Woman Who Aided Anne Frank to Talk

A woman who preserved Anne Frank’s diaries during World War II and helped bring them to the public’s attention will speak at the Irvine Marriott hotel on May 18.

Miep Gies provided Anne Frank and her family with food and supplies after the Nazis invaded the Netherlands in 1942 and the Frank family was forced into hiding.

For two years, the family lived in the attic of an office, hiding from German troops. In 1944, they were discovered by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps, where most of them--including Anne--died.

That year, Gies discovered Anne Frank’s journal entries, which would become the basis for one of the most popular books about the horrors of World War II.

At the Irvine lecture, Gies will discuss life in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam and detail her relationship with Anne Frank and her family.

Tickets to the event are $40. The talk is sponsored by a group working to bring an exhibit about Anne Frank to Orange County, said organizer Bruce Giuliano. Dessert will be served, and Gies will answer questions from the audience.

For more information, call (714) 724-1009.