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What was Anne really like?
Anne was a lively and fun-loving girl with a tremendous imagination. But, at times, she could also feel sad and depressed. Her talent as a writer did not become apparent until she went into hiding.
Who gave the family away?
Although it has never been officially acknowledged, it is now just about safe to say that the family was betrayed by a group of members of the Dutch Nazi Party. One of them - a man who had tried to blackmail Otto Frank before he went into hiding - confessed to it, at least by word of mouth. This has recently been confirmed by his son, who is still alive, and also by his brother. I strongly believe in the truth of this version.
What did Anne want to become?
Anne wanted to become a journalist or a writer.
Was Anne's relationship with her mother really as bad as it is said?
Anne's relationship with her mother wasn't as bad as some people say. They were just different in character. Anne was outgoing and lively, her mother was a very quiet and reserved person. Locked-up in hiding, a tremendous amount of aggression was built up and released; this didn't only affect Anne and her mother but also the others. In Auschwitz, Edith, Margot and Anne were very close to each other until the children were taken away. This broke their mother Edith's heart.
Where were you during the war?
I was living in Basel.
Did you know that the family had gone into hiding?
We guessed as much, but we didn't know where.
What were your first thoughts after you had read the diary?
I was overwhelmed. I only knew Anne as a fun-loving and playful child. In no way was I aware of her talent as a writer.
What are your last memories of her?
I remember her last visit to Basel. We played with my Punch and Judy show. First she played something for me and then we switched roles. Later she had me put on a dress and a hat that belonged to our grandmother, after which she couldn't stop laughing.
Where is the original copy of the diary?
The small, famous chequered little book (Volume One) is on show in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. The remaining account books and the loose pages are lodged with the Netherlands Institute of War Documentation (NIOD).
Answers by Buddy Elias, Anne's Cousin and President of the AFF, Basle
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