Nazi Defier Dies at age 100

[Darmeen]

Miep Gies, the office secretary who defied the Nazi occupiers to hide Anne Frank and her family for two years and saved the teenager's diary, has died, the Anne Frank House museum said Tuesday. She was 100.

She never considered herself a hero, but to that little girl, her family and those with them, she sure was.

 

[olderthandirt]

What little I do know of the story, she is a hero without doubt.

Folks like that always make me wonder what kind of courage I would be able to muster when the times or circumstance called.

 

[Darmeen]

What little I do know of the story, she is a hero without doubt.

Folks like that always make me wonder what kind of courage I would be able to muster when the times or circumstance called.

She said she never read the diary while it was in her possession...because if she did, she would have had to destroy it, because it implicated her and others in the event.

Gies refused to read the papers, saying even a teenager's privacy was sacred. Later, she said if she had read them she would have had to burn them because they incriminated the "helpers."

on her heroism:

"I don't want to be considered a hero," she said in a 1997 online chat with schoolchildren.
"Imagine young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a hero to do your human duty. I am afraid nobody would ever help other people, because who is a hero? I was not. I was just an ordinary housewife and secretary."

A truly humble woman, who was a hero, even if she didn't want to be.

I agree dirt...if the time came, would I have the fortitude to do the right thing in the face of great evil? I would like to think that I would. I know that I would give my life for my family.

 

[Safira]

She was such a beautiful woman, to think of the courage it took for her to do what she did brings tears to my eyes. (and then she brushes it off as nothing) I wish I could live my life half as selflessly and courageously as she did. May she rest in peace.

 

[dgriego]

Rest in peace Miep Gies

You were and are a hero

 

[Elendil]

It's good to know she lived the long life she deserved.

 

[Bones]

Yea - Good Life Well Lived -

 

[katkin]

Seems that heroes never think they are heroes. But everyone else knows.

May she rest in peace.

 

[Darmeen]

You know, I just realized I posted this thread in Outside, and this isn't really a thread for a debate or rant.

If the mods feel I posted in the wrong area, would please move it to the correct area...I just know that this post didn't go in the General area as it was not about e-cigs, but please dont' give me an infraction for it.

 

[jj2]

The world will miss her.

 

[Safira]

You know, I just realized I posted this thread in Outside, and this isn't really a thread for a debate or rant.

If the mods feel I posted in the wrong area, would please move it to the correct area...I just know that this post didn't go in the General area as it was not about e-cigs, but please dont' give me an infraction for it.

You know I have been wondering why you put this here for a few days now. I guess I was afraid to say something. (better to be thought a fool....) I just couldn't imagine someone would debate on her being a great human for what she did, and the personal risk she took to save just one family. But, I'm not the brightest crayon in the box.

 

[uba egar320]

I got to see her hiding place during a visit to Amsterdam.Regret not going inside(it was raining sideways and cold as heck).But I can tell you that until you see it,you can't get an idea of how little they had to look at out that little window.Something else that amazed me was the video that was on Fox news(don't hit me Bones)the only known video of Anne Frank taken during a wedding.Then I got on the official web site and read of how people recognized themselves in the pictures she put on her walls from magazines all these years later.Thought it was pretty cool.

 

[Elendil]

Thread moved to the Lounge