The Secret Annex The hideout of the Frank’s, van Pels’ and Pfeffer during the Holocaust.

The Layout of the Building  The attic was mainly used for storage.  This level was used as the van Pels’ bedroom, kitchen, and dining area.  This level was used by the Frank’s and Pfeffer as a bedroom. The bathroom was also on this level.  This level was also part of the business, but the members of the annex often used it during non-business hours.  This level was part of the business.

Floor Plan of the Annex

The Entrance of the Secret Annex Up the stairs from the private office there was a landing with a bookcase to the left, and storerooms to the right. This was no ordinary bookcase though. It was hinged like a door and opened up to another door. The Secret Annex was behind both of these “doors.”

The Bookcase Leading to the Secret Annex

The First Floor A steep flight of stairs was right behind the bookcase and door. This led to the room that was used as Mr., Mrs., and Margot Frank’s bedroom at night and the main living area during the day. Anne and Pfeffer’s bedroom was also on this floor. This is where Anne’s desk was and where she wrote most of her famous diary. All eight people used the one bathroom that was accessible from the living room and Anne’s bedroom.

Betrayed On 4 August 1944, everyone in the Secret Annex was arrested. It’s still uncertain who betrayed them. They were deported first to the Westerbork transit camp, and then on to Auschwitz. From there, they were separated forever.

Otto Frank

Otto Frank Facts Born to a banking family. Married Edith Hollander on May, 12 1925. It was his decision to put his family into hiding. He was in Auschwitz. After Auschwitz was liberated in 1945, Otto discovered that he was the only member of his family, the van Pels, and Mr. Pfeffer to have survived the Holocaust. He got remarried to Elfriede Markovits in 1953. Frank died of lung cancer in 1980, at the age of 91.

Edith Frank

Edith Frank’s Facts Born on January 16, 1900. Youngest of her brothers and sisters. Married to Otto Frank on May 12, 1925. Edith and Anne never got along very well. Anne stated in her diary that her mother didn’t understand her. Edith died on January 6, 1945 at the age of 44 in Auschwitz.

Margot Frank

Margot Frank Facts Born on February 16, 1926. Three years older than Anne. Educationally gifted. Margot’s summons to go to a forced labor camp on June 5, 1942, caused the Frank’s to go into hiding early. Followed her mother’s example in life. While in hiding Anne stated in her diary that Margot also kept a diary. No traces of her diary have ever been found. Died of Typhus, at the age of 19, around March 9, 1945. She died at Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp in northern Germany. On April 15, 1945, British forces liberated Bergen-Belsen.

Anne Frank Lol. :]

Anne Frank Facts Born on June 12, 1929. When Anne and the rest of the members were arrested, her diary was not taken. Miep found the diary, kept it for Anne when she would return, and never read it. When she didn’t come back, Miep gave her diary to Mr. Frank. Mr. Frank decided to publish her diary and it is now one of the most famous stories in the world. Anne died within days of Margot in March 1945, also of Typhus at Bergen-Belsen. Both of their bodies were thrown into a mass grave. On April 15, 1945, British forces liberated Bergen-Belsen

Fritz Peffer

Fritz Peffer Facts Born on April 30, 1889. He was a dentist. Had a son in 1927 and got divorced to his son’s mother in 1933. Met Charlotte Kaletta, but since he was a Jew and she wasn’t, laws at that time wouldn’t let them get married. Pfeffer went into hiding with the Franks and van Pels on November 16, 1942. Died in December 1944, at the age of 55, from starvation and exhaustion at Neuengamme concentration camp in Northern Germany.

Anne and Pfeffer’s Room

Water Closet (Bathroom)

The Second Floor The second floor served as Mr. and Mrs. van Pels’ bedroom, the kitchen, and the dining room. There was a bed, a folding bed, a table, and a kitchen area in the main second floor room. Off of this room was Peter van Pels' bedroom. It was a very tiny room with only a bed and stairs leading to the attic in it.

Hermann van Pels

Hermann van Pels Facts Born on March 31, 1898. Had six siblings. Married Auguste Röttgen on December 5, 1925. In September 1944, van Pels was taken to Auschwitz concentration camp. He was assigned to do very hard labor. An injury to his hand caused him to stop working. Because he was unable to work, he was selected to be disposed of in the gas chambers. He was gassed in mid-October 1944.

Auguste van Pels

Auguste van Pels Facts Born on September 29, 1900. Anne portrays her as a very vain person. Her date and cause of death are unknown. Testimonies have reported her being with Anne and Margot in Bergen-Belsen, but that she wasn’t there when they died. It is believed that Mrs. van Pels died either at the Theresienstadt ghetto or on the way there.

Peter van Pels

Peter van Pels Facts Born on November 8, 1926. Only child. He and Anne developed a relationship while in hiding that slowly evolved into a romantic relationship. Sources have said that Peter was gifted academically and a master at carpentry. Peter was forced to go on a death march. He died about two weeks before the camp he was at was liberated. His exact date of death is unknown, but the International Red Cross designated it as May 5, 1945. He died at the age of 18.

The Dining Room

Peter’s Bedroom

The Attic The attic was mainly used for storage. Anne and Peter enjoyed laying down in the attic and looking out of the skylight. The attic was the only place where Anne could catch a glimpse of "a patch of blue sky."

The Attic

Miep Gies

Miep Gies Facts Miep risked her life to save the people hiding in the annex. She brought needed supplies to the annex. With the fear of being caught, Miep only brought one grocery bag full of things at a time.

Bibliography www.annefrankguide.com www.annefrank.org.uk www.annefrankguide.net http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Frank www.holocaustresearchproject.org http://www.123exp-biographies.com/t/00034520448/ http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?PID=723&LID=2 http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Fritz-Pfeffer www.wikipedia.org Http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?GRid=16636468&page=gr http://teacher.scholastic.com/frank/miep.htm