Anne Frank betrayal suspect identified after 77 years - BBC News
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- Published on Jan 16, 2022
- A suspect who may have betrayed Anne Frank and her family to the Nazis has been identified in a new investigation.
The Jewish diarist died in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945, aged 15, after two years in hiding.
A team of historians and other experts said Arnold van den Bergh, a Jewish figure in Amsterdam, probably "gave up" the Franks to save his own family.
Anne Frank’s diary, published after her death, is the most famous first-hand account of Jewish life during the war.
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Problem is not the one who betrayed Anne to save himself. The problem is the one who destroyed the person to the point he could be able to sacrifice Anne. I was born during the war in Rwanda. I saw with my eyes, when a parent abandoned their children to save themselves. I saw one who killed his close neighbors. Many betrayed their loved one. I know they loved them but broken.
This are excuses
If he didn't have the intention to kill her it's not a sin
I'm sorry you had to live through that.
@JesusIsC0mingS00n the nazis were communists, not fascist.
it rubs me the wrong way to hear anyone being called a “betrayer” during such an awful time. it was absolute chaos and fear. you did what you had to for not only yourself but your family, even if it hurt you to do so.
@Daniel Jaramillo you’d snitch too we all would
He was a betrayer for what he did and seven innocent people lost their lives just because they were Jewish.
Still a betrayal nevertheless.
reads over papers. still has no regrets.
Maybe. But we can't forget all the people that were resilient and didn't commit these crimes in order to save themselves. Where do you draw the line? A man killing another person's family for their own, or a nazi soldier participating because they want to save their family. Both are selfish. Both can be sympathized with I suppose, but they are still betraying someone in the name of their own self interests. I wouldn't call that a human thing, it is just how some people choose to react and it is definitely a betrayal.
As a kid, I always imagined the person who ratted out Anne’s family to be someone vile, sinister or unforgivable to no redemption, however, it’s seems as if they were just another product of their time of someone who was unfortunately put in the same situation as thousands of other living during the Holocaust. I can’t even fathom having to pick over the safety of my own family in comparison to another, but my heart will always go out to both families & any others who were affected by this terrible time in human history.
I agree wholeheartedly. As much as I would love to say I wouldn’t rat anyone out, I know Id be lying through my teeth if I said that. We’d all do anything to protect our family. This is such a horrible situation. Like saying your friends and your family are both hanging from a cliff and you can only save one.
Yes same. Now my daughter is about as old as I was when I first read Anne's diary. I just had to explain to her that, if I was in van den Berg's position, I'd have done the exact same thing in order to protect my child. Ultimately the Nazis are still the most vicious and responsible for what happened. They put this poor man in the position where he had to take other children's lives in order to protect his own.
Are you kidding. I wouldve shot myself and died with that information. Sure he isn't vile but definitely immoral.
What a shitty situation to be put in. Everyone can judge this person and give their two cents about his actions but we'll never truly experience what he went through. To choose between your family and the life of someone else. To call him a traitor and say he betrayed is a gross oversimplification of what happened. He was a guy who had no choice but was forced to make one regardless and live with the guilt of it. I suspect almost everyone here, myself included, would have done exactly as he did when the lives of your loved ones are on the line. Blame the people who put him in the situation, not the man himself.
@CheapCraftyGirl SweepstakesFraud You keep telling yourself that, sure. How do you know "nothing stopped him hiding in an attic"? What makes you think hiding in an attic was even an option for him? Do you know this individual personally? Where you there when the events transpired? Perhaps there were other variables at play that influenced his decision. I'm assuming you don't have the full story, neither do I. We likely never will. Personally, I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt and until proven otherwise, think of him as a man forced to make a terrible choice in the middle of war. If it gives you peace of mind, you can think the opposite.
@Cee They were held to account as should Anne’s betrayer. Nothing stopped him from hiding in an attic with his family instead of ratting out dozens of families and sending them to their deaths so he wouldn’t have to leave his home. This on top of whatever atrocities he participated in while a member of the council.
@CheapCraftyGirl SweepstakesFraud "under my rules"?? What?? I don't know the personal backstory of every single guard and the How's and Why's of the situation they were in but if indeed they were forced to do it to protect their families and themselves with literally no other choice then yes, I "extend the same". Your argument is weak and a poor comparison.
Do you extend the same to the death camp guards? Under your rules they had no choice otherwise they would’ve been sent to the front and certain death. They’re held to account and so should Anne’s betrayer.
Woolwoven
Yeah, there's a word for that. It's called ASSuming.
Suspect?? How awful to say this. He was also a victim, he was protecting his family and himself. It's so beyond tragic she had to go through that and die so young as well as her family beyond tragic but to say he betrayed her is just cruel and disrespectful
@Wendy Fiolek it was HIS FAMILY or HERS, it wasn't just himself he was thinking...
Wow just wow. Just some kid? Could your be anymore cold and heartless?
He did betray her. What else would you call it. He was selfish only thinking of himself. Because of him seven innocent people lost their liv s.
@Anderson II I mourn for Anne Frank and her family. But what this guy did was under dire circumstances. Was it justified? It’s hard to say, since we can only judge in hindsight. But when most people are threatened and have only the choice of saving (amiable) strangers over saving their family, almost always people would choose to save their family.
That old man killed another family over his own, that which should not be forgotten
Your family or someone's else, it doesn't matter who you choose. You will always be a hero and a scoundrel villian both at the same time.
Most would save their own
@harry011984 sorrey
@Cbot lmao
This is true
@JustAHanna i wasnt joking and belittle-ing, The comment states of what Eren did too, both villain and a good character, he sacrificed himself for the sake of others and what you did was insulting.
“What humanity may be capable of” ? How callous and cruel. The subjection of this man, his family, like millions of families, do not deserve to be demonized in their attempts for safety. We are incredibly fortunate to have primary accounts such as Anne Frank’s, but to perceive a man who saved his family as a traitor is wrong. These humans were all victims. What a complete lack of empathy or historical imagination to label this poor soul a traitor. Shame on you, this is not “investigative reporting”, this is inflammatory clickbait journalism to misrepresent the horrors of this moment in history. There is an actual traitor in this story, and it is the countless of people in power then who waited many years to intervene, and those in power who continue to enable the rise of Nazism in our modern day. It is an ultimate shame that, these are the traitors to these victims.
@manictiger What are you talking about? Many Germans had guns; hunting culture was big at the time. Nazi Germany had more lenient gun laws than Weimar Germany. You should really look into the 1938 German Weapons act. I'm not sure how the regulations would compare to American gun laws since those are a bit.... I guess intense would be the word. But wow if only you would look up what the laws, or more importantly German culture, were actually like at the time instead of talking out of your ass trying to push your own political agenda. Let's not bring politics into tragedy, especially if you don't know what you are talking about.
@Honest Farmer Ligue 1 Fan Who's "they" exactly?
Calling him a traitor and a betrayer is so wrong. It makes complete sense that someone is willing to sacrifice another family to save their own especially during that horrendous time. Its ignorant to call him a bad person.
@exgardevior Anne Frank has become a famous name because of her poignant diary, which has been translated into many languages. Anne Frank's diary describes the frightening period experienced by Anne, her family and friends in the annexe. It also expresses her hopes and aspirations for the future, which were never to be realised.
Don't understand the fuss... Just some kid who died years ago
@4Tom4lepus4 more than likely he did and it’s so so sad. I hope every victim is resting in peace now or if they are alive they are living a much better life
@Artisticgiftfromabove That's the worst part for me. It's a speculation, yet the media presents it as a fact that people just accept as a fact and now collectively shit-talk someone who very well may have been completely innocent and was a victim of the heinous Nazi regime himself. I feel for his family, who might read some very horrible things these days because of this.
We can't criticize him, if we don't understand the serious situation he was in. During that time, betrayals were something really common. People show their rawest emotions, as they fight over each other for their own lives. Parents to children. Siblings to siblings. Friends to friends. They still love each other, and heartbroken. But as their lives are at stakes, they have no choice but to give up everything they've built together. I feel super sorry for the ones who didn't want such stories to happen, but have to save themselves. Let's not judge anyone and call him a 'traitor' when he's trying to save himself and his family. We have no choice but to betray our closest allies to save our families. It's natural. And how you describe him as a devil who shows his true colors at dark times, it disgusts me.
@Lily tinkerbelle Morgan He didn't save himself tho, Nazi went and killed the Franks then came back for him, he just prolonged the inevitable death of him and his family all he achieved was killing the Franks, cowardly act.
@wubenn he was trying to save himself, probably his friends and family also … no need to be rude and ignorant
@wubenn damnnn dont have to be that rude
There’s a difference between a betrayer and a father who tried his best to protect and keep his family safe from the atrocity that is wartime. Also, I really find this witch-hunt particularly disturbing ; WWII was a terrible event, no doubt, but it ended almost 80 years ago and dragging someone’s reputation in the dirt without regards of the situation at the time.
I am speechless. Nobody should have to make the choice between your family or another family's life. I think Anne Frank would forgive him for sure.
@A R exactly man… people have lost the ability to rationalize situations
There's just no telling what the details were or what was going on in his head at the time so we can't really judge.
its a fake story anyway
I think she would too
It’s extremely shocking to be betrayed on a time where chaos and fear was all taking down to place
I’m sorry, but I believe that anyone put in this position would absolutely choose to save their own family, so to call him a betrayer is uncalled for.
Rest in Peace, Anne Frank. 🙏 🕊
You are an amazing author and in no way deserved to pass away the way you did, no one deserves that. We miss you. 💗
Not everybody
I think calling him a betrayer is misrepresenting the situation. I don't expect other people to sacrifice their family, wife and children for me. The fact that this man wrote a letter to her father shows he felt bad for her.
@Katherine Bidot How many families would you betray? Why didn’t he and his family hide in an attic? Didn’t want to give up his nice warm house? So instead he betrayed dozens of other families.
@Grogu Really. Same with death camp guards then? Sometimes life IS black and white.
Okay snitch
I wouldn't sacrifice myself for a family of ten lol
Everyone who says they wouldn't do the same thing never has any idea of what they would do in those situations.
For anyone wondering, according to Otto Frank, it was Meip who betrayed the Franks. However she had no choice and could not stop what had happened. Nazis captured her during one of her errands and threatened her with execution. Meip was saved by a German citizen, but the Franks were captured and sent to a concentration camp.
Otto watched one by one as his family died. Meip felt guilty about what she did, and it haunted her all her life. This is why she shared her story with so many people throughout the years. She wanted people to know how fear had forced people to do things out of their control, and the atrocities evil men committed against them.
These are one of the questions they hit you with in an ethics class. The fact they repeat “betrayer” over and over again really irks me. You may call him a betrayer, but if you had yourself, your parents and all those you love have death threatened to them, I guarantee you a lot of people would have done the same thing as he did.
Imagine if your family is the one getting betrayed. 😂
This was such a horrific time in our history. This man was a victim too. I couldn't imagine being put in such a predicament- the guilt and pain of making such a decision. Let's not judge. Don't let hate seep into your hearts, for it is hate that is the enemy of mankind. Our ancestors suffered so much. Can we humble ourselves enough to forgive? Despite the imperfections we have , there is never a reason to escalate to such violence and horror. We have to stay humble. We have to forgive. History repeats itself not because we fail to learn, but because we fail to love. Our problems aren't intellectual, these are matters of the heart. It starts with forgiveness.
I never felt the need to discover who informed the Nazis of the Frank family's whereabouts, only because it was clear that it came from a place of fear and threats of death if they didn't speak up on where they were hiding. The entire tragedy of WWII needs to be put into context when individual stories like this come to light, because it's easy to point fingers and say "this man betrayed Anne Frank and her family", whereas the reality of it is far more broad and depressing and less sinister. The man was most probably forced to give that information, he may have even stalled for as long as he could before finally having no choice. He could've been the reason the Frank's spent an extra week in that annex. Just remember that. History is not there to judge, it's there to learn and understand.
Hell yeah! I’m snitchin idc it’s my life over everyone else’s. Idc about kids bc it’s life or death
Very well said.
If you think 6 million Jews were systematically murdered and a little 14 year old girl wrote that book then I have a bridge to the moon to sell you.
Words like "betray" automatically paints the picture of the person as being evil, when the truly evil ones are the murderers that made that family run and hide in an attic, in the first place.
It is a disgrace that this man is being named as guilty with only circumstantial evidence. And as he is long dead, he cannot defend himself and his family’s name is blackened.
reminds me of another certain mid-20th century leader..
I'm sorry but it's pretty easy for those who aren't in fear for their lives and the lives of their family to call someone a "betrayer". No one knows what they would do in this situation, no matter how much they think they'd be the hero. The consequences for this person would have been beyond gruesome. What is the right thing to do? Let your family be murdered/tortured or let a stranger be murdered or tortured?
We sit in our comfortable homes in a modern world with confidence that our doors won't be kicked in by monsters willing to drag us into the street and shoot us in the head and we cast judgement on a man simply trying to stop this from happening to his family. Disgusting.
Even if my life was in danger I wouldn't out my friends and family, I'd happily give my life to protect them and die with someone dignity.
Let’s be real here. Nobody in the comments are going to sell out their family just to save someone else.
It’s human nature
It is human nature, and I think it would be wrong to save someone else's instead of your own
Was thinking the same it's a no brainer
Calling him a traitor in every other sentence is inconsiderate to say the least, we can't know the horrors these people lived through.
Nevertheless they're is still a betrayer.
yas tbh i think anyone would do the same
@North Coast Models Have you even watched the video?
How is he a traitor? He did everything to save himself & more importantly his family. He was himself a victim of the circumstances. I don't think that qualifies anyone to be a traitor. Anyone should be called a traitor if He / She willingly betrays someone who trusted them without any meaningful reason or for their own personal gain.
I've known, probably since my teens, that my parents would always pick me and my siblings over themselves and certainly over any other family's. The vast majority of all parents would. And while it shatters that innocent world of ethical and moral beliefs one lives in as a kid, it's a sobering realization of how human all people are.
What a way to end it! "He was under threat of dying along with his family," "what humanity can be capable of." Wtf do you mean?
As a mother, given the choice of saving my son or saving somebody else, I will always choose my son. That's the nature of being a mother. Would it break my heart? Would I live in guilt? Would I always be broken from such a choice, absolutely.
@Thelonius Punk regardless of the veracity of the story, my statement is nonetheless true. We are wired to save our offspring. What mother or father, if given the absolute choice of saving their child or that of someone else, would not choose their own?
It's kind of disgusting to out someone's identity just based on suspicion and calling them a traitor every other sentence, ngl.
Typical media. Will do anything for a headline
Idk what’s wrong with “snitchin” to save your life.. idc about her & she’s not family. Gotta save my life first!!
But you'd be fine if it was Donald Trump they were talking about
Don't understand the fuss... Just some kid who died years ago
Not betrayed, whoever it was probably just did what they needed to do to do right by their own family and friends. Can’t reasonably ask for more than that. This is incredibly disrespectful, inconsiderate, and naively stupid to claim it was a “betrayal”
“The detectives relied on circumstantial evidence”
So they aren’t detectives?
Can’t imagine the guilt he already feels after just doing what he had to to save his family, only for nosy and selfish journalists to out his name to the entire world so they can hate him too. This is disgusting.
@Peter Nolan I think the reason so many people are defending him is because they know, deep down, that they'd do the same thing in his situation. You're trying to justify what he did so you feel better about yourself. I have empathy for him and I know the pressure he was under - but he still sacrificed an innocent family to save his own. That is not moral. That is not okay. Just because we'd do the same doesn't mean he was justified.
You have absolutely no idea what he felt. You may have felt that way, but it's probable we will never know what he felt. So, it helps if you don't go around assuming things either.
First of all he's dead and this information is valuable to historians. What do you want them to do, keep it a secret?? Second of all, nazi soldiers are still held responsible for their actions even though they were told to commit those war crimes by their superiors. This is no different. The context and motivation does not matter; the facts are that this man ratted out an innocent family. There were other avenues he could have taken - not every jewish man at the time resorted to snitching on others in order to preserve his family. Many probably had the same opportunity he did, but chose not to because they had basic morals.
It's hard to label one a "traitor" especially in this time. Events mess humans up. We are forced to survive in circumstances like this.
The fact that this informant was Jewish himself and forced to betray Anne in order to save his own family’s lives… it’s honestly one of the most chilling and disturbing things I’ve ever heard.
@Celt also britain is well known to be the only colony to preserve culture. Would you rather the Spanish, dutch or Portuguese ruled? I guess you don't know so much about their empires?
@Celt if it tried to destroy welsh culture it would've succeeded. They're unfortified and attached to us. There's a reason Welsh is still spoken. Just because one ruler of the empire decided something which was overthrown, that doesn't apply to the entire British empire. Anyway, would we have tried to invite Wales to be part of England if we had any kind of bad feelings towards them? No. 👌 the British empire went through many stages of evolution so you'll have to be more specific about who and when in the over 400 years history. 🙃 and we did WAY more good than any other country ever to exist... and way more good than bad
@Patrick Meneses I am enjoying this too good sir. Here is your popcorn 🍿🍿
@Sus-pect 👀😈 ooo buddy i wouldnt start defending the british empire, that empire tried to destroy welsh culture, and many many other cultures too
Another good example of historical stories, and one with a happier ending than most is that of Robert Clary. Just about any American over 30 might know him as 'Le'bo' from the sitcom 'Hogan's Heroes.' In Europe, people may know the show as ein Käfig voller Helden or, 'A Cage Full Of Heroes.' Robert Clary wrote a book called 'From The Holocaust To Hogans Heroes' which he tells his story. In short, he was captured at the beginning of the war and survived in large part due to his entertainment background. He was spared because he could sing and dance. Liberated at the end of the war he came to learn that a large portion of his family survived as well, literally bumping into one of them on the street. While the horrors from WW2 are important to remember, it is also good to see that there were a few happy endings.
it's beyond disrespectful to call him a 'betrayer' . if i were in the guys situation i would have done the same, no questions asked.
Among all this misery , beauty still prevails
Anne Frank ❤️
How did he betray anybody? That's ridiculous to paint this man as some kind of evil person.
I have this girl's book slash diary. I tried reading it but it made me angry and sad. She was completely innocent and just a little girl who was excited for her birthday to arrive and see what kind of presents she got. I picked the book out myself and bought it with my own money. Anne was a very good-natured kid, silly and free-spirited. She was a really really good person from the things I was reading about her.
Ratio
The thing that's so sad is how close they were to surviving
I don't think I would know what I would do for sure if it came down to me saving myself, but if it came down to me saving my children, I think I would probably do what he did too.
Let's not forget who the real villain is in this story.
When I read the book, I was really connected to her and felt the pain of jews when I was in 6th and knew nothing about Nazis or the bad Hitler was doing. To be honest, the book made books my best friends and it changed me from inside.
Anyone who thinks if they were in the shoes of the other, would not have betrayed Anne, knows little about the human condition. It is a tragedy on all fronts.
@Leila Valentin heres an easy descision,, never allow yourself for anyone to give you that option
@Kemo to be honest it wouldn’t be an easy choice. I couldn’t easily betray someone. But I’m a mother and if it’s one of those things where you have to choose and it’s save your family or someone else, I would choose my family. I mean it’s basically life or death, you wouldn’t choose life? Idk how exactly she was betrayed, but I’m saying if I were in the situation and someone asked me give up this person or you and your family are going to die, it wouldn’t be that easy, but it’s easy enough. If that makes me cruel then… damn right I’ll be the cruelest MFer cause I’d kill for my kid.
@Inny74 WHO SAYS it ain't even man enough to say NO MASK lmao!
@Based Ghi 🤣
@A T Yep.
The most you can do is sacrifice yourself.
So the information goes with you.
When I watched this video a week ago I was happy to see people have not forgotten about this and are actively investigating about it. But they should not call him a betrayer without knowing much about him.
I had recently studied about her in my english book. I hope her soul RIP.🙏
Love Annie but I would do the same for my family every single time if I face such circumstances. He was just another man who put the safety of his family prior to anything else like many of us would.
its not really called "betrayal" he had to choose between his family and them. if it was me, i would choose my family too
This man was a victim of his circumstances, not a betrayer or traitor. Most people will turn on you based on public opinion or fame. Unfortunately this was a matter of life and death and a real breakdown in humanity. People shouldn't have been put in that type of predicament anyways, if we're discussing choices and morals. The entire Holocaust was sickening. From the medical experiments with Mengele to the selling of the hair of Jews as fabric.
That's the BCC for you.
still remember i was in 9th grade when i read "the diary of a young girl" chapter from my english book it was a really great experience now this video is convincing me to read the entire book
“betrayer” if you knew how life was back then, you’d do the exact same thing.
Man they’re calling him a traitor when everyone watching this would do the same thing to save their family
I was 13 when I read the Diary of Anne Frank. She was my first crush. I can't forget even now 45+ years later her bravery and strength. It's because of her I speak out against the marginalization of people. The cruelty of others, especially those that are less fortunate. Those that like to tell us that those who are different, less fortunate than us are the cause of all our problems, want us looking down so we don't look up.
It is easy to condemn Mr. Vandenburg but until you have walked a mile in his shoes try and avoid passing judgement. If it came down to protecting your family over people you don't know most people would do exactly the same thing. I am not saying he was right, it was a despicable act but none of us will know what pressures he was under that caused him to make such a choice.
100% fake story
a betrayer? he's being called a betrayer because he refused to sacrifice his family & did what any loving, responsible husband & father would do. we really are living in Bizarro world
It's easy to look back, and condemn those who can't defend themselves, especially with a sketchy, circumstantial case, where no real evidence is possible. At this point, when all involved are dead, and lost to time, is the identity of the snitch really that important anymore? One can only hope the family of the accused isn't harassed, based on reports like this.
1:39 Circumstancial evidence fails in a court and you dare to identify it as a "betrayer"
Statistically speaking, most people, including the news readers and the people who called this person a 'betrayer' would have done EXACTLY the same thing. This isn't simply just a morality issue - this is doing what you have to do to either survive or save your loved ones.
From looking at history, most people would sell out others with much less on the line.
Calling someone a traitor based off of circumstantial evidence is honestly disrespectful in my opinion,because imagine they’re not guilty and we all just accept it. I feel awful for his family due to that issue, like imagine no matter how hard you say my relative didn’t do this no one would listen to you.
as much as I would like to know who did it because I’m always curious about these things I’d like to find it out not at cost of pointing fingers and saying it was a he said she said type scenario!
Edit: wow this absolutely blew the HECK up! Thank you all for that and also I have a lot of comments under this one and I just want remind everyone I’m open to discussing this but keep it respectful and on the point.
I’ve seen many comments de-rail the subject entirely. I understand this topic has a very thin rope to walk across and sometimes people fall by mistake but please just keep it respectful. I wanted to say something about it,thank you :)
(I also fixed a few things in the original comments because I wrote it late at night and what i say then can sometimes be hard to understand)
yeah unfortunately most people have an IQ lower than room temperature so there's no way someone can make a decision for themselves.
Even if they are “guilty” its easier to find who did it then understand the circumstances. People will try to delay things but once their lives and family is on the line they make a decision faster to protect themselves or loved ones.
@Omi-cron Kenovid no just nope
@Omi-cron Kenovid what does this have to do with him?
The way they talk about him as if he's an evil person is just ridiculous. These days the hardest thing we go through is no toilet roll at the shop. None of us can even begin to imagine what he was going through at the time
When I was 8 my mom read this story to show 'how we should be always be kind and be grateful' but she always stopped when she was halfway... after 2 years i knew why...
Anne Frank respect o7
Seriously, no judgement here. Who am I to say that I would behave differently? I have never been forced to endure what they did. The evil that was forced upon them is too much to even adequately imagine.
when i was 10 , i read annes diary , and i remeber thinking , damn , at 15 ppl must be really mature! and now that im a year older than what anne was when she died , i realize that it was not only mature , but incredibly thoughtful and genius . and then it hits me , that her talent could only be nurtured till 15 , imagine what an actress or writer shed have made if shed survived
I read her diary and was heartbreaking
It is horrible how war changes lives and does not respect ages.
She was a young girl like many many others who suffer war even to this very day.
@greyson dude let it be, people like that are not gonna change. the less attention you give them the better
@greyson using a word that means nothing, am I meant to be upset,?
@greyson typical tactics of someone who can't bear the truth
@J you obviously do.
I wouldn’t say the guy wasn’t a traitor (he was on the Frank’s side because he had to) but rather, I would just say that this guy was put in a moral dilemma and chose to save his own family in exchange of the Franks which was honestly a hard thing for him to do. So, we can’t really blame him for this. The Nazis definitely made him do it
"How could someone betray his/her family especially during extremely harsh circumstances??" Or for me, not every news is pure...let's not call someone a betrayer if we're unaware of his/her life.
It’s a different concept when you are cornered and will do whatever you can to save your family. He’s not a betrayer because if that was you in that situation you wouldn’t give up your family for someone else’s fam that you barely know. You do what you need to do to survive with your family, it’d be different if he didn’t have one
I remember crying I think when I was a child and first found out about her and to learn that someone possibly betrayed them oh wow
I clicked thinking it was a fully sinister evil person who gave them up, and now finding it was not at all what I thought makes me generally really sad. In glad to see others in the comments who along with me aren't angry at person who gave them up as it was either them or his family. I don't know what I would have done in that situation and I'm lucky I don't have to find out.
I doubt it was an “ either they or his family” situation… they probably all got killed in the gas chamber anyways and I doubt the “traitor” got any special treatment for giving them up ☹️
@Isa awh don’t be mad
What a nasty thing to do, blame someone, call them a traitor on circumstantial evidence alone....
German soldier killed my aunt when she was 18 months old a day before the liberation. I asked my father ( it was his little sister ) about his feelings on that tragedy, he said he is very sad after all the time, but without anger or hate towards a killer. It was time of war. We are all different but people like my father are majority, which is good.
She would be 92 if she survived all this 😔, rest in peace to her and all that lost their lives back then 💐
I don’t care what anyone had to say I would’ve done the same thing for my family! If never choose another family’s lives over MINE. Is it unfortunate? Yes. But it’s not an evil person. If do anything for my family 🤷🏽♀️ if y’all would’ve sacrificed your family for Anne’s while putting your own family in jeopardy that’s on you
Imagine hiding with your entire family from murderers, the case of Anne Frank has always disturbed me so much, rest in heaven little one,
@amirudin adnan people do care dont dismiss things like this things that happen in the middle east are equally disturbing but for u to belittle the significance of the holocaust just because it happens frequently in the middle east thats just disrespectful
@Ari California oh you sweet summer child
@Ari California The Nuremberg Trials literally made sure that "I was just following orders" was not a valid legal defence.
He’s a betrayer but honestly being a father and a husband, I would’ve done the same for my family.
the whole story is fake
It was quite an emotional trip when I visited her hiding place in Amsterdam
My love for Anne will always be there
Many people need to ask to their self: What they would do if faced the same situation like them? I think most of us will choose to safe ourself and our family first than other people/family. Its bitter, but that understandable.
Let’s not forget the real villain here is the Nazis. Their actions are the reason terrible, terrible things like this happened.
@exgardevior Me Neither, Anne Frank was no one special there was thousands of young boys and girls just like her in WW2
She's overrated that's for sure, she was a dime a dozen, which is sad if you think about it
It's just the few lucky ones who had their story made famous in books and movies but everyone else was forgotten
But than again because a pack of wolf's is trying to kill me I wouldn't feed them a Young Girl and someone else's family to the Wolfs..
Selfish but pretty much as selfish as most humans
Don't understand the fuss... Just some kid who died years ago
he was completely justified in saving his family
Without knowing the full story, without concrete evidence or even eyewitness testimony and relying solely on the opinions of people over 70 years later is quite appalling. This is not untypical in the modern world, where people with titles next to their names carry weight, regardless. This phenomenon is getting worse. Labelling the "suspect" as a betrayer by these people is appalling, disrespectful and unjust and sadly this label will stick because of who they are and their accused being unable to defend himself. If he chose to save his family at the expense of another, then one can only imagine the extreme trauma he suffered during the forced choice and for the rest of his life after it.
Not ok. He didn't betray, he was a victim.
This story isn't black, and white. The guy had to save his family.
@Thelonius Punk this was copied and pasted...
Very dangerous game to play, "suspected" doesn't mean guilty, and no way of possibly knowing if he was the one to rat them out.
If he is innocent then you've destroyed the reputation of an entire family based on no solid proof
@Ron Martin what are you even talking about
@Chara Dreemur Is that bad?
Horrific, my whole paternal side are Romanian Jewish and many died in concentration camps. It's all so incredibly sad to think one man had to sacrifice another's family to save his own.
Tragic time in history we needn't forget😔
@HardyQuinn cringe
@Ricardo Hernandez nah, ans I got kids too! 😉
It's easy to judge - just be grateful you'll never be in such a vile predicament yourself.
I wouldn't call him a traitor.. he betrayed Anne because he had to and I suppose that was the only way he could save his own family.. can't blame him for making a harsh decision-
I agree with may other comments here
I think it is disrespectful to call this man a betrayer because he wanted to save his family
It was a horrible thing they all went through and he was in one of the most horrible situations so for us to sit here, people who have never gone through this type of horror, is disgraceful
Many people were pushed to this. Neither option was a good one and IF he was the person who handed them over then think about how he must’ve felt for the rest of his life.
I’m not excusing his actions but i can understand why he did it.
I remember reading Anne Frank’s diary in 6th grade, and being disturbed for several years on what kind of person could have had the heart to turn her and her family in. As time went on and as I learned more about history, wars, and psychology, it became more obvious that it’s in our human nature to do the unthinkable if it means ensuring the survival of our loved ones, or even to protect ourselves. Unfortunately, it’s also human nature to be greedy and desire power, financial well-being, etc - and hoped that wasn’t the reason why the Frank family was turned in. Anyways; clicked on this thinking it was finally known who the person was - but guess it’s still possibly a mystery since evidence seems to be based on just an anonymous letter. If it was van den Bergh, then guess I’m glad it didn’t turn out to be the heartless and greedy villain type; as it seems he was forced to do it to protect his own loved ones.
the story is fake
yeah same , i always thought only the most evil could do that .. but now that i come to realize that this man was also just trying to protect his family , i just feel bad for everyone affected by the war , no matter which side they were on ,thye were all ordered and influenced by the upper echelon of politicians (i dont feel bad for them) . war gives collateral damage to the normal ppl . it is tragic how for the greed and satisfaction of a few politicians the whole earth descends in chaos .
@Adrian Paulo This happens in modern day over the world.
Why the need for this? All it serves is to place unnecessary shame on the man's descendants. Today, our peers are not war-time citizens who were forced to make tough choices for their lives. Privileged youngsters who can afford to learn about our terrible history without being a part of it. Our goal is to stay away from pointing fingers and simply say together 'Never Again'.
Disliked button hit for the way you are calling this person a betrayer, when clearly they were threatened and had to choose between the death of their family or Anne’s.
This is what we call: a victim of war crimes.
I wish I could save her in some sort of time machine
There is a big difference between upholding your beliefs/moral code when you're living in safety compared to when you're in n danger/being threatened
I was nine when I read Anne’s diary and she always seemed so grown up but watching this it’s just hitting me how young she actually is. I’m now older than Anne ever got to be.
@Entry What did they do with it
Epic action battle scene
I started reading her diary when I was 13, and up until age 16 I was fascinated and inspired by her. Now at 17, I’m so grateful that I got to live out my late teenage years and will soon be an adult, which is what she would have dreamed of. She will always hold a special place in my heart
@Omi-cron Kenovid BiC
Give me a break that little girl is fiction. That book was written by an older person. And it was written after the fact. Some people will just believe anything they are told
May they finally Rest In Peace
"The man THOUGHT to have betrayed her family. " Seriously people... Unless you are 100% sure, you need to stay silent. This is not okay.
Named in an anonymous note sent to Otto Frank. No one can prove this accusation either way and it is almost impossible to know the truth either way after so many years. Tragic for all concerned under these brutal circumstances.
I’m actually learning about her and the holocaust rn (middle school lol). I cried in class it so sad I know it’s not the same but it reminds me of slavery.
This is disrespectful. The circumstances was to save HIS family the people he loved and cared about the most. We don’t even know if this is entirely true. Don’t believe everyone you hear.
@西德什 General shiro was a lunatic, I live in Israel and there are holocaust survivors who’d tell us stories of their life first hand, get a grip on reality brotha
@Countess Margoth p
I doubt it was an “ either they or his family” situation… they probably all got killed in the gas chamber anyways and I doubt the “traitor” got any special treatment for giving them up ☹️
@J D you’re telling me you wouldn’t protect your family first before everyone else? I’m not saying I would want to rat out anyone because that’s disgusting and worthless. If you’re family’s life was on the line I think the heartbreaking decision would have to be made to save your family. That’s what I’m saying.
I just cant figure out how there are people who spend their life trying to guess the person (who is now dead anyway and cant confirm/ react/ be judged) that was "supossed" to have done something in a past that isnt closely related to any of us. No matter if its a good cause or if the nazis were evil (they obv were), but its just a useless waste of time.
@Tutumcorda That's all true. Lest we forget those who passed, journalism often shines a light on what's behind us.
ofc i dont mean to say that discussing the topic is pointless, it certainly is an interesting thing to talk about, both historically and morally speaking, but its just not worth to investigate just to get faint clues that wont change anything anyways