Role in the Holocaust
- Provided food and friendship to the Frank family during World War 2
- September 19, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, beginning World War 2.
- Brought food, companionship and news of the outside world, putting her own life at risk
- 8 Jewish people(Frank family) hid in her attic in Amsterdam beginning July of 1942.
- Helped them survive for 25 months, twice a day she would visit them(except when she was sick) and picked up their lists in the morning and return with groceries in the evenings.
- Her visits were always something to look forward to because she brought news of current events and what was happening outside.
- As the war went on food became harder to to get and sometimes the only food she could get made everyone sick especially during the harsh wintertime.
- She developed a particularly special relationship with Anne, daughter of the Franks, and made it a priority to find something grown-up and pretty for Anne as she was approaching her teenage years. She gave her a pair of red leather shoes which made Anne tremendously happy as they would be the first and only pair of heels she would ever own.
- Gies also supplied Anne with paper when her diary pages were full.
- August 4, 1944- Gies was in her office when the Nazis came and captured the group of Jew she had been hiding for so long, after the war ended, Otto was the only survivor.