A NORTH-EAST company will be hosting an anti-racism exhibition charting the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany.

The acclaimed exhibition Anne Frank: A History for Today - created through a partnership between the Anne Frank Trust, Trade Unions and the Northern TUC - will be held at the learning centre in Caterpillar in Peterlee, County Durham, from Friday, January 10.

The display, owned by the Anne Frank Trust, charts the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany and the persecution of the Jewish people, which forced the Frank family to flee their home in Germany and take refuge in Holland before the start of the war.

It looks at Anne Frank’s life, including her two years in hiding with her family in Amsterdam and death in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945, only weeks before it was liberated by British troops.

TUC regional secretary Beth Farhat said: “This moving exhibition covers a wide range of issues and challenges that are still relevant in today’s society – nearly 70 years after the end of World War Two.

“Staff and visitors can gain a greater understanding what we can all do to prevent the rise of prejudice and discrimination in our own communities and workplaces.

“The exhibition is a poignant reminder of the horrific consequences of intolerance and hatred.”

Caterpillar managing director Phil Handley said: “Through this exhibition Anne Frank leaves us with a lesson on the consequences of what can happen when prejudice leads to extreme discrimination."

Easington MP Grahame Morris added: “The Anne Frank exhibition will be an invaluable insight into what life was like when racism, hatred, and discrimination took over the political discourse."