Jan Gies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jan Gies
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![]() Jan and Miep Gies in 1980
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Born |
Jan Augustus Gies
18 August 1905 Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Died | 26 January 1993 Amsterdam, Netherlands
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(aged 87)
Nationality | Dutch |
Other names | Henk van Santen |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 1 |
Jan Augustus Gies (born August 18, 1905 – died January 26, 1993) was a brave member of the Dutch Resistance. This was a group of people who secretly fought against the Nazis when they occupied the Netherlands during World War II.
Jan Gies, along with his wife, Miep, helped hide Anne Frank and her family. They also helped the van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer. These families were Jewish and were being hunted by the Nazis. Jan and Miep helped them stay safe in a secret hiding place called the Secret Annex.
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Jan Gies's Early Life and Marriage
Jan Gies grew up in Amsterdam, a big city in the Netherlands. He met his future wife, Miep, in 1933. At that time, Jan worked as a bookkeeper, and Miep was an office worker.
They met again in 1936 and became good friends. They got married in Amsterdam on July 16, 1941. Their wedding was special because Otto Frank, Anne Frank's father, and Anne herself were there. Other friends like Hermann van Pels and his wife, and Miep's co-workers Victor Kugler, Bep Voskuijl, and Johannes Kleiman also attended.
Later that year, Jan became the director of Otto Frank's company. This happened because new Nazi laws stopped Jewish people from running businesses. So, the company changed its name to Gies & Co.
Helping People in Hiding
As the Nazis became more dangerous for Jewish people in Amsterdam, Jan decided to help. He worked to get illegal ration cards for food. These cards helped people who were in hiding get enough to eat. He also found safe places for them to hide.
Jan played a key role in helping the Frank family move into their hiding place. This secret annex was located in the same building as the Gies & Co company. During the two years the families were hidden, Jan visited them often. He and Miep even spent a night in the annex themselves. They wanted to understand what it was like to live in constant fear.
Besides the Frank and van Pels families and Fritz Pfeffer, Miep and Jan also hid a student. This student had refused to join a Nazi group.
After the Arrests
In August 1944, the people in the Secret Annex were discovered and arrested. After they were taken away, Miep bravely went back to the hiding place. She rescued parts of Anne Frank's diary and other writings. She did this before the Dutch secret police could search the place.
Of the eight people Miep and Jan helped hide, only Otto Frank survived. When Otto returned to Amsterdam in June 1945, he lived with Jan and Miep. He stayed with them for seven years before moving to Switzerland.
After Anne Frank's diary was published, Jan and Miep became well-known. They gave talks about Anne Frank and why it's important to fight against unfairness.
Later Life and Legacy
Jan Gies passed away at home in 1993, at the age of 87. He was remembered for his courage and kindness. His wife, Miep, lived to be 100 years old, passing away in 2010. They had a son, Paul, and three grandchildren.
Jan Gies is remembered as a hero who risked his own life to help others during a very dark time in history.