Today we lost a hero of the 20th century. Miep Gies is a name that you may or may not recognize. Anne Frank is probably one that you do, and that is thanks to Miep. Miep and her husband Jan, along with colleagues, hid the Frank family and a few other Jewish people from the Nazis. After an unknown informant made the Nazis aware of the hiding Jews, Miep saved Anne’s diary, hoping to return it to her some day. When Otto Frank, Anne’s father, returned and his daughter’s death was confirmed, Miep gave him the diary, and the rest is history. Anne lives on as a testament to why we must protest apartheid in Palestine, racism in New Orleans, war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and injustice wherever it is found.
Miep had this to say about what she did:
I stand at the end of the long, long line of good Dutch people who did what I did or more – much more - during those dark and terrible times years ago, but always like yesterday in the hearts of those of us who bear witness. Never a day goes by that I do not think of what happened then.
More than twenty thousand Dutch people helped to hide Jews and others in need of hiding during those years. I willingly did what I could to help. My husband did as well. It was not enough.
There is nothing special about me. I have never wanted special attention. I was only willing to do what was asked of me and what seemed necessary at the time.
Let us all hope that we can do the same. Thank you Miep. For courage, decency, and for the part of Anne that could be saved.
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