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Timeline of Anne Frank
The story of Anne Frank, how she was taken to consecration camps, and how she died. -
How it started
Unemployment was high and poverty was severe in Germany, and it was the period in which Adolf Hitler and his party were gaining more and more supporters. -
Nazi Germany invades the Netherlands
On 1 September 1939, when Anne was 10 years old, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, and so the Second World War began. Not long after, on 10 May 1940, the Nazis also invaded the Netherlands. -
Hiding in the Secret Annex
In the spring of 1942, Anne’s father had started furnishing a hiding place in the annex of his business premises at Prinsengracht 263. He received help from his former colleagues. Before long, they were joined by four more people. -
Anne's diary
When she was 13, before going into hiding, Anne was presented with a diary. During the two years in hiding, Anne wrote about events in the Secret Annex, but also her feelings and thoughts. She wrote short stories and started a novel. -
Annes diary pt. 2
When the Minister of Education of the Dutch government in England appealed to Radio Orange to hold on to war diaries and documents, Anne was inspired to rewrite her diaries into one running story, Het Achterhuis (The Secret Annex). -
Nazis take thing further
The Nazis took things further, one step at the time. Jews had to start wearing a Star of David on their clothes and there were rumours that all Jews would have to leave the Netherlands. When Margot received a call-up to report for a so-called ‘labour camp’ in Nazi Germany on 5 July 1942, her parents were suspicious. -
In hiding then found
Anne started rewriting her diary, but before she was done, she and the other people in hiding were discovered and arrested by police officers on 4 August 1944. The police also arrested two of the helpers. To this day, we do not know the reason for the police raid. -
Deported to Auschwitz
The people from the Secret Annex were put on transport to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. The train journey took three days, during which Anne and over a thousand others were packed closely together in cattle wagons. There was little food and water, and only a barrel for a toilet. Upon arrival, Nazi doctors selected those fit for heavily forced labour. Around 350 people were immediately taken to the gas chambers and killed. -
Anne's death
In early November 1944, Anne was put on transport again. She was deported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with Margot. Their parents stayed behind in Auschwitz. The conditions in Bergen-Belsen were horrible too. There was a lack of food, it was cold, wet and there were contagious diseases. Anne and Margot contracted typhus. In February 1945 they both died owing to its effects, Margot first, Anne shortly afterwards. -
Anne's famous diary
Anne's writing made a deep impression on Otto. He read that Anne had wanted to become a writer or a journalist and that she had intended to publish her stories about life in the Secret Annex. Friends convinced Otto to publish the diary and in June 1947, 3,000 copies of Het Achterhuis (The Secret Annex) were printed.