Anne Frank Remembered Miep Gies Interview

Question: Was there a point in time when you just gave up hope, did it ever seem like you were done for?

Answer: I must admit there were times like these but I could let them get to me I had to keep my head u and keep on trying. Especially when I was with our friends in hiding, any sign of negativity from me brought all of there hopes crashing down. I always had to be thinking of them and not just myself. “Why times get tougher, Just try even harder”.

Question: Do you think your friends in hiding were doing the same as you answered in the previous question?

Answer: Well you can never be sure but I think that yes they kept things from Henk and I when we came to visit. They always treated us as if we were royalty when we made our visits. They made it seem as if everything was okay even if it wasn’t. I cant blame them for this though it would be hypocritical of me to think otherwise. They did what was right and that’s all I can ask for.

Question: Of all the things that happened while your friends were in hiding what was most heartbreaking for you to deal with.

Answer: Probably the “the most heartbreaking thing” that I had to deal with was watching Anne grow up in these conditions. Knowing that she would never have the life of a normal girl. Knowing that she would never experience some of the things that other girls would experience at her age. It sometimes brought a tear to my eye.

Question: How did you become such good friends with the Franks?

Answer: When I first entered Otto Frank’s business he immediately welcomed me and I got right to work. He was always more a friend then my boss. Soon Henk and I found ourselves being there company at dinner parties and we just hit it off. When the Franks went into hiding, I couldn’t find a way to not help them I had just grown to attached.

Question: it was said that you suggested Albert Dussel being brought into hiding with the Franks and the Van Danns, could you explain in more detail?

Answer: Albert Dussel was a good man he was a great dentist and an even better person. Even when it was illegal I still continued my appointments with the man. One day he asked my “Meip do you know of a place for me to hide?”, and I just couldn’t bring myself to say no. I proposed it to Mr. Frank and the next day he said something I will never forget, “where 7 people can hide, 8 can hide as well. With those words alone you could tell what kind of man Otto Frank was, a whole hearted, kind and generous man who thought of everyone but himself.

Question: Miep one final question, all in all do you find this experience a life changing one and if so was it in a good or bad way?

Answer: Of course it was life changing, no person shall ever go through what the Franks or the Van Danns or even Henk or myself went through. If anything it taught me the meaning of hope, you have to pull together in tough times and always “hope” for the best. No matter what the situation you can never give up. We did the best we could do and that is all that anyone could ask for.