and four other people in an annex during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. 

BIRTH Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929, at the Maingau Red Cross Clinic in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. She was born into a period of economic turmoil in Germany, with unemployment high and poverty severe, during the time when Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party were gaining increasing support. This timing would prove crucial to her family's future decisions and her ultimate fate.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Anne Frank came from a middle-class German-Jewish family with deep roots in Frankfurt. 

Her father, Otto Heinrich Frank (1889-1980), was born into an assimilated family that had lived in Germany for centuries. The Franks had particular connections to Frankfurt am Main, with evidence showing that part of the family had lived there since the 16th century.

Her mother, Edith Frank (née Holländer), grew up in a practicing Jewish household. Otto and Edith were married in 1925 and initially lived in Otto's hometown of Frankfurt. 

Her elder sister, Margot, was born in 1926. Margot was considered more diligent and reserved than Anne.

The family were Reform Jews who did not practice all the customs and traditions of Judaism, living in an assimilated community of Jewish and non-Jewish citizens.

CHILDHOOD Anne spent the first four years of her life in Frankfurt am Main, where she was described as a cheerful and naughty toddler. The family housekeeper, Kathi, later remembered Anne sitting down in a puddle of rain and making Kathi tell her a story there. 

In 1934, when Anne was four and a half years old, the Frank family moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party gained control over Germany.

During her early years in the Netherlands, Anne suffered from health problems, and the family called her 'Zärtlein' (delicate puppet). In November 1937, her mother Edith wrote that Anne stayed home from school to sleep in the afternoon, describing her as "very cheerful, but sensitive and nervous, too". Despite these health challenges, Anne was known for her vibrant personality and love of being the center of attention. (1)

EDUCATION Anne Frank attended the 6th Montessori School in Amsterdam from 1934 until 1941. This school, located just a few blocks from her home, played a crucial role in her formative years, instilling in her a deep love for learning and writing. The Montessori education method, with its interactive and engaging approach, fostered Anne's creativity, independence, and love for learning.

Anne Frank at the 6th Montessori School, 1940

In 1941, after German forces occupied the Netherlands, Anne was compelled to transfer from her public school to a Jewish school due to Nazi regulations. All Jewish children, including Anne, had to attend separate Jewish schools as anti-Jewish laws increased. While in hiding, Anne and her sister Margot continued their studies. Margot took an 'Elementary Latin' course by correspondence and received high marks, while Anne spent most of her time reading and studying.

CAREER RECORD Anne aspired to become a journalist and writer. In her diary entry of April 5, 1944, she wrote: "I finally realized that I must do my schoolwork to keep from being ignorant, to get on in life, to become a journalist, because that's what I want! I know I can write..., but it remains to be seen whether I really have talent". She expressed her desire to achieve more than the traditional women's roles of her time, writing: "I can't imagine living like Mother, Mrs. van Daan and all the women who go about their work and are then forgotten. I need to have something besides a husband and children to devote myself to!"

APPEARANCE Anne Frank indicate she had dark hair and dark eyes. Photographs show her with a bright and often mischievous expression

Anne did not think she was pretty, but she was confident that her personality and other good traits made up for any perceived physical shortcomings. She was described as rather small among her classmates, but when she performed in school plays as a queen or princess, she suddenly seemed much taller than the others. 

Frank in May 1942, two months before she and her family went into hiding

FASHION The historical context of wartime rationing and the family's circumstances while in hiding likely limited opportunities for fashion expression. Her diary does occasionally touch upon her personal feelings about clothing and her desire to look presentable, reflecting a normal teenage girl's interest in self-expression, even in extraordinary circumstances.

CHARACTER Anne Frank possessed a vibrant and complex personality. She was described as playful and comical but with a serious side. Otto Frank described her as creating turbulence when she entered a room, often bringing friends home and being very popular because she always had plans for games and activities. Anne loved being the center of attention and was known for her outgoing nature.

She was a sharp observer of other people and demonstrated remarkable introspection for her age. As she matured during her time in hiding, Anne became increasingly thoughtful and reflective, examining her relationships with family members and analyzing her own character development. She was forthright and perceptive, with a clear understanding of her own growth and changes. (1)

SPEAKING VOICE There are no known recordings of Anne Frank's speaking voice. However, her diary gives insight into her "voice" through her writing—it is expressive, articulate, witty, and deeply personal, reflecting her youthful energy and developing maturity.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Anne Frank possessed a typical teenage sense of humor, including an interest in topics that adults might consider inappropriate. Researchers recently discovered that she wrote "dirty jokes" in her diary, using brown paper to hide these pages from prying eyes. On September 28, 1942, when she was 13, Anne wrote: "I'll use this spoiled page to write down 'dirty jokes,'" followed by several jokes about sex education, prostitution, and birth control. These entries reveal that despite her extraordinary circumstances, Anne maintained the curiosity and humor typical of a teenage girl. (2)

RELATIONSHIPS Anne had complex relationships with her family members. She was closest emotionally to her father, Otto, who later said: "I got on better with Anne than with Margot, who was more attached to her mother". Anne frequently wrote about her difficult relationship with her mother, initially expressing contempt and later developing understanding and tolerance.

Anne's relationship with her sister Margot evolved during their time in hiding. Initially, Anne sometimes expressed jealousy towards Margot, particularly when criticized for lacking Margot's gentle nature. However, as Anne matured, the sisters formed a closer relationship, with Anne writing in January 1944: "Margot's much nicer... She's becoming a real friend".

During her time in hiding, Anne developed romantic feelings for Peter van Pels, the teenage son of the family sharing their secret annex. She came to consider him a close friend, confidant, and eventually an object of romantic desire.

Peter van Pels  photo May–July 1942

MONEY AND FAME The Frank family was middle-class before the war. Otto Frank worked hard to establish his pectin business in Amsterdam, later expanding to sell herbs and spices. However, when Jews were no longer allowed to run their own businesses, Otto lost his company.

Anne achieved worldwide fame posthumously when her diary was published in 1947, two years after her death. Her father Otto was the only survivor from the secret annex and made the decision to publish her diary, fulfilling Anne's own dream of becoming a published writer.

FOOD AND DRINK Food was a significant concern during Anne's time in hiding, and she wrote extensively about meals in the secret annex. Initially, the food was of reasonable quality, with helper Miep Gies procuring meat and other rations through connections with butchers and grocers. The family had established a substantial stock of food at the start, including 150 tins of canned vegetables.

As the war progressed, food quality deteriorated significantly. The group often ate the same thing for weeks, experiencing periods devoted to specific vegetables like chicory, spinach, lettuce, or beans. Potatoes were almost always on the menu from breakfast to dinner. Anne wrote about the unpleasant nature of their meals, particularly describing kale and mash on March 14, 1944: "You wouldn't believe the way kale that has probably been in the barrel for a few years can stink".

Through business contacts, powdered milk, wheat starch, and sugar were available for making nutritious puddings. The food situation became critical in 1944 when suppliers were arrested, leading to severe shortages.

MUSIC AND ARTS Anne had interests in various forms of artistic expression. She wrote stories and poems in addition to her diary. There is evidence of musical adaptations of her diary, including compositions by Michael Nyman. 

She participated in school plays at her Montessori school, where she excelled in dramatic performances. Her teacher noted that Anne had no shyness and enjoyed imitating other people, making her a natural performer.

DIARY  It is a curious and humbling thing, when you stop to consider it, that one of the most enduring records of the Second World War—a global conflagration involving tens of millions of people, fearsome weaponry, and lots of shouting—is the diary of a teenage girl with a red-and-white checked notebook and nowhere to go.

Anne Frank, whose full name was Annelies Marie Frank (but who probably wouldn’t have appreciated being called that unless she was in trouble), received the now-iconic diary for her 13th birthday on June 12, 1942. It was the sort of gift you give a child who reads a lot and has thoughts too big for her own head, and she took to it like a duck to water—writing with a candour, wit, and insight that would put most adults to shame.

By this point, of course, life for the Frank family was becoming rather grim. The Nazis had been busily occupying the Netherlands, and being Jewish in Amsterdam was becoming an increasingly perilous affair. So the Franks went into hiding—along with another family and a grumpy dentist—in a concealed annex behind Otto Frank’s business premises. Anne promptly began recording the minutiae of their lives: the arguments, the meals, the creaking floorboards, the endless sense of waiting. Her diary runs from June 1942 until August 1944, when someone (no one knows who) betrayed them and the Gestapo showed up, as the Gestapo tended to do.

But what’s truly extraordinary is not just that Anne kept a diary, but that she began revising it. In March 1944, she heard a BBC broadcast urging Dutch citizens to preserve wartime records, and Anne—never one to do things by halves—set about editing and rewriting her entries, preparing for the postwar world she believed she would one day rejoin. She didn’t just keep a diary; she drafted short stories, mused about her future as a journalist, and generally outwrote everyone in the attic.

There are, rather confusingly, three versions of Anne’s diary. There’s Version A, which is what she originally wrote—warts, feelings, and all. Then there’s Version B, which is the edited version she hoped might be published. And finally, there’s Version C, which was assembled by Otto Frank after the war, once Miep Gies (a remarkable woman in her own right, and the sort of person you always hope humanity will produce in times of horror) handed him Anne’s surviving writings.

Version C was a combination of the first two, with certain passages omitted—mostly the ones in which Anne said unflattering things about her mother, or discussed, with rather astonishing frankness, the business of growing up female. It was this version that made it into the first Dutch edition on June 25, 1947, and into English on April 30, 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl.

Since then, Anne’s diary has become one of the most widely read books in the world, translated into more than 70 languages and read by everyone from schoolchildren to presidents. It is, in a sense, the voice of the Holocaust: not because it tells you everything, but because it tells you one thing—intimately, painfully, beautifully—and reminds you that behind every statistic was a child with dreams, allergies, and a great sense of humour.

Despite the best efforts of conspiracy theorists and assorted grumblers, the diary’s authenticity has been confirmed many times over. The ink, the handwriting, even the glue—all match the materials available in wartime Amsterdam. The Netherlands Institute for War Documentation examined it meticulously, and it is now as thoroughly verified as any document can be.

To read Anne Frank’s diary is to spend time in the company of a remarkably sharp and observant young mind. It is funny, heartbreaking, deeply human. And it contains, quite possibly, one of the most hopeful sentences ever written: “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are really good at heart.”

Whether she truly believed that at all times is anyone’s guess. But the fact that she wrote it, in a secret annex, while hiding from people who wished her dead, is perhaps the most powerful argument we have for remembering her—not as a symbol, but as a person who refused to stop believing in goodness even in a world gone terrifyingly mad.

Het Achterhuis, the first Dutch edition of Anne Frank's diary, published in 1947

LITERATURE The family had an extensive library, and both parents encouraged their children to read.

Anne Frank was an avid reader who spent most of her time in hiding reading and studying. She read everything she could get her hands on, including books intended for adults, which sometimes created conflict with her parents who thought such books inappropriate for her age. T

Anne's love for writing grew during her time in hiding. She treated her diary as a friend, addressing many entries to "Dear Kitty". She regularly wrote and edited her diary entries, particularly after March 1944, demonstrating her developing skills as a writer. She also wrote short stories and essays, showing her versatility as a young author.

NATURE Confined to the Annex, Anne yearned for nature. Her diary entries express a deep longing for fresh air, sunshine, and the beauty of the outdoors. She found solace and inspiration in gazing at the sky, the chestnut tree outside their window, and the fleeting glimpses of birds. 

Anne found comfort and spiritual meaning in nature. She wrote about heaven, nature, and God as sources of happiness and inner wealth despite her difficult circumstances. 

PETS Before going into hiding, the Frank family owned a cat named Moortje. On July 6, 1942, when the family left for the secret annex, they left a note for their neighbors, the Kupers, asking them to take care of their cat. This detail illustrates the sudden and dramatic nature of their departure into hiding.

There were two cats in the building where the Franks hid.: one for the warehouse (Boche) and one for the attic (Tommy). The warehouse cat, Boche, was always the aggressor in fights between the two, which led to his name—“the German” or “Boche”—while the attic cat was called “the Englishman” or “Tommy.” The name “Boche” is a derogatory slang for “German,” especially as used by the French during World War I and II

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Anne's primary hobby was writing, particularly her diary, which she kept throughout her time in hiding. She spent time writing short stories and poems beyond her diary entries.

Facsimile of the diary of Anne Frank by Rodrigo Galindez - Flickr:

Anne also engaged in observing the behavior of others in the annex and fantasizing about life after the war. All hobbies and activities had to be quiet to avoid detection by those who might discover their hiding place.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Anne studied mathematics with her father while in hiding, though she reportedly hated the subject. 

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Anne's relationship with religion evolved significantly during her time in hiding. Initially, the Frank family was not particularly devout, with Otto and Anne showing lukewarm attitudes toward religion. However, in the second half of 1943, Anne came to know God and found Him to be a source of courage.

Anne's diary shows her philosophical development as she wrestled with questions about human nature, her identity, and her place in the world. She wrote about her beliefs, dreams, and ambitions, subjects she felt she could not discuss with anyone else. As her confidence in writing grew and she began to mature, she explored more abstract subjects including her belief in God and how she defined human nature.

Anne also grappled with her Jewish identity and the persecution she experienced because of it.

POLITICS Anne Frank was a victim of Nazi persecution due to her Jewish heritage. Her family fled Germany in 1934 when she was four and a half years old after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party gained control. In 1941, Anne lost her German citizenship and became stateless. Despite spending most of her life in the Netherlands, she never officially became a Dutch citizen.

The systematic persecution of Jews directly affected Anne's life, forcing her family into hiding in July 1942 when her sister Margot received a call-up notice for deportation to a work camp. Anne documented the various restrictions placed upon Dutch Jews in her diary entry of June 20, 1942.

SCANDAL On the morning of August 4, 1944, after 761 days in hiding, Anne Frank, her family, and the others in the Secret Annex were discovered and arrested by German police. The raid was led by SS Hauptscharführer Karl Josef Silberbauer of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), accompanied by Dutch police officers. The officers arrived at the building at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam between 10:30 and 11:00 am. They questioned warehouse employees and were directed upstairs, where they found and unmasked the entrance to the Secret Annex hidden behind a bookcase.

The eight people in hiding—Anne, her parents Otto and Edith, her sister Margot, Hermann and Auguste van Pels, their son Peter, and Fritz Pfeffer—were shocked and terrified. They were forced to hand over their valuables. Silberbauer emptied Otto Frank’s briefcase, scattering Anne’s diary papers on the floor to use the case for collecting valuables. The group, along with two of their helpers, Victor Kugler and Johannes Kleiman, were arrested and taken away. The raid lasted over two hours.

After their arrest, the group was first taken to the SD headquarters on Euterpestraat, where they were interrogated. The officers tried to extract information about other Jews in hiding, but the group refused to betray anyone. The helpers and the people in hiding were then separated: Kleiman and Kugler were sent to a detention center at Amstelveenseweg, while the eight from the Annex were sent to the Weteringschans prison.

On August 8, 1944, the group was transferred to Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands. Because they had been caught in hiding, they were classified as criminals and sent to the camp’s Punishment Barracks for hard labor.

On September 3, 1944, Anne, her family, and the others were put on the last train from Westerbork to Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland. The journey took three days. Upon arrival, the men and women were separated; Otto Frank was parted from his family. Of the 1,019 people on the transport, 549 were sent directly to the gas chambers. Anne, who had just turned 15, was among the youngest spared for forced labor.

On November 1, 1944, Anne and her sister Margot were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. Conditions there were appalling, with overcrowding, disease, and starvation rampant. Both Anne and Margot died of typhus in early 1945, just weeks before the camp was liberated by British troops.

View of the Bergen-Belsen ncamp after liberation

Otto Frank was the only member of the Secret Annex to survive the Holocaust. After the war, he returned to Amsterdam, where Miep Gies, one of the helpers, gave him Anne’s preserved diary papers

MILITARY RECORD Anne Frank had no military record. She was a civilian, a child, and a victim of military aggression and persecution. However, her father Otto Frank had served as a lieutenant in the German army during World War I before becoming a businessman.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS During her early years in the Netherlands, Anne suffered from various health problems, earning her the family nickname 'Zärtlein' (delicate puppet). Her mother noted that Anne needed afternoon naps and was described as sensitive and nervous.

During her two years in the Secret Annex, her physical health was relatively stable, though the lack of fresh air, sunlight, and proper nutrition would have taken a toll. Her diary occasionally mentions minor ailments. After their arrest and deportation to concentration camps, her health rapidly deteriorated due to extreme malnutrition, forced labor, and disease. She and her sister Margot contracted typhus in Bergen-Belsen.

HOMES Anne Frank lived in several homes during her short life. She was born and spent her first four years in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, first at Marbachweg 307 in Frankfurt-Eckenheim, then moving in 1931 to Ganghoferstraße 24 in Frankfurt-Ginnheim. In 1934, the family moved to Amsterdam, where they lived in an apartment on Merwedeplein in the Rivierenbuurt neighborhood, where many Jewish-German refugees settled.

From July 6, 1942, until August 4, 1944, Anne lived in the secret annex behind her father's business at 263 Prinsengracht Street in Amsterdam. This hiding place, concealed behind a moveable bookcase, consisted of several small rooms where eight people lived in cramped conditions.

Anne Frank's birthplace at Marbachweg 307 in Frankfurt-Eckenheim, by Karsten Ratzke

TRAVEL Anne Frank's travel was limited due to her young age and the circumstances of her time. Her most significant journey was the family's move from Frankfurt, Germany, to Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1934 when she was four and a half years old. This move was motivated by the family's need to escape Nazi persecution in Germany.

After their arrest, she was forcibly transported by train from Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland, and then from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.

DEATH Anne Frank died in February or early March 1945 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, Germany. She succumbed to typhus, an epidemic that swept through the camp due to inhumane conditions, starvation, and lack of sanitation. Her sister Margot also died of typhus just days before Anne. Their deaths occurred only a few weeks before the camp was liberated by British forces.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Anne Frank has appeared in the media in many powerful and wide-ranging forms—books, plays, films, documentaries, and even virtual experiences. While the Diary itself remains the most important artifact, her story has inspired countless adaptations and portrayals that continue to shape public memory of the Holocaust. 

Here's a look at the major ones:

1. Stage Adaptations

The Diary of Anne Frank (1955 Broadway Play)  Written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, this adaptation was the first major dramatization of Anne’s diary. It premiered on Broadway in 1955, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play, and played a huge role in bringing her story to global attention.

Otto Frank approved the script, although some critics felt it softened or universalized the story by minimizing Jewish themes and Anne’s darker thoughts.

In the 1990s, Wendy Kesselman revised the play to include more of Anne’s writing—especially material related to her Jewish identity and growing self-awareness—that had been previously edited out. This version is now more widely used in schools and theaters.

2. Film and TV Adaptations

The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film) Directed by George Stevens, this Hollywood film was based on the Broadway play and starred Millie Perkins as Anne. It won three Academy Awards and helped cement Anne’s image in postwar popular culture. Like the play, it was heavily dramatized and leaned toward sentimentality, often glossing over more complex aspects of her personality. Shelley Winters, who won best supporting actress for her role as Petronella van Daanin the movie, donated her Oscar to the Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam.

Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001 miniseries) A more detailed and harrowing retelling, this Emmy-winning TV miniseries starred Hannah Taylor-Gordon as Anne and Ben Kingsley as Otto Frank. Unlike earlier versions, it covered not only the hiding period but also the family's capture, deportation, and eventual deaths in the camps. It was praised for its historical depth and emotional realism.

My Best Friend Anne Frank (2021) A Dutch-language Netflix film told from the perspective of Anne’s childhood friend Hannah Goslar. This fresh angle focuses on female friendship and their tragic reunion at Bergen-Belsen. The film adds emotional resonance by showing Anne through the eyes of someone who loved her.

3. Documentaries

Anne Frank Remembered (1995) This Oscar-winning documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh and Glenn Close, includes interviews with people who knew Anne, including Miep Gies. It’s often cited as one of the most moving and well-researched explorations of her life.

Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution (BBC, 2005) Though not solely about Anne, this landmark series includes her story as part of its broader Holocaust narrative, contextualizing her fate within the Nazi system.

Anne Frank Parallel Stories (2019) Narrated by Helen Mirren, this documentary weaves Anne’s story with that of five Holocaust survivors, creating a modern conversation about memory and resilience.Mirren reads excerpts from the diary in a recreated version of Anne’s room.

4. Museums, Exhibits & Virtual Media

Anne Frank House (Amsterdam) Opened in 1960, the museum preserves the Secret Annex and serves as a powerful educational space. Its website includes virtual tours, educational resources, and digitized diary pages.

5. Cultural References and Influence

Anne Frank has been referenced in countless novels, poems, speeches, songs, and even political debates—sometimes controversially. Her quote, “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are really good at heart,” is frequently cited, sometimes detached from its historical context.

In rare cases, her image has been misused or commercialized in ways that sparked backlash and calls for respectful remembrance.

6. Footage of Anne Frank

The Anne Frank House museum has posted the only known footage of Anne Frank herself on YouTube, showing her appearance in a neighbor's wedding video from July 22, 1941, where she appears for nine seconds. This brief film clip represents the only moving image of Anne Frank that exists.

ACHIEVEMENTS Anne Frank's primary achievement, though posthumous, is profound:

Immortalizing the Holocaust Experience: Her diary provides one of the most intimate, human, and widely accessible accounts of the Holocaust, giving voice to the millions who perished.

Symbol of Hope and Resilience: Despite the horror she faced, her writings maintain a remarkable spirit of hope, intellectual curiosity, and belief in the good of humanity, making her a symbol of resilience in the face of unspeakable evil.

Literary Impact: The Diary of a Young Girl is a literary classic, studied in schools worldwide, and continues to resonate with readers of all ages, fostering understanding and empathy.

Advocacy for Human Rights: Her story has inspired countless initiatives and organizations dedicated to human rights, tolerance, and combating prejudice and discrimination.

Sources (1) Anne Frank House (2) Bustle 

Friday, 18 July 2014

Pope Francis

NAME Jorge Mario Bergoglio (birth name)

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Pope Francis was renowned for being the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first pontiff born or raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III. He became famous as "the People's Pope" for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, commitment to interreligious dialogue, and concern for the poor, migrants, and refugees.

BIRTH Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Flores, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was born to a family of Italian origin during the height of the Great Depression era.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Pope Francis was born to Italian immigrant parents. His father, Mario José Bergoglio, was an accountant employed by the railways who had emigrated from Piedmont, Italy. His mother, Regina María Sívori, was a committed housewife born in Buenos Aires to a family of northern Italian origin. Mario Bergoglio's family left Italy in 1929 to escape the fascist rule of Benito Mussolini, though according to María Elena Bergoglio, the Pope's only living sibling, the family did not emigrate for economic reasons. The family represented the wave of Italian immigration to Argentina in the early 20th century.

CHILDHOOD Francis was the eldest of five children. His siblings were Oscar Adrián, Marta Regina, and Alberto Horacio, with María Elena being his youngest sister who was still living at the time of his papal election. 

He grew up in a modest household in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires. During his childhood, he became fluent in both Italian and Spanish due to his family's heritage. His upbringing was described as reasonably modest and humble, which enabled him to understand the plight of different social groups and develop social consciousness from a young age.

EDUCATION In sixth grade, Bergoglio attended Wilfrid Barón de los Santos Ángeles, a school run by the Salesians of Don Bosco in Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires Province. He then attended the technical secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial Nº 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen, where he graduated with a chemical technician's diploma. 

After working briefly in the food-processing industry, he studied at the archdiocesan seminary, Inmaculada Concepción Seminary, in Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires. He entered the Society of Jesus as a novice on March 11, 1958. In 1960, Bergoglio obtained a licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio Máximo de San José. He completed his theological studies at Facultades de Filosofía y Teología de San Miguel and later completed his final stage of spiritual training as a Jesuit at Alcalá de Henares, Spain.

Bergoglio at an Argentine seminary where he studied for the priesthood in the 1950s

Bergoglio pursued graduate studies in theology in Germany in the 1980s, where he finished his doctoral thesis

CAREER RECORD Bergolio taught literature and psychology at various institutions, including the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepción in Santa Fe from 1964 to 1965 and the Colegio del Salvador in Buenos Aires in 1966.

Bergoglio was ordained as a Catholic priest on December 13, 1969, by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. 

1973-1979, he served as the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina. 

1980-1986 Served as Rector of the Colegio de San José and parish priest in San Miguel 

1992 Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires 

1998 Named Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, a post he held until his election to the papacy.

2001 Pope John Paul II created him a cardinal. He famously asked the faithful not to come to Rome to celebrate his cardinal creation but instead to donate to the poor what they would have spent on the journey.

2013 Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the 2013 papal conclave elected Bergoglio as pope on March 13, 2013. His papacy lasted 12 years and 1 month until his death in 2025, surpassing the 7.5-year average tenure of his 265 predecessors.

APPEARANCE Pope Francis had a relatively short stature, often seen with a gentle, often smiling expression. He had gray hair and often wore glasses. His appearance reflected his humble approach to the papal office, often appearing without the elaborate regalia traditionally associated with the papacy.

Pope Francis in 2014 By Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service 

FASHION Pope Francis became an unlikely fashion icon through his deliberately simple style choices. He was known for his "unfussy white cassocks and simple black shoes," which were reportedly made by a friend in Buenos Aires. 

His fashion choices represented a dramatic shift from his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, who favored gem-encrusted pectoral crosses, bright red designer loafers, and archaic accessories. Francis chose silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, kept the same pectoral cross he had as cardinal, and refused the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election.

The Cut declared him the world's "normcore pope" for his "simple, non-frilly" approach to dressing, and Esquire named him 2013's "Best-Dressed Man". (1)

CHARACTER Pope Francis was described as having a complex, multifaceted personality. He was attentive, determined, testy, mercurial, sometimes deliberate, sometimes in a hurry, hard to read, and hard to pin down. He thrived on direct, informal encounters including phone calls, penned notes, hugs, and audiences with small groups. He was impatient with protocol, carrying his own overnight bag, busing his own tray at the cafeteria, and answering reporters' questions extemporaneously. 

Throughout his papacy, Francis was noted for his humility and less formal approach to the papal office. He was known for making it clear that the fundamental task of the faithful was not to follow rules but to discern what God was calling them to do. (2)

SPEAKING VOICE Pope Francis was multilingual, speaking fluent Spanish (his native language), Italian (the official language of Vatican City), and German. He was also conversant in Latin (the official language of the Holy See), French, Portuguese, and English. Additionally, he understood Piedmontese and some Genoese Ligurian. 

His communication style was noted for being direct and informal, often speaking extemporaneously rather than following prepared scripts. Pope Francis had a warm, clear, and engaging speaking voice. He often spoke in a calm and deliberate manner, with a noticeable Argentine accent when speaking in Spanish. When speaking Italian, his voice was often described as gentle but authoritative.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Pope Francis had a well-documented appreciation for humor and believed it was essential for faith. He wrote that "those who give up their own humanity give up everything, and that when it becomes hard to cry seriously or to laugh passionately, then we really are on the downhill slope". 

Francis endorsed humor as not just compatible with faith but perhaps essential for it. He invited comedians from around the world to the Vatican, praising them for getting people to "think critically by making them laugh and smile". Francis believed comedians played an important role in denouncing abuses of power, giving voice to forgotten situations, and highlighting inappropriate behavior. (3)

RELATIONSHIPS Pope Francis maintained close relationships with his family, particularly his sister María Elena Bergoglio, who was 12 years younger and still lived in Buenos Aires during his papacy. He had informal, accessible relationships with people from all walks of life, preferring direct encounters over formal protocol. His niece, Cristina Bergoglio, was a painter based in Madrid, Spain. 

 In his youth, at age 12, he reportedly had a childhood love, Amalia Damonte, to whom he proposed marriage with a handwritten note saying, "If I don't marry you, I'll become a priest." Her rejection is said to have changed the course of his life. 

As pope, he was known for his commitment to interreligious dialogue and building bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and faiths. 

MONEY AND FAME Pope Francis lived a notably simple lifestyle, choosing to reside in the Vatican guest house rather than the traditional papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He was the first pope since Pope Pius X to live outside the papal apartments. He often said "My people are poor and I am one of them," explaining his decision to live simply and cook his own supper when he was archbishop. He condemned unfettered capitalism as "a new tyranny" and prioritized poverty relief. Francis believed in "a poor church for the poor" and consistently demonstrated this through his lifestyle choices.

FOOD AND DRINK Pope Francis had simple food preferences that reflected his Argentine heritage and humble approach to life. His favorite foods included empanadas (often with meat, cheese, or ham filling), which he recalled making with his grandmother. He also loved alfajores, delicate sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche and dusted with coconut. For breakfast, he often had fresh-squeezed orange juice and membrillo, a gelatinous paste made from quince that is popular in Argentina. He enjoyed simple meals of baked chicken, salad, fruit, and fresh vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli. Francis came to appreciate Italian staples including gnocchi, pasta, polenta, and pizza during his time at the Vatican. (4)

His favorite drink was mate, the traditional South American herbal tea, which he drank nearly every day. He often received mate as gifts from pilgrims, and it represented not just a beverage but a ritual of grounding and connection to his cultural roots. 

The picture below shows Francis with Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, holding traditional Argentine mate drinkware.

By Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation), Wikipedia

MUSIC AND ARTS Pope Francis had a deep appreciation for the arts, particularly those connected to his Argentine heritage. He loved tango, both as music and dance, and was a fan of Carlos Gardel, one of the biggest figures in the tango genre. Although he loved dancing tango in his youth, he later joked that his feet had turned to "lead" and he couldn't do it anymore. 

He loved classical music, with favorite composers including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Wagner. He particularly admired Mozart's "Et incarnatus est" from his Mass in C minor and Bach's "Erbarme Dich" from the St. Matthew Passion. He had a favorite record store in Rome, StereoSound, which he visited as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. 

In visual arts, he appreciated Marc Chagall's painting White Crucifixion

He was also a cinema enthusiast, with Federico Fellini's film La Strada being among his favorites. (5)

LITERATURE Pope Francis taught literature and psychology during his early career. He wrote extensively during his papacy, including his memoir Hope and important papal documents. His spiritual writings on various topics were noted for their narrative force and prophetic voice.

NATURE Pope Francis was recognized as one of history's most environmentally conscious popes. His landmark 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si'" ("Praise Be to You") addressed the climate crisis and championed environmental stewardship. He spoke with "uncompromising conviction for all of nature, the poor, Indigenous and traditional peoples, and for all those who lack a voice in the halls of corporate and political power". 

Francis' spiritual writings on climate change were unprecedented, and he urged humanity to embrace resolve to conserve "our common home". His environmental advocacy directly inspired the preamble of the landmark 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. (6)

He chose his papal name after Saint Francis of Assisi, who was known for his love of nature.

PETS Pope Francis didn't have any pets. He has commented on people giving excessive attention to pets, suggesting that it can sometimes be a form of "programmed love" that replaces the experience of human, reciprocal love. He aligns with Saint Francis of Assisi's view that animals are sacred because they remind us of God, their true origin, rather than as objects for human affection or ownership. (7)

No specific information about pets was found in the available sources.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Pope Francis was a lifelong soccer fan and maintained his membership in his beloved San Lorenzo de Almagro club (Member No. 88235N-0). He watched every game of the team that he could. His nephew, Felipe Bergoglio, made a career out of the family's love of soccer, playing defense for the Italian team Castiglione 1919.

He believed strongly in the spiritual and community value of sports, describing sport as "a place for encounter and fraternity" and emphasizing the importance of preserving the "amateur spirit" in sports.

He loved to dance the tango in his youth, though he humorously noted in recent years his feet had turned to "lead." (5)

SCIENCE AND MATHS Pope Francis had a background in chemistry, having graduated as a chemical technician before entering the priesthood. He worked for several years in the food section of Hickethier-Bachmann Laboratory under Esther Ballestrino. His scientific background informed his environmental advocacy, as he melded science and faith in his approach to climate change and conservation.

PAPACY It’s fair to say that when Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis on March 13, 2013, quite a few ecclesiastical eyebrows went up—and not without cause. For starters, he was a Jesuit (which is already enough to make a few bishops reach for the chamomile tea), the first Latin American pope, and, astonishingly, the first from the Southern Hemisphere. You could almost hear the curial floorboards creak. 

Francis in St. Peter's Square, two months after his election. By Edgar Jiménez from Porto, Portugal -

From the beginning, Francis seemed determined not to behave properly. He refused to swan about in the papal apartments, preferring the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse instead—presumably because it was closer to the kettle and had fewer gilded cherubs staring down at him during breakfast. And then, rather shockingly, he started doing things like washing the feet of prisoners—including women and Muslims—on Holy Thursday. Some people nodded approvingly. Others reached for their Latin dictionaries and murmured “incredibilis.”

When he released his first big document, Evangelii Gaudium, it was all about joy, street-level Christianity, and a Church that’s a bit “bruised, hurting and dirty.” You could almost hear centuries of marble sighing in confusion.

Francis kept saying things like “Who am I to judge?” which isn’t something popes are generally known for. He talked about inclusion, poverty, and the Gospel as if they were still central to the Christian faith—how quaint. LGBTQ+ Catholics, the divorced, and the remarried suddenly found themselves cautiously peeking back through the church door, wondering if they were still welcome. (They were.)

In 2015, he wrote Laudato Si’, a beautifully grumpy letter to the world about the environment, which basically said, “Stop wrecking the place. God made it. Don’t be daft.” Even atheists nodded solemnly. Oil executives less so.

Francis also had a go at cleaning up Vatican finances. This, as anyone who’s ever tried to find last year’s budget in an old church vestry cupboard will understand, was a heroic task. He introduced new rules, shuffled some positions, and even gave laypeople (yes, including women) more say in how things were run. Imagine.

He met with religious leaders around the world, particularly Muslims, and signed a rather lovely document in Abu Dhabi about human fraternity. It was all very grown-up and gracious. The sort of thing that gives cynics indigestion and angels the giggles.

Francis introduced something called “synodality,” which is a fancy word for “Let’s all sit down and talk about things—yes, even the uncomfortable bits.” The Synod on Synodality ran from 2021 to 2024 and felt a bit like trying to run a Bible study with several thousand opinionated aunts and uncles. But he kept at it, and people noticed.

Of course, not everyone was thrilled. Some grumbled about his open arms being too open, particularly toward LGBTQ+ people and divorced Catholics. And the Church’s ongoing battle with sexual abuse was a heavy burden. In Chile, his initial missteps were painful, but he later admitted his errors, which is more than some people do with their parking tickets.

When the dust settles—hopefully not in the Vatican archives—Francis may be remembered as the pope who made the Church feel a little more like Jesus again: gentle, messy, forgiving, and inconveniently interested in the poor.

He swapped golden thrones for kitchen chairs, preferred mercy to might, and seemed more concerned with washing feet than kissing rings. He wasn’t perfect (who is?), but he gave the impression that holiness might have more to do with humility than with hats.

And that, really, is no small miracle.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY As a Jesuit, Pope Francis was deeply grounded in Ignatian spirituality and philosophy. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio Máximo de San José in 1960. 

Francis' theological approach emphasized God's mercy over strict rule-following, steering the clergy away from "clericalism" toward an ethic of service. He famously said the church's shepherds must have the "smell of the sheep," staying close to the People of God. 

Francis convened the Synod on Synodality, described as the culmination of his papacy and the most important event in the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council.

POLITICS Pope Francis took progressive political stances throughout his papacy. He called unfettered capitalism "a new tyranny" and prioritized poverty relief, contrasting with Pope Benedict XVI's focus on doctrine. 

Francis called Trump's border wall "not Christian" and clashed with nationalist leaders. He stated that "Nothing good will come of" Trump's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. 

Francis focused on human trafficking, the drug trade, and support for vulnerable populations. He advocated for more inclusivity toward LGBTQ+ people and made women full members of dicasteries in the Roman Curia.

SCANDAL The most significant crisis of Pope Francis's papacy occurred during his 2018 visit to Chile. When asked about a Chilean bishop accused of covering up crimes by Chile's most notorious pedophile, Francis defended the bishop, saying there was "not one shred of proof against him. It's all slander". This response struck a nerve in Chile and prompted his top child protection adviser to rebuke him. However, Francis then commissioned an investigation, realized he was wrong, apologized to the victims he had discredited, and got the entire Chilean hierarchy to offer to resign. This was described as "one of the greatest midcourse corrections of the modern papacy". (8)

While making historic apologies to survivors and instituting some reforms, Pope Francis was criticized for inadequate efforts to address the issue fully and for allegedly protecting or elevating close friends accused of misconduct, such as Jesuit priest Marko Rupnik.

As Jesuit provincial in Argentina during the military dictatorship (1976-1983), he faced accusations of complicit silence regarding the abduction and torture of two Jesuit priests under his authority. He has denied these allegations.

Francis efforts to clean up Vatican finances was described as "patchy," with incidents like the mysterious ousting of a top auditor in 2017 and a botched investment in London real estate that led to convictions.

His progressive stances on issues like divorcees receiving communion and blessing same-sex couples have caused significant friction with conservative factions within the Church, leading to open challenges from some cardinals.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS  Pope Francis faced significant health challenges throughout his life. When he was 21 years old, he suffered life-threatening pneumonia and had three cysts, resulting in part of his right lung being excised. 

During his papacy, he dealt with various health issues related to his advanced age. He suffered from diverticulitis and underwent colon surgery in 2021 and experienced knee pain and sciatica, often using a cane or wheelchair for mobility. Despite these issues, Pope Francis generally maintained a rigorous schedule of audiences and international travel

HOMES Before becoming Pope, he resided in a simple apartment in Buenos Aires as Archbishop.

Pope Francis made the revolutionary decision to live in the Vatican guest house (Domus Sanctae Marthae) rather than the traditional papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He converted the entire second floor of the hotel wing into a home office, with his residence being Santa Marta's Room 201. He was the first pope since Pope Pius X to live outside the papal apartments. This choice reflected his preference for a simpler, more accessible lifestyle compared to his predecessors.

TRAVEL As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio insisted on traveling throughout the city using public transportation, rather than using taxis or a car service. (9)

Pope Francis was an extensively traveled pope, making 47 international trips during his 12-year papacy. He visited more than 65 countries, nearly a third of all nations globally. His international visits accounted for more than 465,000 kilometers of travel. His first international trip was to Brazil in 2013, and he continued traveling throughout his papacy to spread messages of peace and compassion. He visited refugee camps and engaged in diplomatic efforts worldwide.

DEATH  Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican. The official cause of death was a cerebral stroke and irreversible heart failure. He had suffered from a bout of bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia earlier in the year, which required a 38-day hospital stay. In his final days, he entered a coma before passing away at 7:35 AM local time. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, formally announced his death later that morning.

On April 23, Pope Francis’s remains were transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica, where he lay in state for three days. The faithful were able to pay their respects from April 23 to April 25, with over 250,000 people visiting during this period. The basilica remained open overnight to accommodate the crowds.

The funeral Mass for Pope Francis was held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square. The service was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. The Vatican confirmed the attendance of at least 130 foreign delegations, including 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs. An estimated 250,000 people attended the funeral Mass, with another 140,000 lining the streets for the procession. Security was extensive, involving thousands of police and military personnel, a naval vessel, and a no-fly zone over Rome.

Francis had previously revised and simplified the papal funeral rites, opting for a more modest ceremony. He chose a basic wooden coffin lined with zinc, ending the tradition of three nested coffins and an elevated bier for public viewing. During the funeral, a summary of his life (rogitum) was placed in the coffin, and Eastern Catholic leaders participated in special prayers.

Pope Francis was buried on April 26, 2025, in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome, specifically in a burial niche between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel. This honored his personal devotion to the Salus Populi Romani icon, before which he prayed before and after each foreign trip. He became the first pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican, and the first at St. Mary Major since 1669.

His spiritual testament requested a simple burial “in the ground, without special decoration,” with only his papal name, Franciscus, inscribed in Latin. On April 27, the tomb was opened for public viewing, drawing thousands of mourners. Members of the College of Cardinals visited to pray at his tomb, and his papal ring and lead seal were ceremonially destroyed, as tradition dictates

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Pope Francis' media appearances reflected his accessible, down-to-earth personality that resonated with people worldwide. They included:

Numerous live broadcasts of his Masses, audiences, and apostolic journeys.

Interviews with various media outlets, including a notable one with America magazine in 2013 where he discussed his personal interests.

Featured in documentaries, such as The Speed Cubers (2020), which highlighted his relationship with speedcuber Max Park.

Named Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2013.

Author of books, including Hope: The Autobiography, from which an op-ed was adapted for The New York Times.

Pope Francis was the first pontiff to appear on a Rolling Stone cover and was dubbed "Best-Dressed Man" by Esquire in 2013. 

His simple style and approach to the papacy generated countless memes and unauthorized merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, and mugs featuring his likeness in faux '90s bootleg designs. There was even a viral AI-generated image of him in a white puffer jacket that captured public attention. His media appearances reflected his accessible, down-to-earth personality that resonated with people worldwide.

ACHIEVEMENTS Pope Francis set numerous records during his papacy. He canonized over 900 saints, setting a record that surpassed Pope John Paul II's 483 canonizations during his 26-year pontificate. He also beatified more than 1,350 people. During his tenure, he appointed 109 Cardinals who became eligible to vote for the next Pope. 

His environmental encyclical "Laudato Si'" was groundbreaking and influenced global climate policy. 

He convened the historic Synod on Synodality and made significant reforms to make the Church more inclusive and accessible. 

His papacy was marked by unprecedented outreach to marginalized communities and interfaith dialogue

Sources (1) CNN  (2) The New Yorker (3) Catholic Review (4) Times of India (5) Hola! (6) Mongabay (7) CatholicH (8) PBS (9) Encyclopaedia of Trivia