Fire Destroys Westerbork Camp

Two barracks originally at Westerbork labour camp, where Anne Frank and her sister Margot were held, were burned down. The barracks were completely destroyed and the cause of the fire remains unknown.

The barrack was dismantled after World War II and brought to a farm some 30 kilometers away from Westerbork. The barrack was decided to bring to be brought back to the original camp site in the next few months however before it could be moved it was destroyed by the fire.

Anne Frank was transferred to Westerbork detainment camp in August 1944 with her sister Margot where they stayed for a few weeks. During this time Anne spent her days sitting at a long trestle table dismantling old aeroplane batteries, with guards watching over shouting to speed up.  For sustenance workers received a piece of stale bread and a few ladles of watery soup.

Tragically Anne and her family were on the very last transport out of Westerbork to Auschwitz and she died of hunger and disease with her sister at Bergen-Belsen camp six months later.

Gillian Walnes, Executive Director and Co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust said “It is sad that this important historical site is now lost.  Ironically, after over two years of claustrophobic and fearful hiding in a secret annexe in Amsterdam, Anne Frank’s short stay at Westerbork camp afforded her a degree of happiness and hope.”

Her diary written while in hiding and published after the war, went on to sell over 40 million copies. 

Posted: 20 July 2009

WW1 veteran Henry Allingham dies
Read news >>