>>17844079This claim — that The Diary of Anne Frank is a forgery because it contains ballpoint pen ink — is a widely debunked Holocaust denial talking point. Here's the facts
This Is False — and Misleading. Here’s Why:
1. The Vast Majority of the Diary Was Written in Fountain Pen Ink
Anne Frank wrote the diary between 1942–1944, while hiding in the Secret Annex.
The original manuscripts were examined by forensic analysts from the Netherlands State Institute for War Documentation (NIOD).
They concluded that virtually all of it was written in fountain pen ink, common and available at the time.
2. Ballpoint Pen Ink Appears Only in Marginal Notes — Added After the War
The “ballpoint ink” found in the diary was in a few minor annotations and page numbers.
These were written by someone else — likely an editor or archivist — after Anne’s death.
The NIOD’s 1986 full report explained this clearly and openly. The presence of ballpoint pen was never hidden or covered up.
3. This Was Investigated Extensively — and the Diary Was Proven Authentic
In the 1980s, Holocaust deniers like Robert Faurisson pushed the “ballpoint pen” lie.
In response, the Dutch government commissioned an exhaustive forensic study.
The 1986 report ran over 700 pages and concluded the diary was:
> “Authentic in every respect. Written by Anne Frank herself during the war.”Even forensic handwriting experts confirmed it was Anne’s own script.
It is a zombie argument: long debunked, but repeated by people who haven’t read the actual reports.
Sources:
NIOD, The Diary of Anne Frank: The Critical Edition (1986)
Deborah Lipstadt, Denying the Holocaust
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – archives and fact sheets
NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (Netherlands)