Miep Gies One of those Dutchmen who hid Anne Frank's family Date of Birth: 15.02.1909 Country: Netherlands

1. Biography of Miep Gies
2. Childhood and Adoption
3. Life in the Netherlands
4. Meeting the Franks and Joining 'Opekta'
5. Helping to Hide the Franks and Others
6. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Miep Gies

Miep Gies, born Hermine Santruschitz on February 15, 1909, in Vienna, Austria, was one of the courageous Dutch citizens who helped hide the family of Anne Frank and four other Jews from the Nazis during World War II. After the arrest of the Frank family, it was Miep Gies who discovered Anne's diary in the hiding place and kept it, unread, until she returned it to Otto Frank upon his return to Amsterdam from Auschwitz, where he learned of the death of his daughters.

Childhood and Adoption

Miep Gies was originally named Hermine Santruschitz and was born into a working-class family in Vienna. Due to the severe food shortage in Austria after World War I, Dutch workers took in Austrian children to help them regain their health. Miep was taken in by the Nieuwenburg family in Leiden in December 1920. Initially, it was intended for her to stay for only six months, but due to her poor health, she remained for a year. Eventually, she formed a strong bond with her adoptive family and decided to stay in the Netherlands.

Life in the Netherlands

Miep Gies adapted easily to the Dutch language and excelled in school. In 1922, she moved to Amsterdam with her adoptive family. When she was 16 years old, Miep visited Vienna and reunited with her biological family. Although she feared they would want her to return home, her parents recognized her happiness in the Netherlands and allowed her to stay.

Meeting the Franks and Joining 'Opekta'

In 1933, Miep Gies met Otto Frank, a businessman who had fled from Germany to the Netherlands due to the Nazi regime's anti-Semitic policies. She began working as his temporary secretary at his company called 'Opekta,' which sold pectin for making jam. Initially, she worked in the kitchen to learn the production processes, but later she moved to the complaint and information department, where she provided customer support. Recognizing her exceptional organizational skills, she was eventually promoted to an administrative position.

Miep became a close friend of the Frank family, as did her fiancé, Jan Gies. Her fluency in Dutch and German helped the Frank family assimilate into Dutch society. Miep and Jan frequently visited the Frank household and provided support during the two years that the Franks lived in hiding. Despite their modest means, Miep and Jan faced challenges in finding suitable housing due to the influx of Jewish refugees in Amsterdam. However, with the intervention of the authorities, they were able to marry on July 16, 1941.

Helping to Hide the Franks and Others

Alongside her husband and fellow 'Opekta' employees Victor Kugler, Johannes Kleiman, and Bep Voskuijl, Miep Gies assisted Otto and Edith Frank and their daughters, as well as the Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer, in living secretly in a hidden space in the upper part of the 'Opekta' building from July 6, 1942, until August 4, 1944. Miep was responsible for delivering food by visiting multiple markets and stores in different areas to avoid arousing suspicion.

Miep and her husband also provided shelter to a student anti-fascist in their own apartment. Despite their caution, a betrayer revealed the location of the hidden Jews, resulting in the arrest of all eight inhabitants on August 4, 1944. Miep, knowing that it was possible to ransom prisoners from the Gestapo for a large sum of money, arranged a meeting with the arresting officer, who happened to be from Vienna as well. However, her attempt was unsuccessful.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1950, Miep and Jan welcomed their son, Paul Gies. In the 1990s, Miep received numerous honors, medals, and orders. In her honor, the minor planet 99949 Miepgies was named after her. Miep Gies passed away on January 11, 2010, at the age of 100, outliving her husband Jan by 17 years. Her bravery and selflessness continue to inspire people around the world.