Reading lists and articles featuring Otto Frank

Otto Frank Biography

Early Life and Education

• Otto Heinrich Frank, born on May 12, 1889, in a Jewish family, was the second of four children to Alice Betty and Michael Frank.
• His upbringing in Frankfurt included a focus on middle-class education, music lessons, horse riding, and a love for the theater and opera.
• Studied economics in Heidelberg from 1908 to 1909 and gained work experience at Macy’s Department Store in New York City.

World War I Service

• Served in the Imperial German Army during World War I, deployed on the Western Front and promoted to lieutenant.
• Participated in significant battles, including the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Cambrai.

Marriage and Family

• Married Edith Holländer on his 36th birthday, May 12, 1925, and had two daughters, Margot and Anne.
• Lost Edith in Auschwitz in 1945, and his daughters, Margot and Anne, died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
• Married Elfriede (Fritzi) Markovits in 1953, a Holocaust survivor, and became a stepfather to Eva Schloss.

World War II and Hiding

• Evacuated his family from Germany due to rising Nazism, settling in Amsterdam in 1933.
• Forced to give up his companies by the Germans in 1940 and attempted to secure visas for his family to emigrate.
• Went into hiding with his family in July 1942, behind a concealing bookcase in the Opekta premises.
• The hiding place was discovered in 1944, leading to their arrest and deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Post-war Contributions

• Confirmed Anne Frank’s death in 1945 and received her diary and papers from Miep Gies.
• Transcribed and edited Anne’s diary, co-authoring it, and played a pivotal role in its publication.
• Established the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel in 1963, dedicated to the global distribution and use of Anne’s diary.
• Helped establish the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and dedicated his life to promoting Anne’s ideals.

Legal Battles and Legacy

• Faced legal challenges accusing him of forging Anne’s diary, vigorously defending its authenticity in court.
• In 1976, confronted accusations of editing and fabricating parts of Anne’s diary, leading to further legal battles.
• Designated the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel as his sole heir, ensuring the copyright on Anne Frank’s writings.
• Passed away on August 19, 1980, leaving a legacy of preserving Anne’s memory and promoting human rights.