Miep Gies – the last surviving member of the group of the group that hid Anne Frank from the Nazis – has died in the Netherlands at the age of 100.
It was Gies who personally collected Frank’s papers (hoping to one day return them), returned them to Anne’s father Otto Frank after the war, and aided in their compilation and publication as “The Diary of Anne Frank”.
While Miep Gies personally downplayed her own role in the story – I think she deserves credit along with all of the other heroes who aided Jews during the Holocaust. Furthermore, Gies deserves an extra measure of gratitude for saving the precious papers and compiling them into the single most prominent autobiographical account of the Holocaust.
“May HE who makes peace in HIS heights make peace upon you and upon all Israel – and we say ‘amen.’” – Traditional Jewish Mourner’s Kaddish
January 11th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Wow. What a person. I’ve done the Anne Frank play with my students; they see her relationship with Peter and can identify with her as a young lady. Then they find out she died at the camp and it hits home with them because they’ve identified with her as a young girl similar to themselves.
The courage of Gies and other like here still astounds me. Humankind is worse off for her loss.
January 11th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
BREAKING: ROMNEY BAILS ON SRLC
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/11/gingrich-to-attend-srlc/#more-84836
January 11th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
Visiting the hidden apartment where they lived was one of the most powerful experiences of my life.
January 12th, 2010 at 12:07 am
Amen. And finally peace for Miep Gies.
January 12th, 2010 at 12:09 am
#2:
I’m glad Miep didn’t bail on the Frank family.
January 12th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Amen. May she and her family be remembered always for their compassion, courage, and character.
#2 — may you alway be remembered for your lack of it. Poor form
January 12th, 2010 at 1:19 am
I can’t believe Mittens won’t attend (unless he’s in Afghanistan).
If he plays this game someone like Barbour or Perry can beat him with a southern strategy.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
The Tel Aviv Cluster
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/opinion/12brooks.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print