Born February 15, 1909 in Vienna, Austria, Hermine Santruschitz, more commonly know as Miep Gies, was destined to be a Holocaust hero. The Holocaust was a time period when Jewish were percicuted on the order of Adolf Hitler, the German leader at the time.
After sickness around the age of ten/eleven Hermine Santruschitz was sent to a foster family to recover. This foster family nicknamed her Miep because of the noise she made when she was sick. She stayed with her foster family even when they moved to the Netherlands. At the age of eighteen Miep finished schooling. She started working at a textile company until the age of twenty four. She was interviewed by Otto Frank and she got the job to work for Otto at a jam company. This was the beginning of a friendship between the Franks and herself. On July 16th, 1941 Miep married Jan Gies and would henceforth be known as Miep Gies. When the Franks needed to go into hiding Miep offered to help them imediatly.
This is were Miep Gies was born.
|
Miep Gies hid the Franks, Van Pels, and her dentist in the secret Annex in her place of work. After two years of hiding August 4th 1944 was at hand when all of the occupants of the Annex are discovered and sent to concentration camps. No one really knows who betrayed the Franks but some information from a few years ago suspects Tonny Ahler after after an interview with his son. After the Franks were taken Miep Gies was not sent to jail do to the fact that she was from Vienna like the Frank's arresting officer. After the arrest Miep tried to negotiate with the Nazi officer and bribe him with money but her plan failed and the previous occupants of the Annex were sent to concentration camps.
After the war, Otto Frank was the only surviver of the originally eight of the Annex. Until Miep knew that Anne was dead she refused to give Anne's diary to Otto. When she heard the news she reluctantly gave the papers to Otto telling him that these were his daughter's. Miep Gies received the Yad Vashem Medal and the Wallenberg Medal, which is a medal given to people in reflection of heroic commitment. Every August fourth Miep Gies would honor the Franks, Van Pels, and her dentist by closing the shades and not speaking to anyone. Miep even published a book "Anne Frank Remembered" is a bridge to "The Diary of Anne Frank."
After the war, Otto Frank was the only surviver of the originally eight of the Annex. Until Miep knew that Anne was dead she refused to give Anne's diary to Otto. When she heard the news she reluctantly gave the papers to Otto telling him that these were his daughter's. Miep Gies received the Yad Vashem Medal and the Wallenberg Medal, which is a medal given to people in reflection of heroic commitment. Every August fourth Miep Gies would honor the Franks, Van Pels, and her dentist by closing the shades and not speaking to anyone. Miep even published a book "Anne Frank Remembered" is a bridge to "The Diary of Anne Frank."
On January 11, 2010 Miep Gies died at age 100 in Hoorn, Netherlands.
This is were Miep Gies died.
|
|
March 11th, 'Its time to tell the truth' The Guardian <http://www.theguardian.com/education/2002/jul/29/artsandhumanities.highereducation>
February 23, "Miep Gies" Jewish Virtual Library <http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Miep_Gies.html>
February 24, "Miep Gies | Netherlands" The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous <http://jfrf.org/rescuer-stories/gies-miep/>
February 24, "Hiding the Frank Family" Scholastic <teacher.schilastic.com/frank/hideff.htm>
February 25, " Miep Gies Biogharphy" www.biograghy.com <http://www.biography.com/people/miep-gies-21349765#synopsis>
|
|