Allied bombs on Amsterdam

On 17 July 1943, the Allies tried to bomb the Fokker factories in North Amsterdam. These aircraft factories had been commandeered for the German war industry. The bombs missed their target, however, and ended up in a residential area in North Amsterdam. Over 150 civilians died instantly. Many others later died from their injuries. Hundreds of houses were damaged.

Anne Frank heard the bombardment, as the Secret Annex was only a few miles away.

On 19 July 1943, she wrote: 'North Amsterdam was very heavily bombed on Sunday. There was apparently a great deal of destruction. Entire streets are in ruins [...] We've been told of children searching forlornly in the smouldering ruins for their dead parents. It still makes me shiver to think of the dull, distant drone that signified the approaching destruction.’

The people in hiding were aware of the danger of a bombardment. They would not be able to leave their hiding place for a shelter. Moreover, they stood a chance of being discovered if the Secret Annex were damaged.

On 25 July 1943, Anne and the other people in hiding saw ‘columns of smoke over the harbour'. Fokker had been bombed for a second time. This time, the factories were partially hit. Three days later, the Allies tried again, but they still did not succeed. Seventeen civilians were killed in this bombing. Anne wrote in her diary: ‘I decided to grit my teeth and practise being courageous.’

In total, the three bombing raids on the Fokker factories took the lives of over 200 people.