June 12th, 1929 – Anneliese (Anne) Marie Frank Born in Germany
Anne Frank is born to Otto and Edith Frank. Anne was their second daughter. Their eldest child,
Margot was born in 1926.
Summer 1933 – The Frank Family Moves to Holland
The Frank family moves to Holland during the summer of 1933. Strict Anti-Jewish policies were
enacted within weeks of Adolf Hilter’s appointment as Chancellor of Germany. Otto Frank was
worried about the safety of his family and decided to move them to Holland, a neighboring country
that was thought to be out of Hitler’s reach. From Holland, they watched anxiously as Hitler began
invading other countries starting with Austria and Poland in 1936 and 1939.
May 10, 1940 – Hitler invades Holland
The German Army conquered Holland in 1939. This invasion was part of the expansion of
Germany across Europe. With the German army came the Gestapo and anti-Jewish laws.
Restrictions that were active in Germany were enacted in Holland including the closure of Jewish
businesses, restrictions against Jewish lawyers and businessmen, suspension of Jewish children
from school, etc.
Fall 1940 – Deportation of Holland Jews Begins
A few months after the German army occupied Holland, the deportation started for Jews, Jehovah’s
Witnesses, disabled people, and other minority groups in Holland. Oftentimes the summoning letters
would only apply to a specific family member and would state that they were being sent to a training
camp, etc. In reality, deported Jews were often sent to labor camps where they were forced to work
in construction, demolition, or war equipment production jobs in concentration camps or guarded
factories with unsanitary and harsh conditions. Typically, young Jewish men were the first to be
deported.
Summer of 1941 – Jews ordered to wear a yellow Star of David on Clothing
The Yellow Star of David was a symbol the German government and military forced all Jews to wear
to signify their association with the Jewish religion. Even those who did not practice Judaism but
came from Jewish families or a Jewish Heritage were required to wear the Yellow Star. Additionally,
those who did not have “Hebrew” sounding first names were required to add either “Israel” or “Sara”
as a middle name on all legal and identification documents. Jews in Holland were required to do this
beginning in 1941.
June 12, 1942 – Anne receives a diary for her 13th Birthday
For her 13th birthday, Anne received a diary. This diary would stay with her until her capture. It
was later recovered by Otto Frank who published the diary as a testament about what happened to
his family during World War II.
July 5, 1942 – Margot ordered to report for deportation/Franks move into hiding
Margot Frank received a deportation call in 1942. To avoid this deportation the Frank family went
into hiding in a secret annex on Prinsengracht 263. The building was owned by Otto Frank’s
company. Business operated as usual on the outside and inside 8 people were hidden in a secret
room behind a movable bookcase. The Frank’s hiding place was relatively spacious, however, the
quarters were incredibly cramped for 8 people.
August 4, 1944 – Frank family and other annex residents betrayed
The Frank family was betrayed in August of 1944. Police raided the annex and arrested the Frank
family as well as the other occupants. After being arrested, they were taken to the police station for
questioning about the whereabouts of other hiding Jewish families. After questioning, they are taken
to the Westerbork Transit Camp. On September 3, 1944 the 8 prisoners are taken to Auschwitz –
Birkenau in a sealed cattle car. The men are separated from the women at Auschwitz. The betrayer
of the Frank family remains unknown; however, many believe the family to have been betrayed by
Tonny Ahlers, an anti-semite who blackmailed Otto Frank before and after World War II.
October 1944 – Anne, Margot, and Mrs. Van Pelt transferred to Bergen-Belsen
Anne, Margot, and Mrs. Van Pelt were transferred to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp about
one month after arriving at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Edith Frank remained in the women’s sub-camp at
Auschwitz-Birkenau. This was the last time Anne and Margot would see their mother.
January 6, 1945 – Edith Frank dies at Auschwitz-Birkenau
Edith Frank passes away at Auschwitz-Birkenau 4 months after arriving. Edith was initially
selected to be gassed but she escaped to another section of the camp. She insisted on saving her
food for her daughters even though they were separated from her. Edith dies of starvation 3 weeks
before Auschwitz is liberated by the Soviet Army and 10 days before her 45th birthday. She is the first
to pass away in the Frank family.
January 27, 1945 – Otto Frank is liberated from Auschwitz
Otto Frank was liberated from Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Soviet army. He was found in the sick
barracks and was incredibly malnourished. While recovering Otto learned of his wife’s death which
had occurred only a few weeks earlier. After returning to health, Otto spent the next 6 months
retracing his steps back to the Netherlands looking for his family and friends. By the end of 1945 he
knew that he was the sole survivor of the annex on Prinsengracht. Otto inherited Anne’s diary and he
oversaw the publication of it as well the film and theater adaptations of the diary. Otto later married
Elfriede Geiringer, a neighbor and Auschwitz survivor. Together they moved to Basel Switzerland.
March 1945 – Margot and Anne Die in Bergen-Belsen
Margot and Anne Frank die within days of each other at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
The Bergen-Belsen camp was liberated on April 15, 1945 by the British army. Otto Frank learns of
his daughters’ deaths by letter on October 24, 1945. After learning of Anne’s death, Miep and Jan
Gies return Anne’s diary. The Gies had found and hid Anne’s diary after the raid. Otto begins
translating the diary from Dutch to Swiss in 1946 for family members. They encourage him to publish
the diary. The first 1500 copies of the diary were published in the summer of 1947 in Amsterdam.