Anne Frank’s Diary: Life, Relationships, and the Secret Annex
Anne Frank’s Diary: A Glimpse into the Secret Annex
Abstract
Anne Frank, a girl between the ages of 13 and 15, wrote her diary during a period of immense personal and historical turmoil. She was an intelligent person, but the fact that she was treated like a child by her family bothered her greatly, often leading to silent rage. She lived through a time of war and persecution of her Jewish religion, specifically between 1942 and 1944.
The Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1940.
Life in Hiding: The Secret Annex
In 1942, Anne received her own diary as a birthday gift, coinciding with the beginning of deportations of Jews to forced labor camps. Anne’s parents managed to hide their family in the house behind the building where Otto Frank’s company was located. They remained there for over two years, during which Anne Frank wrote her famous diary. In August 1944, those in hiding were arrested and deported. After passing through Westerbork and Auschwitz, Anne Frank was sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where she died in March 1945.
Key Individuals in the Secret Annex
Edith Frank
Anne’s mother. Anne did not feel a strong bond with her; she perceived her as a difficult mother, often accusing her of favoritism towards her sister Margot and a lack of compassion and understanding towards herself. Edith died from starvation in the Auschwitz concentration camp in January 1945.
Otto Frank
Anne’s father, whom she affectionately called Pim. He was always someone very special to her, the only one who seemed to understand her, and Anne loved him very much. However, with the passage of time, they grew apart, and Anne came to believe he wanted to make her feel bad, and that he didn’t understand her at all. He was intelligent and educated, coming from a wealthy Jewish family. Otto was the sole survivor of the eight people in hiding during World War II and died in August 1980, after publishing and disseminating his daughter’s message.
Margot Frank
Anne’s elder sister. They did not maintain a close relationship, but it wasn’t a bad one either. Although at times Anne envied Margot for the respect others had for her and accused her of being a know-it-all and arrogant. Margot died in late February in the same place and for the same reason as Anne, but a few days before her (in Bergen-Belsen due to a typhus epidemic).
Hermann van Pels (Mr. Van Daan)
He was the father of the Van Pels family. Anne did not like him. She disliked the ongoing discussions he had with his wife, and she found him difficult. Hermann died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz in September 1944.
Auguste van Pels (Mrs. Van Daan)
Anne got along very badly with her, as she found her uneducated, disruptive, and selfish. Anne often had to bite her tongue to avoid disrespecting the lady or making her look ridiculous. Auguste sometimes showed little respect for her husband or her child. She passed through four or five concentration camps after leaving the annex, and while the exact time and place of her death are unknown, it is confirmed she died.
Peter van Pels (Peter Van Daan)
He was the son of the Van Pels family. At the beginning of their stay in the house, he did not have much of a relationship with Anne, and she thought he was a shy, rather bland, and somewhat bewildered boy. But gradually they began to get to know each other and get along well. The lack of affection they both experienced helped them bond deeply. They talked about all issues with great freedom, and both, or at least Anne, felt very at ease together. Peter died in a concentration camp in Austria in May 1945, just three days before liberation.
Fritz Pfeffer (Albert Dussel)
He was a Jewish dentist, an acquaintance of the Frank family, whom they welcomed into the annex out of charity, as all Jews were running great risks. He was a somewhat older man who had many peculiar habits. He spoke very good German, though others sometimes made fun of his speech. He slept in the same room as Anne, and she was fed up with his habits and sharing the desk with him against her will. He often had discussions with the other hidden residents due to his peculiar character. He died in December 1944 in the Neuengamme concentration camp.
Mr. Koophuis
He was not very healthy but protected those in hiding and brought them food and books.
Elli and Miep
Office workers who helped the inhabitants of the annex by bringing dispatches and supplies.