History of Sorts

The name Hermine Santrouschitz may not be widely recognized, but the name Miep Gies is known around the world—forever linked to a teenage diarist named Anne Frank.

Miep Gies, born Hermine Santrouschitz, would have celebrated her 116th birthday yesterday. Though she didn’t reach that milestone, she lived to be 100—a remarkable life devoted to courage and compassion.

Born in Vienna on February 15, 1909, to Mathias and Genofeva (née Jakuschitz) Santrouschitz, Miep was sent to Leiden, Netherlands, in 1920. Austria was still suffering in the aftermath of World War I, with widespread shortages, including food. The Netherlands, having remained neutral during the war, was relatively affluent.

Hermine was placed with the Nieuwenburg family, who had five children. Originally meant to stay for just six months, her poor health led to an extension of her stay. Over time, she grew deeply attached to the family, and they decided she would remain with them permanently. They affectionately called her “Miep,” a shortened version of her name.

In 1922, Miep moved with her foster family to Amsterdam. A bright student, she completed high school and later found work as an accountant.

In 1933, Otto Frank was appointed Managing Director of Opekta, a German company that had expanded into the Netherlands. That same year, Miep secured a position as a secretary at the company’s Dutch branch, run by Otto Frank.

That year also marked her first meeting with Jan Gies. However, due to his involvement with Dutch Social Services, they did not reconnect socially until 1936. Over time, Jan and Miep became close friends of the Frank family.

After the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Miep was pressured to join a Nazi women’s group. She refused and, as a result, was threatened with deportation back to Vienna. To secure her legal residence in the Netherlands, she and Jan decided to marry. Their wedding took place in Amsterdam on July 16, 1941, with the Frank family in attendance.

Less than a year later, the lives of both the Frank and Gies families changed forever. The Franks, simply because they were Jewish, faced the constant threat of death. Miep and Jan risked their own lives by helping the Franks, the Pels family, and Fritz Pfeffer hide in the secret annex of Otto Frank’s office in Amsterdam.

The fate of those in hiding is well-documented. Miep, however, survived the war and continued to share their story, ensuring that Anne Frank’s diary—and the lessons within it—were never forgotten.

Miep Gies passed away on January 11, 2010, at the age of 100.

An unassuming immigrant and foster child, she became an icon of heroism.

Sources

https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/main-characters/miep-gies/

https://hmd.org.uk/resource/miep-gies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miep_Gies

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