There are a few shows that make you question the things you think you know. That is certainly the case with A Small Light when it comes to the story of hiding Anne Frank.
You see, you know Anne Frank’s story based on her diary. Something that we can often forget is that this was the diary of a 13-year-old girl. Imagine being a 13-year-old during World War II and forced into hiding not really understanding everything that was going on.
A Small Light doesn’t focus on Anne and her family, though. It focuses on the people who hid them, risking everything to do so.
What is A Small Light about?
The limited series on Hulu follows Miep Gies, her husband Jan, and the many others who helped to hide the Franks and others in the attic in the Franks’ workplace. In fact, it starts with the story of how Miep ended up working for Otto Frank in the first place. We get to see their relationship develop, leading to Miep’s relationship with the entire Frank family developing. This is important.
We also get to see how Jan and Miep helped others. They couldn’t just sit by and allow Jewish people to be taken away by the Nazis. They did what they could, often putting their own lives at risk.
Why watch A Small Light during Droughtlander
Of course, the fact that this is historical fiction is initially going to be a reason to watch the series during Droughtlander. More specifically, it’s a World War II period drama, which connects to the time period Claire comes from.
However, there is more. History is designed to be learned from, and we can learn a lot about perseverance and doing what’s right in this series. It’s one of those looks at normal people doing what they could. They may not have saved hundreds of Jews, but they did what they could for those around them. They were willing to put their lives on the line.
Some of this story is fictionalized, though. There are some elements of the story, such as Jan’s, that aren’t fully true. Jan Gies refused to talk about the way he helped during World War II. Many people who put their lives on the line to save people did refuse to talk about it afterward. They weren’t doing it for the fame, and the trauma they went through to save people still sat with them. However, their stories need to be told so their names are remembered.
A Small Light is available to stream on Hulu.