Cover

ANNE FRANK IN THE SECRET ANNEXE

WHO WAS WHO?

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First edition in print © 2013 (in Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian)

ePub 2 edition © 2013, revised ePub 2 Edition © 2015 Anne Frank House, Amsterdam

All rights reserved.

ISBN/EAN: 978-90-8667-054-3

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FOREWORD

During the Second World War, in what is now known as the Secret Annexe, located in Amsterdam at the Prinsengracht 263, eight Jews remained in hiding for just over two years: Otto, Edith, Margo and Anne Frank, Hermann, Auguste and Peter van Pels, and Fritz Pfeffer. They were helped by five people for whom it was self-evident to take on this dangerous task: Johannes Kleiman, Victor Kugler, Bep Voskuijl and Miep and Jan Gies.

In her diary, Anne Frank gave a face to the eight people hiding in the Secret Annexe and their five helpers; between July 1942 and August 1944 she lived through two intense years with them. Her youthful outlook and the circumstances of the war era strongly coloured the portraits she created. Anne gave all of her subjects pseudonyms in her diary, except for her parents and sister.

But who were these people really, where did they come from? How were their daily lives during the occupation? What did these people in hiding eat, what did they do all day? And how did their helpers manage to feed eight extra mouths while carrying out their duties at the office, without their activities being noticed? Did they stay in contact after the war?

For the first time, this book outlines the lives of those in hiding and their helpers, both during and after their time in the Secret Annexe, in thirteen personal portraits. There were also others active in and around the Prinsengracht 263, such as warehouse employees, suppliers and representatives. To date their roles have never been described.

For many years, the Anne Frank Foundation has researched everyone involved. This publication includes the latest insights discovered, as well as many new photographs. We hope that this e-book will form a valuable addition to the existing literature about Anne Frank and the Secret Annexe.

Ronald Leopold

Executive Director, Anne Frank House

THE PEOPLE IN HIDING

Now follows an image, with the caption Otto Frank, the father of Margo and Anne, owner of Opekta, founder of Pectacon and Gies &Co. Key figure in the family going into hiding and the only person who hid in the Secret Annexe to survive the war.
Now follows an image, with the caption Edith Frank, the mother of Margot and Anne, from a rich German family. When the Franks are in hiding, her daughters are her greatest worry.
Now follows an image, with the caption Margot Frank, Anne’s sister, and a very promising young woman. Margot has many friends, loves sports and is a good student.
Now follows an image, with the caption Anne Frank, famous because of her diary. She has just turned thirteen when she goes into hiding, and is a teenager with considerable self-awareness and writing talent.
Now follows an image, with the caption Hermann van Pels, a Dutch citizen born in Germany. Employed by Otto Frank and an expert in herbs and spices.
Now follows an image, with the caption Auguste van Pels, an elegant German lady, married to Hermann, mother of Peter. Her family goes into hiding a week after the Franks take refuge in the Secret Annexe.
Now follows an image, with the caption Peter van Pels, the son of Hermann and Auguste, is good with his hands and studying to be a professional technician. He brings his cat to the Secret Annexe.
Now follows an image, with the caption Fritz Pfeffer, Miep Gies’ dentist and an acquaintance of the Frank and Van Pels families. Originally from Berlin, he is the last to join the people hiding in the Secret Annexe.

THE HELPERS

Now follows an image, with the caption Johannes Kleiman, a businessman to the core, and friend and business partner to Otto Frank. He suggests the annexe as a possible hiding place.
Now follows an image, with the caption Victor Kugler, born in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, fought in the First World War. Moves to the Netherlands and is employed by Otto Frank. He enjoys photography and comes up with the idea of a revolving bookcase.
Now follows an image, with the caption Bep Voskuijl, the eldest of a large Amsterdam family. Employed by Otto Frank, in his administrative department. She is the youngest of the helpers and does the daily groceries for the people hiding in the Secret Annexe.
Now follows an image, with the caption Miep Gies, an Austrian girl who comes to live in the Netherlands. She does all kinds of office work for Otto Frank and helps the hiders by acquiring books and food for them. After the war, Otto Frank lives with the Gies family for seven years.
Now follows an image, with the caption Jan Gies, Miep’s husband, who works for Amsterdam city council. He is in the resistance and helps the eight people hiding in the Secret Annexe with, among other things, ration coupons.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

THE PEOPLE IN HIDING

THE HELPERS

A BRIEF HISTORY

On the run

The occupation and the anti-Jewish regulations

Opekta, Pectacon, Gies & Co

The hiding period and the arrest

Police investigation

The helpers are honoured

DAILY LIFE IN THE SECRET ANNEXE

Daily routine

Food and distribution

Contact with the outside world

Daily discomforts

Holidays

THE BUILDING AT 263 PRINSENGRACHT

OTTO FRANK

Background – A well-to-do family

Flight to the Netherlands – A modern businessman

In hiding – Pater familias

After discovery – Absorbed by the diary

EDITH FRANK

Background – Happy years

Flight to the Netherlands – Adjusting to another country

In hiding – Living in fear and despair

After discovery – A well-organized hell

MARGOT FRANK

Background – A sweet, easy-going girl

Flight to the Netherlands – A hand-working and clever student

In hiding – Eight together yet all alone

After discovery – Westerbork, Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen

ANNE FRANK

Background – A cheeky little toddler

Flight to the Netherlands – Mistress Chatterback

In hiding – The dream of being a famous writer

After discovery – A lonely death

HERMANN VAN PELS

Background – Dutch nationality

Flight to the Netherlands – Specialist in herbs and spices

In hiding – Shortage of funds

After discovery – A fatal injury

AUGUSTE VAN PELS

Background – Coquettish and elegant

Flight to the Netherlands – A new start in in the Netherlands

In hiding – Keeping things lively

After discovery – A brutal death

PETER VAN PELS

Background – Smaller and smaller classes

Flight to the Netherlands – Good with his hands

In hiding – Hunger and dreaming of freedom

After discovery – A death march

FRITZ PFEFFER

Background – A sport-loving dentist

Flight to the Netherlands – Saying goodbye to his son

In hiding – Love at a distance

After discovery – Worked to death

JOHANNES KLEIMAN

Background – Jack-of-all-trades

In hiding – Auguste van Pels’s fur coat

After discovery – Intense involvement with the Anne Frank House

VICTOR KUGLER

Background – Friend and business partner

In hiding – Mastermind of the bookcase

After discovery – Emigrating to Canada

BEP VOSKUIJL

Background – Eldest of a large family

In hiding – The youngest helper

After discovery – Meeting Queen Juliana

MIEP GIES

Background – A bicycle ride that changes her life

In hiding – Pack mule and carrier pigeon

After discovery – A woman with a big heart

JAN GIES

Background – An unpretentious Amsterdammer

In hiding – In the resistance

After discovery – ‘Prince consort’

OTHERS IN AND AROUND 263 PRINSENGRACHT

Warehouse workers 1942-1944

Cats

The chemist and the neighbours

Sales representatives

Deliverymen: the butcher, the baker and the greengrocer

JEWISH EMIGRATION FLOWS, 1933-1939

THE MOST IMPORTANT CAMPS IN THIS BOOK

CONCISE TIMELINE

LIFELINES

GLOSSARY

SOURCES

FURTHER READING

SOURCES QUOTED

VISUAL CREDITS

COLOPHON