Before long, Anne began to feel at home in the Netherlands. She picked up the language quickly, made new friends, and attended a local Dutch school. Her father, Otto, worked tirelessly to establish his business, though it proved challenging. He also explored the idea of starting a company in England, but that effort ultimately failed. Things began to improve when he expanded into selling herbs and spices alongside pectin.
On 1 September 1939, when Anne was just 10 years old, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of the Second World War. Soon after, on 10 May 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. Within five days, the Dutch army surrendered. Gradually, the Nazis imposed a series of increasingly oppressive laws and restrictions targeting Jewish citizens. Jews were barred from public places like parks, cinemas, and non-Jewish shops. These rules increasingly limited where Anne could go. Her father lost his business, as Jews were no longer permitted to run their own companies. All Jewish children, including Anne, were forced to attend separate Jewish schools.
Anne Goes into Hiding in the Secret Annex
The Nazis continued to tighten their grip, gradually increasing restrictions on Jews. They were forced to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothing, and unsettling rumors spread that all Jews would soon be deported from the Netherlands. On 5 July 1942, Margot received a summons to report to a so-called “labour camp” in Nazi Germany. Anne’s parents were deeply suspicious of the true purpose and feared for their family’s safety. The very next day, they made the difficult decision to go into hiding to avoid persecution.
Earlier that year, Anne’s father had begun preparing a secret hiding place in the annex of his business building at Prinsengracht 263. He was assisted by several trusted former colleagues. Soon, four more people joined them in hiding. The annex was small and crowded. Life there was tense—Anne had to remain silent for long stretches of time and lived in constant fear.
