Mrs Van Pel’s Perpective

‘’Hope is much like a rock, many try to crush it but particles still remain.’’ This quote in the philosopher’s guide by Evangeline Peiter.

But what happens when you start losing the particles too. I have been increasingly fighting in with my husband and now it seems as if even Peter has no interest in talking. I knew I would lose my gem to another woman some time in the near future. But in the cramped space why can he not stay mine? How long will I be able to hold on without them in this dreadful space?

- Auguste van Pels

Mrs Van Pel’s Perspeactive

My last post was so horribly long so this one I am going be making short and sweet. Just like me, even though generally I do not like talking about myself. So today I am going to talk about MY FUR COAT, even if it is little stained do to some people’s ineptness.This fur coat was given to me by my father and has a special place in my heart. I used to wear to at least for major events in the year, it became my signature. My fur coat would leave everyone in the room in awe due to its fine craftsmanship. The ladies would whisper here and there about my arrival. Those were the days. *sigh*

But now my dreadful husband and others are of the opinion that my unique fur coat should be sold for something as common as money. But, how can I? I unquestionably loathe it when people tell me what is better for me when I have not asked for their advice. My belief is that the fur coat should be treated like gold in the bank. It should be kept safely until after the war. Otherwise how will we have money to rebuild our beautiful home or acquire some clothes. And can be most stubborn when it comes things so important.

- Auguste van Pels

Mrs Van Pel’s Perspective

I despise people who stick their noses in other people’s business and that is exactly what are ‘leader has done with us Jews. I had to go into hiding because our ‘leader’ had decided that we are dangerous for society. Because of that we have gone into hiding. If only my husband would let me I would give our ‘supreme leader’ a reprimand which is sure to change his mind. After all I have hard for the good of the country for many years. I once kept five maids from the poorer section of the society for a whole month though not together. Anyway, now instead of our wonderful home we are staying in the cramped with another family of four. Quite a delightful lot though we never seem to have the same perspective.

Stepping into ‘the cramped space’ as I like to call it is like stepping on an emotional roller coaster. The days are mostly acceptable though boredom troubles me lot. I spend this time cleaning the non broken cutlery or reading a book. In the night is the constant dread that keeps me awake. The news these is breaking my heart in a million pieces and then hope that my precious family would not have to suffer like. I do not know what I would do without them.

-  Auguste van Pels

Edith Frank Holländer

But I don't think it was only me, each one had to be strong for the other. So I did my job too- the housework without these words slipping out of my mouth. But, my habit of keeping everything inside has it’s side effects-like these emotions coming out at odd times on different people- sometimes Anne, sometimes someone else. Does Auguste feel the same too? After all, even if we are polar opposites- she's a mother too. Does she enjoy her lavish way of living or feels the way I do? I think its the former, but I do really hope its the later. Life in the Annexe has absolutely no way of summing it up- except that it is difficult. But difficulties come and go- and along the way make you stronger, I’d like to see this as an optimist, but again- I’ve never really been one.

Edith Frank 

Edith Frank Holländer

I am my husband’s and my children’s before I am myself- but - Margot and Anne have my whole heart. But I can never express myself- my habit of keeping everything inside, as in my desire to work has led to me keeping my feelings inside too. Probably why I do gel better with Margot, she hardly expresses herself too. My husband can really never lay a finger on anyone, he's too much of a sweetheart, it is nagging sometimes. But with Anne- its complicated.I do love her- and dearly so, but she doesn't seem to understand that I am more than a mother itself- that I have more substance to me. I feel she questions my qualifications as a mother, but that is because I want to be more than just a mother and wife and I feel she will not be able to understand that. After all, she doesn't need to. She's a child. Maybe one day I will discuss this with her when she matures and has a mind of her own.

But, if I could say something to Anne, knowing she would understand- 

Just because I don't love her the way she wants me to- does not mean I don’t love her with everything I have. 

Edith Frank 

Edith Frank Holländer

Before I am Edith Hollander- I am Edith Frank. My name above gives it away- which is precisely the nagging feeling that took refuge in my heart for as long as my memory stretches itself- to be a mother in this society is a task. Working women are frowned upon  and we are expected to stand in the kitchen with a dinner plate, which is completely different from the person I was made to be. I like numbers. I like hearing about the news. A part of the day I look forward to is sitting near the radio and listening to the war, hopefully coming to it’s end. Politics- I like it. I probably should hang my head in shame for saying what I am blabbering about- but, it’s who I am. I- I don't know. Should I be ashamed of myself for feeling what I feel?

Edith Frank

Anne’s Perspective

The confinement and restriction that comes with being in hiding often overwhelm me. I have no one to go to and vent about my issues so I turn to my diary as a source of comfort. Upon moving here, I had to leave my friends, my teachers, my school, and the small amount of freedom I had with me outside. Here, I’m allowed to interact with an extremely limited amount of people, and have very little means of entertainment. Our food supply is constantly running low, and everyone seems to be arguing all the time. I always write in my diary or talk to Peter when I desperately feel the need to vent, but when things are too bad, I’ll go to a vacant area and cry until I feel better. I feel myself drifting away from who I was two years ago, and it makes me scared. Living in the Annexe is far worse than what I’d hoped for, and I hope things can go back to normal soon enough, once the war’s over.

- Anne Marie Frank

Anne’s Perspective

My relationship with Peter has been one of great trust and loyalty. I’ve spent a great deal of my time observing him and I can surely say I’ve become more intrigued with every move that he makes. I began to notice something different about him and thought of him as a person to confide in once our relationship grew. Both of us had romantic feelings for one another and one day, he decided to act on them. Sometimes I sit and wonder whether he would be a good husband to me in the future, if we ever have one. He’s one of the only sources of happiness I have here in the Annexe, and I hope our relationship can prosper further.  

- Anne Marie Frank

A few days after my arrival, I resumed my dental practice, on one of the fussiest patients of all times. Mrs. van Pels was complaining of a toothache and her teeth were in a miserable condition. However, the moment I put my tool inside her mouth, she started flailing her arms about in the most comical manner. With my great experience, I know precisely how to deal with such overdramatic patients. Every member of the Annexe is extremely overwhelming and difficult to deal with. It is an elephantine task to say try to get along with them. Almost every conversation ends up as an argument. Anne for one is not only badly brought up but also extremely restless. She tosses so much in bed at night that it is unbearable, and I need to keep shushing her. That child doesn’t let me sleep at all. And then she moans about my habits!  I cannot stand this one bit longer. Oh, I just can’t wait for all this to come to an end.

-Dr. Albert Dussel

Anne’s Perspective

When I first entered the Secret Annexe, I was as hopeful and optimistic as one who’s going into hiding possibly can be. However, as time went by, my optimism and confidence slowly began to manifest itself into mere sorrow and isolation. I had a fair idea of what was coming, but surprises constantly tainted my sense of stability. Over time, I gradually came to forget most of what I once knew. My arguments with mother eventually faded out once I felt the need to empathise with her. Our relationship grew into something beautiful as we started to recognise one another as human beings. Another relationship I developed was with Peter Van Pels, the boy who introduced me to the wonders of love. Initially, I found him entirely timid and obscure, but now I can’t stop thinking about him. To my great joy, a lot about our relationship has changed, and I think I might be in love for the first time. 

- Anne Marie Frank

Indeed, I was all alone, I felt quite lonely and the members of the Annexe seldom did anything but test my patience. Trying to adjust with them was one of the biggest struggles I faced. But even before all this, I was utterly dumbfounded by how these seven creatures had managed to survive. When I was invited by Miep, I never expected for her to swing open a cupboard to reveal a hideout. Anyhow, there it was, and I was speechless. I had always believed that these people had not succeeded in escaping, and had met a miserable fate at the hands of the Germans. They explained to me those rumours were spread intentionally, and I gaped in astonishment. But that was when my inconveniences began. They handed me a long list of the most absurd rules. I told them about the outside world, of which they had no idea. I was made to share a room with Anne, the most ill-mannered child of them all. I have tried my level best to discipline her, put some sense into her head, warning her mother of her ill state of affairs, but to no avail. She is the most badly brought up and ill-behaved of all the three youngsters in the Annexe. It is a great disappointment to see children, the youth of the future, brought up like this.

-Dr. Albert Dussel

I am Albert Dussel, a dentist. But before I tell you who I am, or where I am stranded, I must tell you how I got here in the first place. There was a point in time when the situation had become completely out of control. The Germans had begun to spread immense terror. Prominent citizens, my friends, innocent people, men, women and children, were taken as hostages and thrown into prison to await their fate. These dreadful incidents became more frequent. These abhorrent crimes against humanity, where people ended up getting murdered more often than not, were described merely as “fatal incidents.” Like any sane person, I was quite desperate to escape this horrific situation, so I jumped when the opportunity presented itself. That is how I went into hiding with the van Daans and the Frank family. Their hideout, christened by them the “Annexe,” was anyway so crowded that seven or eight members didn’t really make much of a difference, it was just as dangerous. My wife was fortunate enough to be out of the country when the war broke out, so I was all alone. 

-Dr. Albert Dussel

Margot’s perspective

What makes my stay the hardest in the secret annexe is Anne’s growing fondness for Peter. I know it is wrong to think so, but I can't possibly help it. From the moment I laid eyes on the boy, my heart gave itself to him completely. Every passing moment was dedicated to observing his beautiful round eyes, soft smile, kind nature, tall figure and the way he carried himself, as though he was nothing special. It was funny cause he didn't recognize the power he could possess over people and how special he truly was. I love my sister and nothing makes me happier than seeing her able to trust someone and be so free in sharing her thoughts and aspirations, but it doesn’t stop the ache in my heart.

- Margot Frank

Margot’s perspective

My mother and I seem to have the closest bond. We stay on the same page and never fight or even happen to argue, unlike Anne and her. We have an understanding, she treats me like an adult and I behave responsibly and avoid being a burden to her. Not your typical relationship but I know she loves me and vice versa. We often communicate about trivial matters of the day, interesting concepts we see in the tragic novels we tend to read and sometimes gossip about the people of the annexe. I may not be very fond of doing the last task but I do it anyway to keep my mother happy and ease her loneliness, as Anne would never do so and father is much too saintly to speak of others and pass judgment.

- Margot Frank 

I was a young boy of 15 when my parents broke the news that we had to go into hiding because the Germans were behind us. Throughout my life, I had been a notorious and carefree boy and never really appreciated what life brought my way. But my whole outlook on life changed when I moved into the Annexe. From the moment I stepped into the annexe and said goodbye to my freedom everything changed. I no longer enjoyed life like I used to and everything went dull. I became lazy and nothing made sense anymore. Everone thought that I was stuck up but no one really understood what I was going through and I really had no one to confide in. My stay in the annexe was really hard and my personality from a bubbly teenager became dull 

- Peter Van Pels

This had been my home for two years before I was taken to the concentration camps. I took the move from my home to the Annexe really hard. The annexe was a really small area with many people living in it. Staying in the annexe was already hard enough. We were not allowed to talk or even make any sound. But the thing that made the stay the hardest was the fact that I no longer had any privacy. Everything I did was critiqued and every step of mine was watched. Before the Annexe my life was carefree but from the moment I stepped into the annex my life completely changed and my privacy which was of utmost importance to me was lost like my dignity. 

- Peter Van Pels

The Annexe was a symbol of the struggle that all of us went through. It was a hard time for all of us and without Anne’s support, I don't think I would have been able to survive. Her support has meant so much to me. She was a friend without whom my time in the Annexe would have been torturous. She was always there for me, sometimes even more than my own parents. She will always live in my memories where she will never fade away because she was the reason I survived one of the hardest times I had ever been through 

- Peter Van Pels