Anne Frank's Life in Hiding: The Secret Annex and Its Inhabitants

The Secret Annex

Anne Frank and her family lived in a hidden annex at 263 Prinsengracht in Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944. The annex was sealed off from the rest of the building, and the entrance was concealed behind a bookcase. Inside, the Franks and four other people lived in cramped conditions, with little access to fresh air or sunlight.

Anne Frank's Family

Anne's parents, Otto and Edith Frank, were both born into middle-class German-Jewish families. They married in 1925 and had two daughters, Margot and Anne. The Franks fled Germany in 1933, when the Nazis came to power. They settled in Amsterdam, where Otto Frank worked as a businessman.

The Secret Annex's Other Inhabitants

In addition to the Frank family, seven other people lived in the Secret Annex: * Hermann and Auguste van Pels: A couple from Osnabrück, Germany, who fled to Amsterdam in 1938. They had one son, Peter. * Peter van Pels: Hermann and Auguste's son, who was born in 1926. He became close friends with Anne Frank. * Fritz Pfeffer: A dentist from Hamburg, Germany, who joined the group in November 1942. * Miep Gies: A Dutch woman who helped the Franks and the other inhabitants of the Secret Annex by providing them with food and supplies.

Life in the Secret Annex

Life in the Secret Annex was difficult. The inhabitants were constantly afraid of being discovered by the Nazis. They had to be quiet and discreet, and they could not leave the annex for fear of being caught. The food was scarce, and there was little space to move around. Despite the challenges, the inhabitants of the Secret Annex found ways to create a sense of community. They read books, played games, and held discussions. Anne Frank wrote in her diary about her experiences in the Secret Annex. Her diary is a powerful account of the horrors of the Holocaust.

The End

In August 1944, the Secret Annex was discovered by the Nazis. The inhabitants were arrested and taken to concentration camps. Only Otto Frank survived the Holocaust. He returned to Amsterdam after the war and published Anne's diary. The Secret Annex is now a museum, and it is a popular tourist destination. It is a reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the courage of the people who fought against it.