Learning to Hide

This flow follows the Annex residents’ evolving security practices as small accidents, burglaries, and near-discoveries make concealment increasingly precarious.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Bookcase Installed

Hiding the Entrance A practical disguise The office staff arranged a swinging bookcase to conceal the entrance to the Annex. The doorway became less conspicuous to anyone moving through the building. A new threshold Residents had to duck through the opening and learn the new route. The device offered protection while reminding them that access to their own rooms depended on concealment.

The Extinguisher Scare

A Knock at the Door A mistaken threat A worker filling fire extinguishers hammered near the hidden entrance. The residents feared that the stranger had discovered the bookcase and was trying to enter. Relief with a warning The actual problem was a stuck hook, and the danger passed. The episode showed how an ordinary maintenance visit could become a crisis when secrecy was the condition of survival.

The First Burglary

A Forced Entry Losses downstairs A burglar forced doors in the building and stole cashboxes, blank checkbooks, and sugar coupons. The residents stayed quiet upstairs while the office staff investigated. Suspicion grows The theft created practical shortages and renewed fears that intruders might discover the hidden rooms. Security now depended on both the concealed entrance and the integrity of the outer doors.

The March Intrusion

An Unexplained Entry Missing property Residents discovered that a projector and briefcase had disappeared. There were no clear signs of forced entry, leading them to worry that someone had a duplicate key. A threat without an answer The possibility of an employee entering the building made the danger more personal. The residents could not know who had been inside or whether the intruder had seen evidence of them.

The Easter Search

Police at the Bookcase Burglars return During Easter weekend, intruders broke into the warehouse. When people with a flashlight appeared, the residents hid behind the bookcase, expecting the police to search the building. The closest approach Footsteps and rattling sounds brought the threat to the concealed entrance. The police did not discover the residents, but the episode prompted stronger precautions and renewed awareness of how fragile the refuge was.

August 1942

October 20, 1942

July 16, 1943

March 1–2, 1944

April 9–10, 1944