Anne Frank Diary Reference     :     Amsterdam Virtual Tour         to map
 
[entrance of 1940-1939 business building, today the Anne Frank House] In December 1940, Otto Frank moved his business here: 263 Prinsengracht (the center building with three sets of black doors). The back house, or "secret annexe," is behind, unseen from the street. Starting in the summer of 1942, the Franks plus four friends hid in the annex with the help of the most trusted employees. The occupying Germans' rules against Jews owning businesses meant that Otto earlier had already stopped officially running the business.

Otto resumed working here after the war in 1945, until 1954 when he retired. Due to the spreading interest in Anne, her ideals/message, and their story, he wanted the building converted into a museum. There were difficulties in making this happen (for instance, he didn't own the building, he rented it). Finally in 1957 the Anne Frank Stichting was formed and the museum still exists today, in much larger form, having taken over more real estate immediately to the southwest (i.e. to the right).
    The building just to the left of #263 is #261, and the one just to the right is #265. See notes on the neighborhood.

(Photo taken in autumn 2003.)





teleport to
the old business location
(see ghost) 		teleport to
the Franks'
apartment building
 		teleport to
the Jewish council
teleport to
the 'Euterpestraat'

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