The Occupation of the Netherlands

School Report Cards

In the weeks following her birthday, Anne writes in her diary at length: about all her classmates, about boys in her class who have a crush on her, over school report cards that are imminent… On July 3, 1942, Anne receives her first report card from the Jewish High School. She is relatively pleased with her grades; she has received only one unsatisfactory for algebra. According to Anne, her parents are not worried about her grades: “As long as I'm healthy and happy and don't talk back too much, they're satisfied.” The summer vacation finally begins. On Saturday, Anne goes with a group of her friends to Oase, an ice-cream parlor that is one of the few places Jews are still allowed to frequent.

The Call-Up

Anne is lying in the sun reading that next afternoon when the doorbell suddenly rings at 3:00 PM: It is the postman with registered mail for Margot: an official summons. Margot has to report. She is going to be be sent to a Nazi work camp in Germany. This call-up is not a complete surprise. There have been rumors in the air for weeks about such a decree. Otto and Edith Frank are prepared. They have been arranging a secret hiding place and had already planned to go into hiding with their daughters on July 16. Due to Margot's call-up, the planned date is now moved much closer.