The study of the betrayal of an Anne Frank, a Dutch Jewish girl, has reached new conclusions.
After 6 years of meticulous research, an investigative team using modern techniques to analyze the betrayal of Anne Frank came up with a theory that had barely been studied before, according to which a Jewish notary, out of self-preservation, passed On Frank's secret address to the Nazis.
The researchers concluded that arnold van den Bergh, a prominent Amsterdam notary, passed the hidden address to the Germans to keep himself and his family safe.
Although no definitive evidence has been found, according to the team, at least Anne's father, Otto Frank himself, seems to have taken the theory seriously, but, out of a desire to protect the Jews, it was not disclosed.
Retired FBI detective Vince Pankoke called the investigation the longest and most difficult he has ever been involved in, involving vast amounts of data, lost records and deceased witnesses. He said: "This is not a cold case, the case is simply frozen. ”
However, he is convinced that the truth is now known, "because there is no DNA material as evidence or video images in such an old case, and a large amount of circumstantial evidence has to be relied on." However, our theory is at least 85% more likely. We have no conclusive evidence, but we have reasonable inferences. ”
As the findings of the study would be subject to global resistance, it was not possible to submit the findings to the independent expert in advance. Dutch media NOS will publish a dedicated article on its website to collect reactions received.
So far, there have been quite a few criticisms of the study.
The beginning and end of the investigation
Dutch documentary filmmaker Thijs Bayens came up with the idea in 2017 to use modern forensic methods and investigative tools to study one of the most famous mysteries of World War II. A team of 23 people collected old and new interviews, diaries, address lists, and war archives from archives around the world to justify existing and new hypotheses.
Among other things, AI is used to analyze 66 GB of information. According to the book Anne Frank's Betrayal, published today, computers were used to analyze connections between other Jewish hideouts when the Nazis raided and map the people who lived near Anne Frank's secret address.
The team revisited old uncertain conclusions, from the initial suspect, Willem van Maaren, to the speculations of the authors of later books, and examined the theory that the discovery of the secret address was a coincidence.
Journalist Pieter van Twisk, one of the leaders of research in the Netherlands, said: "All in all, we have taken stock of about 30 theories, and it can be said that 27 or 28 of them are very unlikely, or even completely impossible. ”
Anonymous clues
At the heart of the theory left was an anonymous note delivered shortly after the war to Anne's father, Otto, and although the road to the original was deadlocked, the team managed to find a copy of the note made by Otto in a policeman's family file.
The note read: "A. Van Den Berg (A. Van Den Burg) van den Bergh has informed Jüdische Auswanderung of your hiding place in Amsterdam, euterpestraat, who was living near Vondelpark in O. Nassaulaan. At JA (Jüdische Auswanderung) there was a complete list of addresses, which he had teleported. ”
It wasn't until the second investigation into treason was conducted in 1964 that Otto revealed the existence of the note.
Police investigator Arend van Helden concluded at the time that Van Den Berg had been defamed without evidence, arguing that "it seems that the integrity of this man is beyond doubt". Subsequently, investigators also ignored the allegation.
Van Den Berg was a member of the Jewish Council, he was arrested in September 1943, and he would have to pass it all on to the Germans in a concentration camp in August 1944, Fantasisk said. This is not obvious. It wasn't until later that we found out that he wasn't in the camp at all. ”
Van den Berg appears to have done everything he can to prevent himself and his family from being expelled from the Netherlands. As a key member of the Jewish Council, he was granted Sperre, meaning he was temporarily suspended from deportation. At the same time, he successfully argued with the German official Karl Mayer that he was not Jewish at all. At the same time, though, he arranged a hiding place for his daughters.
Fantasiask said: "He is a very intelligent person, who plays everything safely, a man who can play three-dimensional chess. ”
Despite all precautions, Van Den Berg was in trouble in 1944. His Sperre had expired and his notary status as a notary was revoked after a dispute with a colleague. The team concluded that it must have been the moment Van Den Berg had passed the address to the Germans.
According to the researchers, the Jewish Council has drawn up a list of hiding places designed to prove to the Germans that they cooperate well, and Prinsengracht 263 may also be among them. As a key member of the council, Van Den Berg may have obtained the address document.
In any case, Van Den Berg has contacts to pass on such information. In the summer of 1940, as a notary, he arranged the auction of the controversial Goudstikker collection and thus came into contact with Alois Miedl, a Friend of Goering, a German spy.
Who betrayed Anne Frank the mystery solved?
According to the Dutch journalist Fantasysk, who participated in the investigation, it is also important how the August 4, 1944 raid took place. German SS Karl Silberbauer was commissioned that day by his boss, Julius Dettmann. Fantasiask said previous advice about who might have given Detman clues was irrelevant.
"It can't be a citizen who picks up the phone and reports. As an ordinary Dutchman, you can't contact Deitman. He was too high in a Nazi position, and he didn't speak Dutch, and his phone number wasn't in the phone book. Deitman was a high-ranking Nazi, so the clue must have come from within Germany's hierarchical system. ”
The researchers acknowledge that in the absence of conclusive evidence, the problem remains. Van Tevez concluded: "We don't know exactly how Van Den Berg reported [to the German Nazis]; you certainly want to know who wrote the anonymous letter, and we don't know either." I think there are many more puzzles to be discovered. If this study can bring more facts to the surface, that would be great. Perhaps more people, after the war, received such anonymous letters. ”
Even more convincing to the team was that Anne's father, Otto, seemed to value allegations against Van den Berg that "we were betrayed by the Jews," which he is said to have told Friso Endt, a reporter for the Dutch newspaper Parool.
According to the researchers, he also obstructed the pursuit of Silbernagel, an SS officer whose whereabouts were still unknown at the time, and thwarted the investigation into the raid, as the Austrian might reveal some unwelcome details.
But Fantasiask argues that Otto actually wants to keep Van den Berg away from the wind because they fear attacks from anti-Semites.
In addition, Van Den Berg died of throat cancer in 1950, "He knew Van Den Berg had a child, did he let him drag her through the mud after his death, and let the child bear the name and be hurt?"
Seventy-seven years later, Pancock and the rest of the team certainly don't want to make up their minds about Van Den Berg, "The only bad guys are the Nazis, and none of this would have happened without them." If you blame Van den Berg, you first have to ask yourself, how far can you go to save the lives of your loved ones? ”