Tree that comforted Anne Frank topples over
<p>A photographer and a cameraman climb on the monumental chestnut tree, which comforted Anne Frank while she hid from the Nazis during World War II, after it had fallen over, at the Anne Frank Museum Monday, Aug. 23, 2010, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The tree's trunk snapped close to the ground and it toppled into neighboring gardens, damaging several sheds. No one was hurt. The 150-year-old tree suffered from fungus and moths that had caused more than half its trunk to rot. Two years ago the 27-ton tree was encased in a steel tripod as a precaution of the danger it might fall, but that…
AMSTERDAM (AP) - The Anne Frank Museum says the monumental chestnut tree that cheered the teenage diarist while she was in hiding from the Nazis has toppled over.
The diseased tree made headlines around the world in 2007 when Amsterdam officials ordered it cut down for safety's sake. Supporters who saw the tree as a symbol of freedom protested and it was granted a last-minute reprieve.
The 27-ton tree was encased in a steel support system, but that failed under windy weather conditions Monday.
Museum spokeswoman Maatje Mostart said the tree's trunk snapped about 3 feet from the ground and it fell into neighboring gardens, damaging several sheds. No one was hurt.
The 150-year-old tree suffered from fungus and moths that had caused more than half of its trunk to rot.
Many clones of the tree have been taken.
Frank wrote about it several times in her diary.