Saturday, 13 June 1942
On Friday, 12 June, I woke up early at six o'clock; it was my
birthday. I'm not allowed to get up then, so I had to wait until quarter
to seven. Then I went down to the dining-room, where Moortje, my
cat, welcomed me. At seven I went in to Mummy and Daddy, and
then to the sitting-room for my presents. The nicest present was you
— my diary! There was a bunch of roses on the table, and lots more
flowers and presents arrived for me during the day. Daddy and
Mummy gave me a blue blouse, a game and a bottle of fruit juice
which tastes quite like wine!
At school, I shared out some cakes with my friends, and I was allowed
to choose the game that we played in the sports lesson. Afterwards, all
my friends danced round me in a circle and sang `Happy Birthday'.
Saturday, 20 June 1942
It's strange, writing a diary. Of course, I've written things before, but
who will be interested in the thoughts of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl?
Well, does it matter? I want to write, and I want to bring out so many
things that lie deep in my heart.
I need a diary because I haven't got a friend. You won't believe that I
am completely alone in the world! And I'm not. I have loving parents
and a sixteen-year-old sister, a good home and about thirty people
that I can call friends. There are plenty of boys who are interested in
me too! But I haven't got that one, true friend who understands me.
So this diary can be my new friend. Let's start with the story of my
life.
Margot and Anne with their father. Frankfurt, Germany, 1930.
My father — the best father in the world — was thirty-six when he
married my mother, who
was then twenty-five. My
sister Margot was born in
Frankfurt-am-Main in
Germany in 1926. Then I
followed on 12 June, 1929.
Because we are Jewish,
we moved to Holland in
1933. My father is the
manager of a company
called Opteka, which makes
things for the jam-making
business.
After 1940 things were not
so good any more. First the
war started, and then the
Germans arrived in Holland.
Our freedom disappeared.
Under the new German
laws, Jews must wear a
yellow star. Jews must walk everywhere. They can only do their
shopping in 'Jewish Shops', and they must be indoors by eight o'clock at
night. They must not even sit in their own gardens after that time. Jews
cannot visit the theatre or the cinema. Jews cannot visit Christians, and
their children must go to Jewish schools.
Sunday, 21 June 1942
Everyone at school is waiting to hear what happens next. Who will
move up a class, and who will stay down? We're all trying to guess! I
think my girlfriends and I will be OK, though we'll have to wait patiently
to find out.
Most of my teachers like me, but old Mr Keesing gets angry with me
because I often talk too much! He made me do some extra homework
and write about `Someone Who Talks Too Much'.
Wednesday, 24 June 1942
It is so hot! Yesterday I had to walk to the dentist's from school in our
lunch hour. I wish that we could go on a bus or a train, but of course us
Jews are not allowed to do that. It was so far that I nearly fell asleep
afterwards in the afternoon. They were kind at the dentist's, though, and
gave me something to drink.
I wish I didn't have to go to school. I'm glad it's nearly the summer
holidays; one more week and our suffering will be over!
But something amusing happened too yesterday. A boy called Hello
Silberberg asked me to walk to school with him. Hello is sixteen, and
tells lots of funny stories. He was waiting for me again this morning.
The Diary of a Young Girl (English Novel complete)
Re: The Diary of a Young Girl
Wednesday, I July 1942
I haven't had time to write until today. Hello and I know each other
quite well now. His parents are in Belgium. He came to Holland
alone, and is living with his grandmother. He had a girlfriend called
Ursula, but now that he's met me, he's not interested in her any
more. I know her too — she's very sweet and very boring!
Hello came over on Sunday evening. He told me that his
grandmother doesn't like our meetings. But on Wednesday nights,
his grandmother thinks that he goes to woodwork lessons — he
doesn't, so he'll be free to meet me! And he said that he wants to see
me on Saturdays and Sundays too!
`But if your grandmother doesn't want you to meet me, you shouldn't
do it behind her back!'
`Everything's allowed in love and war!'
Hello visited us yesterday to meet my Father and Mother. We had a
big tea, and went out for a walk together later. It was ten past eight
when he brought me home. Father was very angry because it is so
dangerous to be out after eight o'clock. I promised to come home
by ten to eight in future.
Sunday, 5 July 1942
My exam results were good! My parents are pleased, of course. And
Margot had a brilliant report, as usual.
Father has been at home a lot lately, because he can't work at the
business any more. It must be awful for him to feel that he's not
needed there. Mr Kleiman and Mr Kugler are now the managers in
the offices.
When we went out for a walk together a few days ago, Father said,
`We may have to go into hiding soon.'
`Why?' I asked him. `Why are you talking about it already?'
`Well, Anne,' he said,’ you know that we've been making stores of
food, clothes and furniture for more than a year now. The Germans
could take everything away and us too.' He was very serious.
Johannes Kleiman and Victor Kugler. Amsterdam, 1945.
`But when will we go?'
`Don't worry — we'll arrange everything. Just enjoy yourself while you
can!'
Wednesday, 8 July 1942
It seems like years since Sunday morning. So much has happened —
the whole world has turned upside down. But I'm alive, and that's the
most important thing.
On Sunday afternoon we heard that the Germans were going to take
Father away. We know what that means — to a concentration
camp.
`Mother's gone to ask Mr van Daan about our hiding-place,' said
Margot. Mr van Daan
worked in the business
with Daddy and is a
good friend of his.
Then Margot told me
later that there was a
mistake — the Germans
had called her up, not
Father. How can they
take a girl of sixteen
away from her family
like that? But she's not
going!
A hiding-place — where
shall we hide? In the
city? In the country?
When, where, how ...?
These questions were in my mind, though I couldn't ask them.
Margot and I started to pack. I packed the craziest things! This diary
first, then handkerchiefs, schoolbooks, a comb and some old letters.
Memories are more important to me than dresses. Miep and her
husband Jan came to help and share the work. They carried some
bags of clothes away for us. Miep and Jan work for Father's company
and they are our close friends. I slept for the last night in my own bed,
and Mummy woke me up at five-thirty. We dressed in lots of clothes.
No Jew would dare to leave the house with a suitcase!
At seven-thirty we left the house. I said goodbye to Moortje, my cat.
The neighbours were going to look after her. We hurried to leave the
house — we wanted to reach our hiding-place safely. It was the only
thing that mattered.
More tomorrow.
I haven't had time to write until today. Hello and I know each other
quite well now. His parents are in Belgium. He came to Holland
alone, and is living with his grandmother. He had a girlfriend called
Ursula, but now that he's met me, he's not interested in her any
more. I know her too — she's very sweet and very boring!
Hello came over on Sunday evening. He told me that his
grandmother doesn't like our meetings. But on Wednesday nights,
his grandmother thinks that he goes to woodwork lessons — he
doesn't, so he'll be free to meet me! And he said that he wants to see
me on Saturdays and Sundays too!
`But if your grandmother doesn't want you to meet me, you shouldn't
do it behind her back!'
`Everything's allowed in love and war!'
Hello visited us yesterday to meet my Father and Mother. We had a
big tea, and went out for a walk together later. It was ten past eight
when he brought me home. Father was very angry because it is so
dangerous to be out after eight o'clock. I promised to come home
by ten to eight in future.
Sunday, 5 July 1942
My exam results were good! My parents are pleased, of course. And
Margot had a brilliant report, as usual.
Father has been at home a lot lately, because he can't work at the
business any more. It must be awful for him to feel that he's not
needed there. Mr Kleiman and Mr Kugler are now the managers in
the offices.
When we went out for a walk together a few days ago, Father said,
`We may have to go into hiding soon.'
`Why?' I asked him. `Why are you talking about it already?'
`Well, Anne,' he said,’ you know that we've been making stores of
food, clothes and furniture for more than a year now. The Germans
could take everything away and us too.' He was very serious.
Johannes Kleiman and Victor Kugler. Amsterdam, 1945.
`But when will we go?'
`Don't worry — we'll arrange everything. Just enjoy yourself while you
can!'
Wednesday, 8 July 1942
It seems like years since Sunday morning. So much has happened —
the whole world has turned upside down. But I'm alive, and that's the
most important thing.
On Sunday afternoon we heard that the Germans were going to take
Father away. We know what that means — to a concentration
camp.
`Mother's gone to ask Mr van Daan about our hiding-place,' said
Margot. Mr van Daan
worked in the business
with Daddy and is a
good friend of his.
Then Margot told me
later that there was a
mistake — the Germans
had called her up, not
Father. How can they
take a girl of sixteen
away from her family
like that? But she's not
going!
A hiding-place — where
shall we hide? In the
city? In the country?
When, where, how ...?
These questions were in my mind, though I couldn't ask them.
Margot and I started to pack. I packed the craziest things! This diary
first, then handkerchiefs, schoolbooks, a comb and some old letters.
Memories are more important to me than dresses. Miep and her
husband Jan came to help and share the work. They carried some
bags of clothes away for us. Miep and Jan work for Father's company
and they are our close friends. I slept for the last night in my own bed,
and Mummy woke me up at five-thirty. We dressed in lots of clothes.
No Jew would dare to leave the house with a suitcase!
At seven-thirty we left the house. I said goodbye to Moortje, my cat.
The neighbours were going to look after her. We hurried to leave the
house — we wanted to reach our hiding-place safely. It was the only
thing that mattered.
More tomorrow.
Re: The Diary of a Young Girl
Thursday, 9 July 1942
The hiding-place is in Father's office building. On the bottom floor is
the warehouse, and next to it an entrance to the office, which is
upstairs. There are two offices — a front one which is big and light, and
a small dark one at the back. Not many people work in Father's
offices, just Mr Kugler, Mr Kleiman, Miep and a twenty-three-year-old
typist called Bep Voskuijl. Mr Voskuijl, Bep's father, works in the
warehouse with two helpers, who don't know anything about us. From
Mr Kugler's office at the back, you go up another four stairs and you
conic to the private office, which is very fine and has good furniture.
Up on the third floor is our `Secret Annexe'. There are some attics for
storage on the left, and on the right is the door to our hiding-place. It's
surprising that there are so many rooms behind that small grey door.
Plan of the Secret Annexe.
Margot and I share a small room, and Mother and Father's bedroom
is also our sitting-room. Up the stairs again is a big light room which
will be the kitchen and Mr and Mrs van Daan's bedroom. There is a
very small room for Peter, their son, and another attic. So that's our
lovely Annexe!
Friday, 10 July 1942
Let me continue the story. When we arrived at the warehouse, the
Annexe was full of all the boxes that we had stored at the office for
the last few months. No one could possibly sleep there unless we
cleared it up. But Mother and Margot were really suffering, and they
were too tired and unhappy to help. They just lay down on their beds,
so Father and I did it all. We worked all day, until we were so tired
that we fell into bed too. There was no hot meal, but we didn't care.
We worked all the next day, too, which was Tuesday. Bep and Miep
took our ration books to buy food.
It was only on Wednesday that I had time to think about the enormous
change in my life. Now I've got a moment to tell you all about it, to
realize what has happened, and what is still to happen.
Saturday, 11 July 1942
The others can't get used to the big clock outside which tells the time
every quarter of an hour. But I like it, especially at night. I don't feel
at home here yet. I don't hate it though. It is like a holiday in a
strange little hotel. My bedroom was very empty when I arrived, but
I've stuck up pictures of my favourite film actors and actresses. It's a
lot better now.
Margot and Mother are a bit better now too. Yesterday Mother
cooked some soup for the first time, but she went downstairs to
talk and forgot all about it! The beans were burnt black, and we
couldn't get them out of the pot!
Last night, the four of us went down to the private office to listen to the
news from the BBC in England on the radio. I was so frightened that I
asked Father to take me back upstairs! I thought someone might hear
it. We have to be very quiet at night.
Friday, 14 August 1942
I haven't written for a month now, but not much has happened. The van
Deans arrived a day early, on July the 13th. The Germans were
calling up a lot of people, and they thought it was safer to come early.
Peter, their son, is a shy boy of almost sixteen. I don't think he will be a
very interesting friend.
We all share our meals now, and after three days we began to feel like
one big family! The van Deans told us a lot of news. People think we
are escaping to Switzerland! Although one woman says that an army
lorry took us away in the middle of the night! And another family say that
they saw all four of us riding on our bikes early one morning!
Friday, 21 August 1942
Now our Secret Annexe is really secret! Mr Kugler has built a bookcase
over our little entrance. It opens like a door.
It's a beautiful day outside, nice and hot. We can still enjoy it, lying on a
bed in the attic.
Monday, 21 September 1942
Mrs van Dan is awful. She says that I talk too much. She won't save
food in a dish — she leaves it in the cooking pot so that it gets spoiled. And
she doesn't do any washing up.
Mr Kleiman brings me books to read, and I've begun my schoolwork.
I'm working hard at French, and Peter is learning English. Pym — our
name for father — wants me to help him with his Dutch lessons. He
makes terrible mistakes! He and I are also working on our family history,
and drawing our family tree, so I am learning about all my relations.
Mrs van Dan walked into the room just now. I shut the diary quickly.
'Anne, can't I just look at it?'
`No, Mrs van Dan'
`Just the last page?'
`No, not even the last page, Mrs van Daan.'
I nearly died — that page was full of rude things about her!
The hiding-place is in Father's office building. On the bottom floor is
the warehouse, and next to it an entrance to the office, which is
upstairs. There are two offices — a front one which is big and light, and
a small dark one at the back. Not many people work in Father's
offices, just Mr Kugler, Mr Kleiman, Miep and a twenty-three-year-old
typist called Bep Voskuijl. Mr Voskuijl, Bep's father, works in the
warehouse with two helpers, who don't know anything about us. From
Mr Kugler's office at the back, you go up another four stairs and you
conic to the private office, which is very fine and has good furniture.
Up on the third floor is our `Secret Annexe'. There are some attics for
storage on the left, and on the right is the door to our hiding-place. It's
surprising that there are so many rooms behind that small grey door.
Plan of the Secret Annexe.
Margot and I share a small room, and Mother and Father's bedroom
is also our sitting-room. Up the stairs again is a big light room which
will be the kitchen and Mr and Mrs van Daan's bedroom. There is a
very small room for Peter, their son, and another attic. So that's our
lovely Annexe!
Friday, 10 July 1942
Let me continue the story. When we arrived at the warehouse, the
Annexe was full of all the boxes that we had stored at the office for
the last few months. No one could possibly sleep there unless we
cleared it up. But Mother and Margot were really suffering, and they
were too tired and unhappy to help. They just lay down on their beds,
so Father and I did it all. We worked all day, until we were so tired
that we fell into bed too. There was no hot meal, but we didn't care.
We worked all the next day, too, which was Tuesday. Bep and Miep
took our ration books to buy food.
It was only on Wednesday that I had time to think about the enormous
change in my life. Now I've got a moment to tell you all about it, to
realize what has happened, and what is still to happen.
Saturday, 11 July 1942
The others can't get used to the big clock outside which tells the time
every quarter of an hour. But I like it, especially at night. I don't feel
at home here yet. I don't hate it though. It is like a holiday in a
strange little hotel. My bedroom was very empty when I arrived, but
I've stuck up pictures of my favourite film actors and actresses. It's a
lot better now.
Margot and Mother are a bit better now too. Yesterday Mother
cooked some soup for the first time, but she went downstairs to
talk and forgot all about it! The beans were burnt black, and we
couldn't get them out of the pot!
Last night, the four of us went down to the private office to listen to the
news from the BBC in England on the radio. I was so frightened that I
asked Father to take me back upstairs! I thought someone might hear
it. We have to be very quiet at night.
Friday, 14 August 1942
I haven't written for a month now, but not much has happened. The van
Deans arrived a day early, on July the 13th. The Germans were
calling up a lot of people, and they thought it was safer to come early.
Peter, their son, is a shy boy of almost sixteen. I don't think he will be a
very interesting friend.
We all share our meals now, and after three days we began to feel like
one big family! The van Deans told us a lot of news. People think we
are escaping to Switzerland! Although one woman says that an army
lorry took us away in the middle of the night! And another family say that
they saw all four of us riding on our bikes early one morning!
Friday, 21 August 1942
Now our Secret Annexe is really secret! Mr Kugler has built a bookcase
over our little entrance. It opens like a door.
It's a beautiful day outside, nice and hot. We can still enjoy it, lying on a
bed in the attic.
Monday, 21 September 1942
Mrs van Dan is awful. She says that I talk too much. She won't save
food in a dish — she leaves it in the cooking pot so that it gets spoiled. And
she doesn't do any washing up.
Mr Kleiman brings me books to read, and I've begun my schoolwork.
I'm working hard at French, and Peter is learning English. Pym — our
name for father — wants me to help him with his Dutch lessons. He
makes terrible mistakes! He and I are also working on our family history,
and drawing our family tree, so I am learning about all my relations.
Mrs van Dan walked into the room just now. I shut the diary quickly.
'Anne, can't I just look at it?'
`No, Mrs van Dan'
`Just the last page?'
`No, not even the last page, Mrs van Daan.'
I nearly died — that page was full of rude things about her!