Biographies

Miep Gies

About Miep

Miep Gies was born Hermine Santrouschitz on 15 February 1909 in Vienna, Austria. Due to her family's financial situation, she moved to Holland to live with a foster family as part of a relief programme to help malnourished children.

Before the Secret Annex

In 1933, Miep started work as an office assistant for Otto Frank and became good friends with his family. As the persecution of Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe worsened, Otto told Miep that his family would be going into hiding above his offices. Miep immediately agreed to help, knowing she would be severely punished if caught.

On 5 July 1942, Margot Frank received a summons to report to a forced-labor camp. Miep took Margot to the Secret Annex and the rest of the Frank family followed later, along with the Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer.

During the Secret Annex

Miep supplied the Secret Annex with news from the outside. She (and the other helpers) also supplied them with food and offered friendship to all the inhabitants. She was a lifeline that they all relied upon, particularly Anne.

After the Secret Annex

On 4 August 1944, Miep was in the Opekta offices when a man entered and pointed a gun at her. She was ordered to remain seated while he searched the building.

Later she went upstairs with Bep and found the Secret Annex empty. They discovered Anne's diary and Miep kept it, unread, hoping she could one day return it to Anne. Sadly this never happened and she gave it to Otto after the war.

Miep lives outside Amsterdam and has one son. She will be 100 in February.