Otto Frank Holocaust victim Date of Birth: 12.05.1889 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Otto Frank
2. Early Life and Family
3. Escape and Persecution
4. Imprisonment and Loss
5. Publishing Anne's Diary and Legacy
6. Later Life and Death

Biography of Otto Frank

Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank and the sole survivor of the Frank family, was a victim of the Holocaust. His daughter's diary, which documented the atrocities committed by the Nazis during Hitler's regime, was published in 1947 thanks to Otto's efforts and later translated into various languages. Throughout his life, Otto dedicated himself to the memory of his deceased family.

Early Life and Family

Otto Frank was born on May 12, 1889, in Frankfurt, Germany, into a banker's family. He served in the German army and was awarded the rank of lieutenant during World War I in 1915. On May 12, 1925, he married Edith Hollander, who became a homemaker after their marriage. They had their first daughter, Margot, a year later, and in 1929, their second daughter, Anne Frank, was born.

Escape and Persecution

When Nazism and anti-Semitism flourished in Germany, Otto decided to relocate his family to Amsterdam. In 1938 and again in 1941, Otto attempted to emigrate to the United States or Cuba, but was unsuccessful, like most Jewish families. In 1940, the Netherlands was occupied by the Nazis, and the Frank family had to go into hiding. For several years, Otto Frank and his family eluded Nazi persecutors, but in August 1944, their hiding place was discovered by the Nazis, leading to the family's arrest.

Imprisonment and Loss

The Frank family was soon transported to Auschwitz, where they were separated. Otto's daughters were sent to Bergen-Belsen, where they died from typhus in March 1945, just a few days before the camp's liberation. Otto Frank himself was liberated on January 27, 1945, but his health was severely compromised.

Publishing Anne's Diary and Legacy

After Otto's liberation and learning about the fate of his family, he made it his mission to publish his daughter's writings, which provided evidence of the truth behind the Nazi occupation. Otto carefully prepared Anne's manuscript for publication, and in the summer of 1946, the diary was ready to be published. In June 1947, Anne Frank's letters were released under the title "Het Achterhuis." In 1960, the house where the Frank family had concealed themselves became a museum dedicated to their memory and the countless victims of the Holocaust.

Later Life and Death

In 1953, Otto Frank remarried and relocated to Switzerland. He passed away on August 19, 1980, from lung cancer.