Staying the night in the Secret Annex

Bedroom Anne en Margot (later Fritz Pfeffer) at the Secret Annex.
Bedroom Anne en Margot (later Fritz Pfeffer) at the Secret Annex.
On Monday October 19, 1942, Miep and Jan Gies stayed the night in the Secret Annex, at the invitation of the hiders. This happened before Frits Pfeffer joined the hiders in the Secret Annex. The Annex occupants, and especially Anne, had insisted several times that Miep should stay the night with them once. On a Monday in October, Jan left his work to come to Prinsengracht, and after all the personnel had gone home Jan and Miep turned off all the lights in the building and entered the Secret Annex, via the swiveling bookcase. That night, Jan and Miep stayed in the room that belonged to Anne and Margot, who spent the night in their parents' room. Here you can read descriptions of that night as seen through the eyes of both Anne Frank and Miep Gies, and click here to see a video excerpt in which Miep Gies recounts that night.

Miep Gies, in her book, is a lot more extensive about the night stay than Anne Frank in her diary. Below are some of Miep's memories of that special night of October 19, 1942.

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Anne Frank writes about the night stay in her diary entry of Tuesday 20 October 1942.

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