The next leg of the journey started on 21 April 1945, when the group, which had grown to 800 Dutch people, continued its journey. They were a heterogenous group: Former Jewish prisoners, Dutch prisoners of war, and forced labourers. Some Nazi collaborators also joined the group, hoping to stay under the radar. On 23 April 1945, they arrived in Odessa.

Port of Odesa, Ukraine. 1942

Weeks of waiting in Odessa

Out of the eight people from the Secret Annex, Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, was the only one to survive the Holocaust. This is the story of his return from the Auschwitz concentration camp to Amsterdam. This reconstruction is based on Otto’s notes and other testimonies and documents. Click through the slides for the story and on the markers for more information.

Bevrijding Otto Frank

Otto Frank herstelt in ziekenzaal

The liberation of Auschwitz

A long and uncertain journey

Terugreis Otto Frank: Katowice

Overlijden Edith Frank

A school in Katowice

A sad encounter

Edith's death

Terugreis Otto Frank: Tsjernivtsi

A warm reception in Chernivtsi

Terugreis Otto Frank: Odessa

A protest telegram

Aboard the ‘Monowai’

Terugreis Otto Frank: met de Monowai naar Marseille

Terugreis Otto Frank: Roermond en Arnhem

The national anthem in Marseilles

Terugreis Otto Frank: terug in Amsterdam

Otto Frank woont in bij Jan en Miep Gies

Otto Frank verhuist samen met Jan en Miep Gies

Back in Amsterdam

The deaths of Anne and Margot

Anne’s writings

Otto Frank tussen de helpers, Amsterdam, augustus 1945.

The return of Otto Frank