Judge rules: Anne Frank tree not to be felled tomorrow

An Amsterdam judge has ruled today that the cutting down of the - now world famous - Anne Frank tree has to be postponed.

The city authorities had planned that the tree was to be cut tomorrow (November 21), but this plan has to be cancelled.

The judge came over to the garden behind the Anne Frank house today, in person, to have a look at the tree himself. At 7pm he ruled that the city authorities must postpone the cutting down, 2 weeks after until all objections by the neighbours have been heard. This means that the next step can only be taken somewhere in January 2008.
He said the cutting of the chestnut tree was not so urgent that emergency measures to support the tree can not be taken.

The city had been taken to court by neighbours, together with the 'Tree Foundation'.

Yesterday the central Amsterdam city authorities had asked the Centre neighbourhood council to preserve the tree, but this request had been put aside.

The Amsterdam Centre neighbourhood council (responsible for issuing the licence to cut down the tree) may now withdraw its care for the tree.

Remarkably, the director of the Anne Frank House said that the Anne Frank foundation possibly takes the owner of the tree to court, to cut down the tree. The tree is not located in the garden of the Anne Frank House along the Prinsengracht canal, but in an adjacent garden of a Keizersgracht property. The Anne Frank House management wants the tree to be cut down, in order to protect its property and the visitors of the Anne Frank House. The Anne Frank House does not want to cooperate with one of the solutions for the tree, attaching it with steel cables to the surrounding buildings (one of which would be the Anne Frank House).

The owner of the tree also wants to remove the tree, as he is afraid of being held responsible for damage in case the tree falls down.

The tree, described in Anne Frank's diary, has various diseases and is alive at this time for about 24%.

The chestnut of the Anne Frank tree, that was found in yet another garden, now has a bid of E 7,000,- on the Ebay website. It is uncertain whether or not the bid is a joke.