At Home in Amsterdam

"In the Netherlands, after those experiences in Germany, it was as if our life was restored to us. Our children went to school and at least in the beginning our lives proceeded normally... In those days it was possible for us to start over and to feel free."

Otto Frank

Margot and Anne often play on Merwedeplein in front of their house. They quickly make lots of new friends who are either Dutch or German. Many Jewish children from Germany live in the neighborhood. Edith Frank writes to Gertrud Naumann: “Margot is doing well in school and will go on to the third grade. She can now speak good Dutch." Anne likes going to the Montessori kindergarten and, later on, enjoys first grade at this same school just as much.

Homesick

During those early years, Edith Frank does not really feel
at home in the Netherlands. Miep Gies recalls: “Mrs. Frank missed Germany very much, more so than Mr. Frank. In conversations we had, she would often refer with melancholy to their life in Frankfurt.” Otto Frank is very occupied with his business, so he is frequently away from home.