Anne Frank EssayI can remember the first time I knew ofOtto Frank’s idea for the Secret Annex. Otto had been paying attentionto the Nazis for quite some time, and had noted their strong desire towardsthe expansion of Nazi rule. I myself must admit that I knew nothingof the terror we were about to face.
Soon Jews were wearing Yellowstars on their chests, not allowed into public places, not allowed to associatewith non-Jews, and finally being deported to “work camps”. SinceOtto and his family were Jewish, I began worrying about their safety. I had worked for Otto at the Dutch Opetka Company in Amsterdam for quitesome time, and in that time, we had become close friends and I admiredOtto for his wit, and love for his family. I believe that duringmy worrying, Otto had been secretly making plans for his family to moveinto the hidden apartment above the company offices. He continuedto prepare the annex for over a year, until finally the Frank family hadit’s first encounter with a deportation scare.
Otto’s two daughtersMargot and Anne were his pride and joy, so naturally when Margot receiveda deportation notice on July 5, 1942, Otto told the family of the “SecretAnnex” he had been preparing for over a year. In addition to hiswife Edith, Margot, and Anne, he also told me; Miep Gies. I was astoundedby this plan, for it consisted of absolute seclusion from the outside world,and complete silence during business hours. I knew Anne and Margotwould have to miss a great deal of school, social gatherings, and the normalevents that teenaged girls attend.
I knew Anne in particular wouldnot be happy about the move, because of her love for movie stars, boys,and friends which she would not be able to indulge while living in closedquarters. I was relieved however to learn that not only I would havethe knowledge of this plan, but Otto’s business partners Victor Kugler,JohannesKleiman, friend Bep Voskuisl, and her father would also help with the tedioustask of concealing a family from police, and the rest of the world. Bep, Victor, Johannes, and I would have the great task of operating thebusiness with an absence of our employer, hiding a family, pretending toknow nothing of the Frank’s whereabouts, and bringing the Franks clothes,food, literature, news, and hope. I knew my role was of great importanceto the family, I would serve as the messenger, and would visit daily totell of recent war developments and bring extra treats to the family. Some of my fondest memories are of Anne’s smiling face, when she saw meenter the annex with outstretched arms eager to embrace her.
Before the Franks would move into the SecretAnnex, they would leave a false trail behind which implied that they hadgone to Switzerland. This trail would lead Nazi officials elsewhere,so that the Franks would be able to move in to the Annex quickly and carefully. Finally on July 6, 1942 the Frank family would leave their comfortablehome, friends, and lives, for The annex, which would hold them for overtwo years. Soon Otto’s friend and business associate Hermann VanDaan, his wife, and son Peter would join the Franks in the Secret Annex. This would make the living arrangements a bit cramped for the Franks.
I was aware of Mrs. Van Daan’s low tolerance for nonsense, and since Iknew Anne so well, I was certain that the two quite possibly would havemany quarrels. I tried to help Anne and Margot’s adjustingprocess by bringing magazines, books, and news of the war going on outside. Anne even confided to me of her secret blooming romance with Peter VanDaan, who was a bit older than Anne.
However the romance did nothave much of a chance, since the Annex was small and there was not muchroom for privacy. For the secret annex now held a new occupant; mydentist Fritz Pfeffer arrived to share the hideaway. This would proveto be another problem to the Families, since in addition to Anne’s disagreementswith Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan, she would soon have to share a room with Pfeffer,and the two would bicker day in and day out.
But worse than thatI began to notice a great change in Mrs. Frank. She had always helda great hope inside her, and always looked for the bright side of .
