Today I want to take a look at what life must have been like for Anne in the first few days inside the Annex. After the fear of leaving their home, the Frank family found themselves in a place where every movement, every sound and every decision could possibly affect their survival. Although they had escaped the immediate danger, it was not gone. Their new life was only just beginning.
The family arrived on the morning of the 6th of July 1942. The Annex was far from being ready to live in comfortably. Otto Frank had been preparing the hiding place for weeks with the help of trusted friends and colleagues, but there was still a lot to do. The furniture had to be arranged, the clothes and food unpacked and everything needed to be organised. Miep Gies, Johannes Kleiman, Victor Kugler and Bep Voskuijl continued to bring the family supplies whenever they could. This helped to turn the rooms into a place the family might be able to survive for months or even years.
One of the first jobs was to make sure the windows were properly covered with curtains and other materials so that nobody outside could see inside.
During these first days she shared a room with her sister Margot. There was very little privacy, and every item they had carried from their old home became precious. Anne helped to unpack family photographs, postcards and small keepsakes to make the room feel more welcoming. She collected pictures of her favourite film stars and put them on her wall as she dreamed about their lives. These must have brought her some comfort but also sadness when she realised she could not return home.
The family also had to learn an entirely new routine overnight. During the day, while people worked in the warehouse and offices below them, they had to remain silent. They walked very carefully, avoided running the water whenever possible. They even spoke quietly and never looked out of windows if they might be seen. Even something as simple as dropping a spoon or moving a chair must have caused enormous anxiety. Every unexpected sound outside must have made them feel vulnerable.
Meal times became very different from before. The food they ate depended entirely on what their helpers could secretly buy and carry into the building without attracting any attention. Fresh food was not always available, and everyone understood that nothing could be wasted. Meals had to fit around the workers in the warehouse and offices below. The family ate breakfast before the workers arrived and waited until it was safe before preparing the other meals.
During the day they cooked as quietly as possible and avoided making any unnecessary noise. Their food was stored in cupboards and small storage areas around the Annex, with trusted helpers bringing fresh supplies whenever they could. Nothing was wasted because food was difficult to replace. Household waste was kept hidden until it could be removed safely without drawing attention. Even preparing a meal needed careful planning. They had to make sure that nobody realised that they were hiding there. They had to wait until it was quieter in the evening before they could cook anything that might create more noise or stronger smells. Even then, they had to be cautious, knowing that something as ordinary as preparing dinner could put everyone in danger if it attracted unwanted attention.
But they must have been grateful for every thing the helpers risked to help them.
Once the warehouse and office workers had gone home, the family could talk more normally, move around the Annex, cook a hot meal and listen to the radio. It was the closest they came to a normal family life, but they were never able to fully relax. They knew they still had to be careful every day to avoid being discovered.
Even washing was difficult. During the day, the family had to avoid running the water because the workers below might hear it. They usually washed in the evening when everyone had gone home. They usually used a small washbasin rather than taking a proper bath. With the very little space and almost no privacy, bathing was something that had to be carefully planned and shared between everyone in the Annex.
Those first days must have been incredibly difficult. Anne was only thirteen years old and had suddenly lost almost every part of her normal life. She could no longer go to school, go for a walk, visit friends or just step outside. Like the rest of her family, she had no idea how long they would have to stay hidden. They hoped the war would end in a few months, but there was no certainty. That uncertainty must have been one of the worst parts.
Otto Frank tried to create some normality. Reading, studying and keeping regular routines helped them all to have structure in the days that otherwise might have been overwhelmed entirely with worry. Margot continued with her studies, Anne began to write more regularly in her diary that would later become one of the world's most important personal accounts of the Second World War. Writing allowed her to record not only the events around her but also the feelings that were often impossible to share openly.
The family also knew that they would not remain alone for long. Another family, the Van Pels family were to join them in hiding. Before they arrived, the Franks had a brief period of about a week to adjust to the extraordinary reality that become their world.
Although the outside world had become dangerous, Anne's determination to observe, learn and continue writing ensured that her experiences would never be forgotten.
What do you think would have been the hardest part of adapting to life during those first few days inside the Secret Annex?
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