Miep Gies ... heroine of the Anne Frank story

[mrs_emma_peel]

Miep Gies … 15th February 1909 – 11th January 2010



BBC News …

Miep Gies, the last surviving member of the group who helped protect Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis, has died in the Netherlands aged 100. She and other employees of Anne Frank's father Otto supplied food to the family as they hid in a secret annex above the business premises in Amsterdam.



Anne's diary of their life in hiding, which ended in betrayal, is one of the most famous records of the Holocaust.

It was rescued by Mrs Gies, who kept it safe until after the war.

Miep Gies died in a nursing home after suffering a fall just before Christmas.

BBC News 12th January 2010



Very sadly … the death of Austrian/Dutch heroine Miep Gies … the last survivor in the story of Anne Frank and the secret Annexe … was announced today on BBC News. It was so poignant that just last night she appeared in the Academy Award winning documentary Anne Frank Remembered (1995) …

This brilliant film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1996 and the International Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary Programme in 1996. The Academy Award Oscar was jointly collected by writer/director Jon Blair, and heroine Miep Gies, who received a very emotional standing ovation.



Miep is superbly well portrayed in the sublime, very highly acclaimed BBC version of The Diary of Anne Frank (2008/2009) which starts a repeat showing tonight on BBC4 at 7.30pm.

Miiep was due to celebrate her 101st birthday on 15th February 2010.



Not only did Miep show incredible courage in helping eight occupants of the secret Annexe … she recovered and preserved Anne’s three diaries and notebooks from the floor of the secret apartment … and twice made highly dangerous visits to Gestapo Headquarters in Amsterdam … begging high ranking German/Austrian/Dutch Nazi officials to show mercy to the Frank family and the other four occupants of the secret Annexe … but her determined and valiant efforts were in vain … and as Miep said ... when she was virtually thrown out of Gestapo Headquarters for the last time … she felt that the curtain had finally fallen on the last act of a tragic play …







Miep Gies RIP … a truly remarkable lady of courage, kindness and deep humanity … who risked her own life and never gave up trying to help the Frank family … who saved Anne’s diaries for posterity … so the world could read of this extraordinary, yet ultimately, unbearably tragic story …

Miep Gies ... Austrian/Dutch heroine of the Anne Frank Story.

Emma



Miep Gies … 15th February 1909 – 11th January 2010 RIP

[wellendcanons]

That's a lovely peace of biographical information Mrs Peel about a true heroine of her time. The work she did was marvellous and she was an inspiration to the world. A truly remarkable woman.



R.I.P. Miep Gies.



wellendcanons.

[fluddite]

name='mrs_emma_peel']

Miep Gies RIP … a truly remarkable lady of courage, kindness and deep humanity … who risked her own life and never gave up trying to help the Frank family … who saved Anne’s diaries for posterity … so the world could read of this extraordinary, yet ultimately, unbearably tragic story …

Miep Gies ... Austrian/Dutch heroine of the Anne Frank Story.

Emma



Miep Gies … 15th February 1909 – 11th January 2010 RIP

Spot on, Mrs Peel. A truly good person. RIP.

[mrs_emma_peel]

Many thanks wellendcanons and fluddite … it’s a privilege to write about Miep … BBC4 paid her a lovely tribute on Tuesday night by dedicating the first episode of The Diary of Anne Frank to Miep.

Emma

[dpgmel]

Yes a remarakable person and one who helps restore your faith in the human spirit.

[Captain Casper]

Very sad. Mrs C and I went on a tour round the house last year. Very humbling.



RIP, Mrs Gies. A brave and extraordinary lady.

[CaptainWaggett]

I read her autobiography a few years ago - the Franks didn't know that she was actually sheltering another chap in her house while she was looking after them

[earlb]

Just goes to show that there are/were decent human beings in this world. R.I.P Miep. XX

[Steve Crook]

name='earlb']Just goes to show that there are/were decent human beings in this world. R.I.P Miep. XX

Most people are decent human beings. It's just that most of us don't make a fuss about it so you don't get to hear about our decent behaviour



The meek shall inherit the earth - if that's all right with the rest of you



Steve

[George Bailey]

I would hope that Miep gets a state funeral. I first saw that documentary a couple of years ago and was very struck by her. She is a real heroine. Bravest of the brave. I saw it again the other night and once again I had tears in my eyes at her bravery. She risked her life even to the end of the war. When the Franks had been taken prisoner she went and pleaded for them. Her husband was in the Dutch Resistance as well.

[Freddy]

Came across a fascinating blog,

Ghosts of Amsterdam | HOW TO BE A RETRONAUT

depicting images from that time.