From Threat to Hiding

This flow traces the Frank family's movement from increasingly restrictive persecution to concealment in the Secret Annex and the arrest that ended their refuge.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Restrictions Tighten

Rules Closing In A narrowing world The occupation brought restrictions that steadily stripped Jewish residents of ordinary freedoms. Anne Frank records bans on public transport, entertainment, sports, and movement after curfew. Why it matters The regulations made exclusion part of daily life. The family’s eventual flight into hiding emerged from a progression of danger, not a single sudden decision.

A Call-Up Notice

The Decision Accelerates The summons Margot Frank received a call-up notice, making the threat immediate for the family. Otto Frank had already spoken of preparing to hide, but the notice brought the plan forward. A hurried departure Anne packed a schoolbag with her diary and personal belongings. The family left its home wearing layers of clothes, hoping to avoid attracting attention with luggage.

The Annex Becomes Home

A Refuge Behind the Office Concealed rooms The Franks reached the hiding place in Otto Frank’s office building. They began arranging crowded rooms, unpacking supplies, and learning how to move quietly around people working below. New household The Van Pels family joined several days later. Anne initially described the Annex as an unfamiliar pension, but its quiet, windows, and restrictions quickly defined a precarious new routine.

A Hidden Entrance

The Bookcase Door Concealment improved After concern about searches for hidden bicycles, the helpers arranged for a bookcase to conceal the Annex entrance. Its everyday appearance helped disguise the rooms behind it. Safety at a cost The entrance made the refuge harder to find but turned ordinary movement into a careful procedure. Residents had to duck through the doorway and remain alert to sounds from the building.

Discovery and Arrest

The Refuge Ends A sudden raid After more than two years in hiding, armed security personnel entered the building and arrested the Annex residents and two helpers. The diary ends before Anne can record the event. From concealment to deportation The residents were taken first to a prison and then to Westerbork. Their arrest ended the daily struggle to remain hidden and began a final sequence of imprisonment and deportation.

After the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1940

July 5–6, 1942

July 6–13, 1942

August 1942

August 4, 1944