HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 396124402,
"image": null,
"url": "https://research.annefrank.org/en/onderwerpen/be039ce4-1313-4041-b04b-d15173915ffc/",
"published": true,
"uuid": "be039ce4-1313-4041-b04b-d15173915ffc",
"name": "Philosophy of life, Otto Frank",
"name_nl": "Levensbeschouwing Otto Frank",
"name_en": "Philosophy of life, Otto Frank",
"description": "<p>Otto Frank was not intensely concerned with religion, but he felt connected to liberal Judaism. Politically, he was moderate. He never attached himself to any party or political movement.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Up to 1933</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank grew up in Frankfurt's Westend district, a neighbourhood made up of about 20%, mostly liberal, Jews. His own family also belonged to the liberal Jewish denomination. His parents considered themselves primarily German 'Bildungsbürger', for whom Jewish faith played no important role.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>According to Otto Frank, his grandmother had visited the synagogue on the occasion of her wedding and never again. He himself did not initially concern himself with religious matters either.<sup data-footnote-id=\"sxjzk\"><a href=\"#footnote-1\" id=\"footnote-marker-1-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[1]</a></sup> This does not mean that the Franks had nothing to do with the Jewish community. At the Lessing grammar school, all students received religious instruction in their own faith. Otto Frank received Jewish lessons there. His teacher was Cäsar Seligmann, an old acquaintance of his father. Seligmann was the leading liberal rabbi of the Frankfurt Hauptsynagogue and the liberal Western Synagogue, which was consecrated in 1910. He was considered one of the leading representatives of the liberal Jewish movement in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century.<sup data-footnote-id=\"axc7l\"><a href=\"#footnote-2\" id=\"footnote-marker-2-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[2]</a></sup> Otto's father Michael Frank knew him from Landau in the Palatinate, where they had both grown up. At Michael Frank's funeral in 1909, Seligmann gave a speech. This shows that the Franks had a clear connection to the Israelite congregation in their town.<sup data-footnote-id=\"2drki\"><a href=\"#footnote-3\" id=\"footnote-marker-3-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[3]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank often stated that he was not strongly interested in matters of faith and that he had a pragmatic attitude. "<em>My parents-in-law had a Kosher household. Of course when my mother-in-law came we never had anything of pig. We adjusted and I worked with the liberal movement in Holland" .</em><sup data-footnote-id=\"tba9g\"><a href=\"#footnote-4\" id=\"footnote-marker-4-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[4]</a></sup> He also stated that his marriage and experiences with the Hitler regime had made him more aware of his background and made him feel more Jewish.<sup data-footnote-id=\"s0xgy\"><a href=\"#footnote-5\" id=\"footnote-marker-5-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[5]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>1933-1945</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>With Rabbi Mehler's arrival, Otto and Edith were closely involved in the formation of the Liberal Jewish Congregation (LJG) in Amsterdam. He was among some 40 members who submitted a declaration of support to Queen Wilhelmina in May 1938 to declare the liberal Jewish community an independent denomination.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank was annoyed by the negative comments on Mehler and liberal Judaism in the Orthodox daily and weekly newspapers. For this reason, he cancelled his subscription to the <em>Central Bulletin for Israelites</em> through a letter. Otto Frank wrote: "<em>I am a convinced Liberal Jew and I find the way your paper writes against Liberalism anything but distinguished".</em> This letter was partially printed and commented on by the editors:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'Criticism of our magazine is always agreeable to us. But who gives you the right to express this criticism in a form that does not correspond to the facts. Certainly, we reject religious liberalism, but we have found among the Jews who immigrated here - and almost only among these are the 'convinced liberals' - the contact we have sought from the beginning. And that our efforts are right is proven by the success, even if one individual expresses his 'conviction' in his own form'.<sup data-footnote-id=\"xjcte\"><a href=\"#footnote-6\" id=\"footnote-marker-6-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[6]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank, unlike his wife Edith, did not attend synagogue regularly. If he went, it was mainly on holidays. He later stated that, for his wife, he occasionally went to prayer services.<sup data-footnote-id=\"df01c\"><a href=\"#footnote-7\" id=\"footnote-marker-7-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[7]</a></sup> Although he was not Orthodox, he had Orthodox friends, such as the Goslar family. According to Hanneli Goslar, Otto Frank had learned the kidush at her home:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'The Frank family came to us very often on Fridays to celebrate the Sabbath. Otto told me after the war that in Auschwitz, together with other Jewish prisoners, they wanted to recite the kidush (the prayer you say just before meals), but no one knew it by heart. But Otto Frank had heard the kidush with us so many times that he was the only one to hold the ceremony in Hebrew'.<sup data-footnote-id=\"xda3v\"><a href=\"#footnote-8\" id=\"footnote-marker-8-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[8]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Involvement in Jewish organisations after</strong><strong> 1945</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>On <strong>9 November 1945</strong>, an advertisement appeared in the <em>Nieuw Israelitisch Weekblad </em>calling on all members of the Liberal Jewish congregations in Amsterdam and The Hague and other interested parties to provide their names and addresses. Otto Frank responded on <strong>17 November 1945</strong>: ''<em>In response to your advertisement in the Nieuwe Israelitische Weekblad, I inform you that if a new Liberal Jewish congregation is established, I would be happy to join it'.</em><sup data-footnote-id=\"o07zj\"><a href=\"#footnote-9\" id=\"footnote-marker-9-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[9]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Other sources showing Otto Frank's connection to Judaism are:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>He was well acquainted with the president of the <em>World Union of Progressive Judaism</em>, Rabbi David Wice of Philadelphia.<sup data-footnote-id=\"e6q4j\"><a href=\"#footnote-10\" id=\"footnote-marker-10-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[10]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He donated two hundred and fifty Swiss francs to the <em>Vereinigung für Religiös-Liberales Judentum</em> in Bern in <strong>1960,</strong><sup data-footnote-id=\"4vtl4\"><a href=\"#footnote-11\" id=\"footnote-marker-11-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[11]</a></sup> and in <strong>1963</strong>.<sup data-footnote-id=\"q2t5z\"><a href=\"#footnote-12\" id=\"footnote-marker-12-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[12]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>In <strong>April 1961</strong>, he donated five thousand guilders for the newly built synagogue of the Liberal Jewish Community.<em> "It is my wish that this amount will be listed as a gift in memoriam Rosa Holländer, Anneliese Schütz, Rabbi Dr L. Mehler".</em><sup data-footnote-id=\"zmgnf\"><a href=\"#footnote-13\" id=\"footnote-marker-13-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[13]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>In <strong>1966</strong>, he was included in the 'Book of Founders' of the new Progressive Jewish Centre in Amsterdam.<sup data-footnote-id=\"qeaka\"><a href=\"#footnote-14\" id=\"footnote-marker-14-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[14]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He continued to support the LJG: in <strong>1972</strong> he donated three thousand guilders and in <strong>1973</strong> twenty-five hundred guilders.<sup data-footnote-id=\"ylr13\"><a href=\"#footnote-15\" id=\"footnote-marker-15-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[15]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He was patron of the <em>Judaic Heritage Society</em> in the Jewish year 5740 (roughly coinciding with the year <strong>1980</strong>).<sup data-footnote-id=\"xfq60\"><a href=\"#footnote-16\" id=\"footnote-marker-16-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[16]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He went to the <em>World Union for Progressive Judaism</em> as a delegate for the Liberal Jewish Congregation.<sup data-footnote-id=\"c3jao\"><a href=\"#footnote-17\" id=\"footnote-marker-17-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[17]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>According to a letter of condolence on behalf of the Liberal Jewish Community, Otto Frank was: '<em>like almost no other, devoted to Judaism in general and progressive Judaism in particular'.</em></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Religious views</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank recognised the value of religion, without being truly religious himself.<sup data-footnote-id=\"i2lor\"><a href=\"#footnote-18\" id=\"footnote-marker-18-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[18]</a></sup> He had a universalist and strongly humanistic view of God, and after the war he carried prayers from different religions in his wallet.<sup data-footnote-id=\"idk8o\"><a href=\"#footnote-19\" id=\"footnote-marker-19-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[19]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank did not see God as a father who cared about each of his children, but believed in some kind of higher power, which has arranged the world and its laws in such a way that man has the free choice to be good or bad. Gifted men like Moses, Jesus and Buddha give moral laws, but man himself chooses whether or not to follow them.<sup data-footnote-id=\"9j4h5\"><a href=\"#footnote-20\" id=\"footnote-marker-20-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[20]</a></sup> Imperfect man can abuse this free will. If God always punished directly, there would be no free will either. In the long run, good will win and evil will destroy itself<em>. </em><em>'Real belief is based on this justice,'</em> says Otto Frank.<sup data-footnote-id=\"tsc7x\"><a href=\"#footnote-21\" id=\"footnote-marker-21-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[21]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>At his own request, although not in accordance with Jewish custom, Otto Frank was laid to rest and cremated after his death. He did not want to be buried in Basel, as there was only an Orthodox congregation there. Interment took place because Fritzi wanted to respond to the wishes of many to be able to say goodbye to Otto Frank.<sup data-footnote-id=\"oog0c\"><a href=\"#footnote-22\" id=\"footnote-marker-22-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[22]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Political views</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank rarely expressed himself explicitly on political issues, but correspondence shows that he was strongly anti-Communist.<sup data-footnote-id=\"o42tr\"><a href=\"#footnote-23\" id=\"footnote-marker-23-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[23]</a></sup> He spoke out in interviews against extremism of all directions and saw communism as being as great a danger as fascism. Nevertheless, he maintained good contacts with Jan Romein and Jacques Presser, among others. Romein was instrumental in the publication of <em>Het Achterhuis </em>and he knew Presser as a teacher at the Jewish Lyceum.<sup data-footnote-id=\"ekds4\"><a href=\"#footnote-24\" id=\"footnote-marker-24-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[24]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>In <strong>1952</strong>, when visiting America on the occasion of the presidential election, Otto Frank wore a pin of Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson.<sup data-footnote-id=\"z56bz\"><a href=\"#footnote-25\" id=\"footnote-marker-25-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[25]</a></sup> He described the atmosphere surrounding those elections in a letter to Miep Gies as<em> "Alles reichlich meshugge</em> ".<sup data-footnote-id=\"oxsk6\"><a href=\"#footnote-26\" id=\"footnote-marker-26-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[26]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>In <strong>1975</strong>, Otto Frank entered into correspondence with Omar Assuli, a Palestinian imprisoned in Israel since <strong>1970</strong>. He took this initiative after reading in a Swiss newspaper that Assuli was eager to correspond with Swiss citizens. Otto took a strongly pro-Israel stance towards Assuli. On <strong>8 January 1976</strong>, when asked, he learned from the head of the "Inmate Department" that Assuli was imprisoned for an offence against state security.<sup data-footnote-id=\"goi5j\"><a href=\"#footnote-27\" id=\"footnote-marker-27-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[27]</a></sup> It is unclear whether Otto continued to write to Assuli thereafter. No letters are known from which this is evident.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Zionism and Israel</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank was ambivalent towards Zionism. He followed the movement with interest, and in the Secret Annex the people there read the book <em>Palestina op de tweesprong </em>('Palestine on the Eve'), in which the British-Hungarian investigative journalist László Faragó described the Jewish-Arab tensions in the British protectorate of Palestine.<sup data-footnote-id=\"xb3xr\"><a href=\"#footnote-28\" id=\"footnote-marker-28-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[28]</a></sup> When he and his other family members had serious discussions about emigration in 1933, he, like his mother and sister, rejected the idea of leaving for Palestine:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'Wir gehören dort nicht hin. Seit zweitausend Jahren leben wir Juden hier, in Deutschland. Wir sind gebildet, wir sind kultiviert, natürlich sind wir Juden, aber doch nicht orthodox. Wir haben nichts gemein mit den ostjüdischen Händlern und Fabrikarbeitern, unter denen es viele Zionisten gibt, weil sie keine andere Wahl haben, und wir haben erst recht nichts mit den ostjüdischen Rabbinern zu tun. Nein, wir können zwar in anderen europäischen Ländern leben, auch in Amerika, aber nicht in Asien.'<sup data-footnote-id=\"gf1kw\"><a href=\"#footnote-29\" id=\"footnote-marker-29-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[29]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>After the war, Otto Frank was strongly pro-Israeli. In the mid-1970s, he had a disagreement with the Anne Frank House about Israel. He made sure that explicit support for Israel's right to exist was included in the statutes.<sup data-footnote-id=\"p3vv6\"><a href=\"#footnote-30\" id=\"footnote-marker-30-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[30]</a></sup> Yet he never seriously considered moving to Israel.<sup data-footnote-id=\"7e6ht\"><a href=\"#footnote-31\" id=\"footnote-marker-31-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[31]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"footnotes\">\r\n<header>\r\n<h2>Footnotes</h2>\r\n</header>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"sxjzk\" id=\"footnote-1\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-1-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Familiearchief Anne Frank-Fonds (AFF), Bazel Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_pdoc_09: <em>Aachener-Frankfurter Tageblatt</em>, Erste und einzige Ausgabe, Auflage 50 Exemplare, erscheint am 12. Mai 1925.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"axc7l\" id=\"footnote-2\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-2-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Manfred Capellmann u,a. <em>Wer war Henry Wolfskehl? Auf der Suche nach jüdischen Schülern und Lehrern am Lessing-Gymnasium 1897-1937. Eine Ausstellung der Archiv-AG des Lessing-Gymnasiums Frankfurt am Main im Museum Judengasse, 20. januar bis 06. März 2000</em>, Frankfurt am Main: Slebstverlag, 2000, p. 47; Zie ook het biografisch lemma over Seligmann op <a href=\"http://www.judengasse.de/dhtml/P145.htm\">http://www.judengasse.de/dhtml/P145.htm</a> (geraadpleegd op 5 december 2019).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"2drki\" id=\"footnote-3\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-3-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_pdoc_10: Grafrede Cäsar Seligmann voor Michael Frank, 19 september 1909.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"tba9g\" id=\"footnote-4\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-4-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Carol Ann Lee, <em>Het verborgen leven van Otto Frank. De biografie</em>, Amsterdam: Balans, 2002, p. 46.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"s0xgy\" id=\"footnote-5\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-5-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Lee, <em>Het verborgen leven</em>, p. 62.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xjcte\" id=\"footnote-6\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-6-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>“Correspondentie”, <em>Centraal Blad voor Israëlieten</em> <em>in Nederland, </em>23 december 1937</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"df01c\" id=\"footnote-7\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-7-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Anne Frank Stichting (AFS), Anne Frank Collectie (AFS), Otto Frank Archief (OFA), reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 14 september 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xda3v\" id=\"footnote-8\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-8-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Telefonisch interview T. da Silva met Hannah Pick-Goslar, 7 november 2019.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"o07zj\" id=\"footnote-9\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-9-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Liberaal Joodse Gemeente, Amsterdam: B riefkaart (Plikart), O. Frank p/a N.V. Ned. Opekta Mij. aan M. Goudeket, 17 november 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"e6q4j\" id=\"footnote-10\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-10-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>WHS, Goodrich/Hackett papers, Box no. 2, correspondence 1953-1956: Otto Frank aan Frances Goodrich en Albert Hackett, 9 september 1955.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"4vtl4\" id=\"footnote-11\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-11-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Bedankbrief Victor Loeb, 14 juni 1960.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"q2t5z\" id=\"footnote-12\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-12-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Bedankbrief J. Kunstenaar, 15 maart 1963.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"zmgnf\" id=\"footnote-13\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-13-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Otto Frank aan de Liberaal Joodse Gemeente, 1 april 1961.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"qeaka\" id=\"footnote-14\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-14-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Oorkonde.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"ylr13\" id=\"footnote-15\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-15-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Liberaal Joodse Gemeente aan Otto Frank, 4 juli 1975.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xfq60\" id=\"footnote-16\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-16-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Certificaat nr. 120.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"c3jao\" id=\"footnote-17\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-17-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"i2lor\" id=\"footnote-18\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-18-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 26 september 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"idk8o\" id=\"footnote-19\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-19-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Fritzi Frank, AFF_FrF_pdoc_02: Fritzi Frank-Markovits, Mein Leben mit Otto Frank, p.3.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"9j4h5\" id=\"footnote-20\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-20-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA??: Otto Frank aan 'Rita', 30 november 1969.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"tsc7x\" id=\"footnote-21\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-21-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_275: Otto Frank aan 'Joan' (Lewis), 30 december 1955.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"oog0c\" id=\"footnote-22\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-22-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, Getuigenarchief, Schloss-Geiringer, Eva: Verslag telefoongesprek Erika Prins met Eva Schloss, 7 april 2009.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"o42tr\" id=\"footnote-23\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-23-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Met Lin Jaldati. AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_085: Briefwisseling van Otto Frank met Lin Jaldati, 30 november 1964 t/m 20 februari 1965.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"ekds4\" id=\"footnote-24\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-24-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Voor de betrokkenheid van Romein bij de publicatie van het dagboek, zie Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis (IISG), archief J.M. Romein, inv. nr. 698.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"z56bz\" id=\"footnote-25\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-25-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Milly Stanfield, 29 mei 1971.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"oxsk6\" id=\"footnote-26\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-26-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, A_Gies_I_129: Otto Frank aan Miep Gies, 21 oktober 1951. </cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"goi5j\" id=\"footnote-27\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-27-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Otto Frank, AFF_OtF_corr_15: Briefwisseling van Otto Frank met en over Omar Assuli, 14 september 1975 t/m 14 december 1976.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xb3xr\" id=\"footnote-28\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-28-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Anne Frank, Diary Version A, 8 May 1944, in: <em>The Collected Works</em>, transl. from the Dutch by Susan Massotty, London [etc.]: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2019. See Diary Version A, 11 May 1944, that shows that the youngsters in the Secret Annexe read the book <em>Palestina op Eve</em> (New York 1936), in which the British-Hungarian investigative reporter László Faragó examined Jewish-Arab tensions in the British protectorate of Palestine.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"gf1kw\" id=\"footnote-29\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-29-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Otto Frank geciteerd in Mirjam Pressler, „Grüße und Küsse an alle”. Die Geschichte der Familie von Anne Frank, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 2000, p 40.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"p3vv6\" id=\"footnote-30\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-30-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978) (transcriptie p. 117).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"7e6ht\" id=\"footnote-31\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-31-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978); Zie ook Herman Vuijsje en Jos van der Lans, <em>Het Anne Frank Huis, </em>Amsterdam: Boom, 2010, pp. 142-143.</cite></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</section>",
"description_nl": "<p>Otto Frank hield zich niet intensief bezig met geloof, maar hij voelde zich wel verbonden met het liberale jodendom. In politiek opzicht was hij gematigd. Hij heeft zich nooit verbonden aan een partij of politieke stroming.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Tot 1933</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank groeide op in de Frankfurtse wijk Westend, een buurt die voor ongeveer 20% uit, veelal liberale, joden bestond. Ook zijn eigen familie behoorde tot de liberaal joodse geloofsrichting. Zijn ouders beschouwden zichzelf in eerste plaats als Duitse 'Bildungsbürger', voor wie het joodse geloof geen belangrijke rol speelde.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Volgens Otto Frank was zijn grootmoeder ter gelegenheid van haar huwelijk in de synagoge geweest en verder nooit meer. Zelf hield hij zich aanvankelijk ook niet met godsdienstzaken bezig.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":155,"y":205,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":376,"abs_y":611}\" data-footnote-id=\"sxjzk\"><a href=\"#footnote-1\" id=\"footnote-marker-1-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[1]</a></sup> Dit betekent niet dat de Franks niets met de joodse gemeente te maken hadden. Op het Lessing-gymnasium kregen alle leerlingen godsdienstonderwijs in hun eigen geloof. Otto Frank kreeg er joodse les. Zijn leraar was Cäsar Seligmann, een oude bekende van zijn vader. Seligmann was de vooraanstaande liberale rabbijn van de Frankfurter Hauptsynagoge en de in 1910 ingewijde liberale Westendsynagoge. Hij gold aan het begin van de twintigste eeuw als een van de belangrijkste vertegenwoordigers van de liberaal-joodse beweging in Duitsland.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":257,"y":270,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":478,"abs_y":676}\" data-footnote-id=\"axc7l\"><a href=\"#footnote-2\" id=\"footnote-marker-2-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[2]</a></sup> Otto’s vader Michael Frank kende hem uit Landau in de Pfalz, waar beiden opgroeiden. Bij de begrafenis van Michael Frank in 1909 hield Seligmann een toespraak. Dit laat zien dat de Franks een duidelijke verbinding hadden met de Israëlitische gemeente in hun stad.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":798,"y":294,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":1019,"abs_y":700}\" data-footnote-id=\"2drki\"><a href=\"#footnote-3\" id=\"footnote-marker-3-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[3]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank heeft vaak verklaard dat hij niet sterk geïnteresseerd was in geloofszaken en dat hij een pragmatische instelling had. ‘<em>My parents-in-law had a Kosher household. Of course when my mother-in-law came we never had anything of pig. We adjusted and I worked with the liberal movement in Holland’ .</em><sup bis_size=\"{"x":781,"y":352,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":1002,"abs_y":758}\" data-footnote-id=\"tba9g\"><a href=\"#footnote-4\" id=\"footnote-marker-4-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[4]</a></sup> Hij verklaarde ook dat hij door zijn huwelijk en de ervaringen met het Hitler-regime zich meer bewust was geworden van zijn achtergrond en zich joodser was gaan voelen.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":733,"y":376,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":954,"abs_y":782}\" data-footnote-id=\"s0xgy\"><a href=\"#footnote-5\" id=\"footnote-marker-5-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[5]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>1933-1945</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Met de komst van rabbijn Mehler waren Otto en Edith nauw betrokken bij de vorming van de liberal-joodse gemeente (LJG) in Amsterdam. Hij behoorde tot de ongeveer veertig leden die in mei 1938 een steunverklaring indienden bij koningin Wilhelmina om de liberaal-joodse gemeente tot een zelfstandig kerkgenootschap te verklaren.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank ergerde zich aan de negatieve commentaren op Mehler en het liberale jodendom in de orthodoxe dag- en weekbladen. Om deze reden zegde hij middels een brief zijn abonnement op bij het <em>Centraal Blad voor Israëlieten</em>. Otto Frank schreef: ‘<em>Ik ben een overtuigde liberale Jood en de manier van uw blad tegen het Liberalisme te schrijven, vind ik allesbehalve voornaam’</em>. Dit schrijven werd gedeeltelijk afgedrukt en becommentarieerd door de redactie:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'Critiek op ons blad is ons steeds aangenaam. Doch wie geeft U het recht, deze critiek te uiten in een vorm, die niet in overeenstemming met de feiten is. Zeker, wij wijzen het religieus liberalisme af, doch wij hebben onder de hierheen geïmmigreerde Joden – en bijna alleen onder dezen bevinden zich de “overtuigd liberalen”, - het contact gevonden dat wij van beginne af gezocht hebben. En dat ons streven juist is, bewijst het succes, ook als een enkeling aan zijn “overtuiging” in de hem eigen vorm uiting geeft.'<sup bis_size=\"{"x":367,"y":661,"w":14,"h":12,"abs_x":588,"abs_y":1067}\" data-footnote-id=\"xjcte\"><a href=\"#footnote-6\" id=\"footnote-marker-6-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[6]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank ging, in tegenstelling tot zijn vrouw Edith, niet regelmatig naar de synagoge. Als hij ging, was dat voornamelijk op feestdagen. Later verklaarde hij, dat hij voor zijn vrouw, af en toe naar de gebedsdiensten ging.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":245,"y":720,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":466,"abs_y":1126}\" data-footnote-id=\"df01c\"><a href=\"#footnote-7\" id=\"footnote-marker-7-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[7]</a></sup> Hoewel hij niet orthodox was, had hij wel orthodoxe vrienden, zoals de familie Goslar. Volgens Hanneli Goslar had Otto Frank bij haar thuis de kidoesj geleerd:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>‘De familie Frank kwam heel vaak op vrijdag bij ons de Sabbat vieren. Otto heeft mij na de oorlog vertelt dat ze in Auschwitz samen met andere joodse gevangenen de kidoesj (het gebed dat je vlak voor de maaltijd uitspreekt) wilde opzeggen, maar niemand kende dit uit zijn hoofd. Maar Otto Frank had het kidoesj zo vaak bij ons gehoord dat hij de enige was die de ceremonie in het Hebreeuws hield’.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":627,"y":822,"w":14,"h":12,"abs_x":848,"abs_y":1228}\" data-footnote-id=\"xda3v\"><a href=\"#footnote-8\" id=\"footnote-marker-8-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[8]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Betrokkenheid bij Joodse organisaties na</strong><strong> 1945</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Op <strong>9 november 1945 </strong>verscheen een advertentie in het <em>Nieuw Israelitisch Weekblad </em>waarin het Verbond van liberaal-religieuze joden in Nederland alle leden van de Liberaal-Joodse gemeenten in Amsterdam en Den Haag en andere belangstellenden werden opgeroepen hun naam en adres op te geven. Otto Frank reageerde op <strong>17 november 1945</strong>: ‘‘<em>Naar aanleiding van Uw advertentie in het Nieuwe Israelitische Weekblad, deel ik U mede dat ik, indien er een nieuwe Liberaal-Joodsche gemeente, wordt opgericht, gaarne hierin wil toetreden’</em>.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":100,"y":976,"w":12,"h":12,"abs_x":321,"abs_y":1382}\" data-footnote-id=\"o07zj\"><a href=\"#footnote-9\" id=\"footnote-marker-9-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[9]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Andere bronnen waaruit Otto Franks verbondenheid met het jodendom blijkt, zijn:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1045,"w":961,"h":24,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1451}\">Hij was goed bekend met de voorzitter van de <em>World Union of Progressive Judaism</em>, rabbi David Wice uit Philadelphia.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":738,"y":1047,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":959,"abs_y":1453}\" data-footnote-id=\"e6q4j\"><a href=\"#footnote-10\" id=\"footnote-marker-10-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[10]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1069,"w":961,"h":24,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1475}\">Hij doneerde in <strong>1960</strong> tweehonderdvijftig Zwitserse frank aan de <em>Vereinigung für Religiös-Liberales Judentum</em> in Bern.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":730,"y":1071,"w":17,"h":12,"abs_x":951,"abs_y":1477}\" data-footnote-id=\"4vtl4\"><a href=\"#footnote-11\" id=\"footnote-marker-11-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[11]</a></sup> Evenals in <strong>1963</strong>.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":851,"y":1071,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":1072,"abs_y":1477}\" data-footnote-id=\"q2t5z\"><a href=\"#footnote-12\" id=\"footnote-marker-12-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[12]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1093,"w":961,"h":44,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1499}\">In <strong>april 1961</strong> schonk hij vijfduizend gulden voor de nieuw te bouwen synagoge van de Liberale Joodse Gemeente.‘<em>Het is mijn wens dat dit bedrag zal worden vermeld als een gift in memoriam Rosa Holländer, Anneliese Schütz, Rabbijn Dr. L. Mehler’</em>.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":537,"y":1116,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":758,"abs_y":1522}\" data-footnote-id=\"zmgnf\"><a href=\"#footnote-13\" id=\"footnote-marker-13-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[13]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1138,"w":961,"h":24,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1544}\">In <strong>1966 </strong>werd hij opgenomen in het "Boek der Stichters" van het nieuwe Progressief Joods Centrum in Amsterdam.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":717,"y":1140,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":938,"abs_y":1546}\" data-footnote-id=\"qeaka\"><a href=\"#footnote-14\" id=\"footnote-marker-14-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[14]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1162,"w":961,"h":24,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1568}\">Hij bleef de LJG steunen: in <strong>1972</strong> doneerde hij drieduizend en in <strong>1973</strong> vijfentwintighonderd gulden.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":627,"y":1164,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":848,"abs_y":1570}\" data-footnote-id=\"ylr13\"><a href=\"#footnote-15\" id=\"footnote-marker-15-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[15]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1186,"w":961,"h":24,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1592}\">Hij was in het Joodse jaar 5740 (ongeveer samenvallend met het jaar <strong>1980</strong>) 'patron' van de <em>Judaic Heritage Society</em>.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":727,"y":1188,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":948,"abs_y":1594}\" data-footnote-id=\"xfq60\"><a href=\"#footnote-16\" id=\"footnote-marker-16-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[16]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1210,"w":961,"h":24,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1616}\">Hij ging voor de Liberale Joodse Gemeente als gedelegeerde naar het <em>World Union for Progressive Judaism</em>.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":686,"y":1212,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":907,"abs_y":1618}\" data-footnote-id=\"c3jao\"><a href=\"#footnote-17\" id=\"footnote-marker-17-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[17]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li bis_size=\"{"x":60,"y":1234,"w":961,"h":41,"abs_x":281,"abs_y":1640}\">Volgens een condoleancebrief namens de Liberale Joodse Gemeente was Otto Frank: ‘<em>als bijna geen ander verknocht aan het Jodendom in het algemeen en het progressieve Jodendom in het bijzonder’.</em></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Religieuze opvattingen</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank erkende de waarde van religie, zonder dat hij zelf echt gelovig was.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":471,"y":1343,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":692,"abs_y":1749}\" data-footnote-id=\"i2lor\"><a href=\"#footnote-18\" id=\"footnote-marker-18-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[18]</a></sup> Hij had een universalistische en sterk humanistisch gevormde opvatting over God en na de oorlog droeg hij gebeden van verschillende religies in zijn portefeuille.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":380,"y":1367,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":601,"abs_y":1773}\" data-footnote-id=\"idk8o\"><a href=\"#footnote-19\" id=\"footnote-marker-19-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[19]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank zag God niet als een vader die zich om elk van zijn kinderen bekommerde, maar geloofde in een soort hogere macht, die de wereld en haar wetmatigheden zo heeft ingericht dat de mens de vrije keus heeft om goed of slecht te zijn. Begenadigde mannen als Mozes, Jezus en Boeddha geven morele wetten, maar de mens kiest zelf deze wel of niet te volgen.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":100,"y":1446,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":321,"abs_y":1852}\" data-footnote-id=\"9j4h5\"><a href=\"#footnote-20\" id=\"footnote-marker-20-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[20]</a></sup> De onvolmaakte mens kan deze vrije wil misbruiken. Als God altijd direct zou straffen, zou er ook geen sprake zijn van vrije wil. Op de lange termijn zal het goede winnen en het kwaad zichzelf vernietigen<em>. </em><em>‘Real belief is based on this justice’,</em> aldus Otto Frank.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":572,"y":1470,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":793,"abs_y":1876}\" data-footnote-id=\"tsc7x\"><a href=\"#footnote-21\" id=\"footnote-marker-21-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[21]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Op eigen verzoek werd Otto Frank na zijn overlijden, hoewel dit niet in overeenstemming is met de joodse gebruiken, opgebaard en gecremeerd. Hij wilde niet in Bazel begraven worden, omdat daar alleen een orthodoxe gemeente was. Opbaren gebeurde omdat Fritzi gehoor wilde geven aan de wens van velen om afscheid van Otto Frank te kunnen nemen.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":20,"y":1549,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":241,"abs_y":1955}\" data-footnote-id=\"oog0c\"><a href=\"#footnote-22\" id=\"footnote-marker-22-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[22]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Politieke opvattingen</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Over politieke vraagstukken liet Otto Frank zich zelden expliciet uit, maar uit een briefwisseling blijkt dat hij sterk anti-communistisch was.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":808,"y":1639,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":1029,"abs_y":2045}\" data-footnote-id=\"o42tr\"><a href=\"#footnote-23\" id=\"footnote-marker-23-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[23]</a></sup> Hij sprak zich in interviews uit tegen extremisme van alle richtingen en zag in het communisme net zo'n groot gevaar als in het fascisme. Desondanks onderhield hij goede contacten met onder meer Jan Romein en Jacques Presser. Romein speelde een rol bij de uitgave van <em>Het Achterhuis </em>en Presser kende hij als leraar aan het Joods Lyceum.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":788,"y":1683,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":1009,"abs_y":2089}\" data-footnote-id=\"ekds4\"><a href=\"#footnote-24\" id=\"footnote-marker-24-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[24]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>In <strong>1952</strong> liep Otto Frank in Amerika ter gelegenheid van de presidentsverkiezingen met een speldje van de democratische kandidaat Adlai Stevenson rond.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":905,"y":1720,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":1126,"abs_y":2126}\" data-footnote-id=\"z56bz\"><a href=\"#footnote-25\" id=\"footnote-marker-25-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[25]</a></sup> Hij omschreef de sfeer rond die verkiezingen in een brief aan Miep Gies als "<em>Alles reichlich meshugge</em>".<sup bis_size=\"{"x":479,"y":1744,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":700,"abs_y":2150}\" data-footnote-id=\"oxsk6\"><a href=\"#footnote-26\" id=\"footnote-marker-26-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[26]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>In <strong>1975</strong> trad Otto Frank in correspondentie met Omar Assuli, een Palestijn die sinds <strong>1970 </strong>in Israël gevangen zat. Hij nam dit initiatief nadat hij in een Zwitserse krant had gelezen dat Assuli graag met Zwitserse burgers wilde corresponderen. Otto stelde zich tegenover Assuli sterk pro-Israël op. Op 8 januari 1976 vernam hij desgevraagd van het hoofd van het "Inmate Department" dat Assuli vanwege een vergrijp tegen de staatsveiligheid zat opgesloten.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":565,"y":1823,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":786,"abs_y":2229}\" data-footnote-id=\"goi5j\"><a href=\"#footnote-27\" id=\"footnote-marker-27-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[27]</a></sup> Onduidelijk is of Otto daarna nog aan Assuli bleef schrijven. Er zijn geen brieven bekend waar dat uit blijkt.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Zionisme en Israël</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank stond ambivalent tegenover het zionisme. Hij volgde de beweging met interesse en in het Achterhuis lazen de onderduikers het boek <em>Palestina op de tweesprong, waarin </em>de Brits-Hongaarse onderzoeksjournalist László Faragó de Joods-Arabische spanningen in het Britse protectoraat Palestina heeft beschreven.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":839,"y":1955,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":1060,"abs_y":2361}\" data-footnote-id=\"xb3xr\"><a href=\"#footnote-28\" id=\"footnote-marker-28-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[28]</a></sup> Wanneer hij en zijn andere familieleden in 1933 serieuze gesprekken voerden over emigratie, wees hij, net als zijn moeder en zus, het idee om naar Palestina te vertrekken af:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'Wir gehören dort nicht hin. Seit zweitausend Jahren leben wir Juden hier, in Deutschland. Wir sind gebildet, wir sind kultiviert, natürlich sind wir Juden, aber doch nicht orthodox. Wir haben nichts gemein mit den ostjüdischen Händlern und Fabrikarbeitern, unter denen es viele Zionisten gibt, weil sie keine andere Wahl haben, und wir haben erst recht nichts mit den ostjüdischen Rabbinern zu tun. Nein, wir können zwar in anderen europäischen Ländern leben, auch in Amerika, aber nicht in Asien.'<sup bis_size=\"{"x":256,"y":2077,"w":20,"h":12,"abs_x":477,"abs_y":2483}\" data-footnote-id=\"gf1kw\"><a href=\"#footnote-29\" id=\"footnote-marker-29-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[29]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Na de oorlog was Otto Frank sterk pro-Israëlisch. Midden jaren zeventig had hij een meningsverschil met de Anne Frank Stichting over Israël. Hij zorgde er voor dat het expliciet steunen van Israëls bestaansrecht in de statuten werd opgenomen.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":407,"y":2137,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":628,"abs_y":2543}\" data-footnote-id=\"p3vv6\"><a href=\"#footnote-30\" id=\"footnote-marker-30-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[30]</a></sup> Toch overwoog hij nooit serieus naar Israël te vertrekken.<sup bis_size=\"{"x":757,"y":2137,"w":18,"h":12,"abs_x":978,"abs_y":2543}\" data-footnote-id=\"7e6ht\"><a href=\"#footnote-31\" id=\"footnote-marker-31-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[31]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<section bis_size=\"{"x":20,"y":2171,"w":1041,"h":960,"abs_x":241,"abs_y":2577}\" class=\"footnotes\">\r\n<header bis_size=\"{"x":35,"y":2189,"w":1011,"h":23,"abs_x":256,"abs_y":2595}\">\r\n<h2>Footnotes</h2>\r\n</header>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"sxjzk\" id=\"footnote-1\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-1-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Familiearchief Anne Frank-Fonds (AFF), Bazel Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_pdoc_09: <em>Aachener-Frankfurter Tageblatt</em>, Erste und einzige Ausgabe, Auflage 50 Exemplare, erscheint am 12. Mai 1925.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"axc7l\" id=\"footnote-2\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-2-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Manfred Capellmann u,a. <em>Wer war Henry Wolfskehl? Auf der Suche nach jüdischen Schülern und Lehrern am Lessing-Gymnasium 1897-1937. Eine Ausstellung der Archiv-AG des Lessing-Gymnasiums Frankfurt am Main im Museum Judengasse, 20. januar bis 06. März 2000</em>, Frankfurt am Main: Slebstverlag, 2000, p. 47; Zie ook het biografisch lemma over Seligmann op <a bis_size=\"{"x":364,"y":2320,"w":242,"h":14,"abs_x":585,"abs_y":2726}\" href=\"http://www.judengasse.de/dhtml/P145.htm\">http://www.judengasse.de/dhtml/P145.htm</a> (geraadpleegd op 5 december 2019).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"2drki\" id=\"footnote-3\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-3-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_pdoc_10: Grafrede Cäsar Seligmann voor Michael Frank, 19 september 1909.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"tba9g\" id=\"footnote-4\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-4-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Carol Ann Lee, <em>Het verborgen leven van Otto Frank. De biografie</em>, Amsterdam: Balans, 2002, p. 46.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"s0xgy\" id=\"footnote-5\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-5-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Lee, <em>Het verborgen leven</em>, p. 62.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xjcte\" id=\"footnote-6\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-6-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>“Correspondentie”, <em>Centraal Blad voor Israëlieten</em> <em>in Nederland, </em>23 december 1937</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"df01c\" id=\"footnote-7\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-7-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Anne Frank Stichting (AFS), Anne Frank Collectie (AFS), Otto Frank Archief (OFA), reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 14 september 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xda3v\" id=\"footnote-8\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-8-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Telefonisch interview T. da Silva met Hannah Pick-Goslar, 7 november 2019.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"o07zj\" id=\"footnote-9\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-9-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Liberaal Joodse Gemeente, Amsterdam: B riefkaart (Plikart), O. Frank p/a N.V. Ned. Opekta Mij. aan M. Goudeket, 17 november 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"e6q4j\" id=\"footnote-10\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-10-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>WHS, Goodrich/Hackett papers, Box no. 2, correspondence 1953-1956: Otto Frank aan Frances Goodrich en Albert Hackett, 9 september 1955.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"4vtl4\" id=\"footnote-11\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-11-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Bedankbrief Victor Loeb, 14 juni 1960.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"q2t5z\" id=\"footnote-12\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-12-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Bedankbrief J. Kunstenaar, 15 maart 1963.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"zmgnf\" id=\"footnote-13\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-13-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Otto Frank aan de Liberaal Joodse Gemeente, 1 april 1961.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"qeaka\" id=\"footnote-14\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-14-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Oorkonde.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"ylr13\" id=\"footnote-15\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-15-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Liberaal Joodse Gemeente aan Otto Frank, 4 juli 1975.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xfq60\" id=\"footnote-16\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-16-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Certificaat nr. 120.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"c3jao\" id=\"footnote-17\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-17-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"i2lor\" id=\"footnote-18\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-18-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 26 september 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"idk8o\" id=\"footnote-19\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-19-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Fritzi Frank, AFF_FrF_pdoc_02: Fritzi Frank-Markovits, Mein Leben mit Otto Frank, p.3.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"9j4h5\" id=\"footnote-20\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-20-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA??: Otto Frank aan 'Rita', 30 november 1969.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"tsc7x\" id=\"footnote-21\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-21-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_275: Otto Frank aan 'Joan' (Lewis), 30 december 1955.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"oog0c\" id=\"footnote-22\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-22-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, Getuigenarchief, Schloss-Geiringer, Eva: Verslag telefoongesprek Erika Prins met Eva Schloss, 7 april 2009.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"o42tr\" id=\"footnote-23\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-23-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Met Lin Jaldati. AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_085: Briefwisseling van Otto Frank met Lin Jaldati, 30 november 1964 t/m 20 februari 1965.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"ekds4\" id=\"footnote-24\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-24-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Voor de betrokkenheid van Romein bij de publicatie van het dagboek, zie Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis (IISG), archief J.M. Romein, inv. nr. 698.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"z56bz\" id=\"footnote-25\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-25-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Milly Stanfield, 29 mei 1971.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"oxsk6\" id=\"footnote-26\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-26-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, A_Gies_I_129: Otto Frank aan Miep Gies, 21 oktober 1951. </cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"goi5j\" id=\"footnote-27\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-27-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Otto Frank, AFF_OtF_corr_15: Briefwisseling van Otto Frank met en over Omar Assuli, 14 september 1975 t/m 14 december 1976.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xb3xr\" id=\"footnote-28\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-28-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Anne Frank, Dagboek A, 8 mei 1944, in: <em>Verzameld werk</em>, Amsterdam: Prometheus, 2013. Zie Dagboek A, 11 mei 1944, waaruit blijkt dat de kinderen in het Achterhuis het boek <em>Palestina op de tweesprong lezen, waarin </em>de Brits-Hongaarse onderzoeksjournalist László Faragó ingaat op de Joods-Arabische spanningen in het Britse protectoraat Palestina. Origineel verschenen als Ladislas Faragó, <em>Palestine on Eve </em>(New York 1936).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"gf1kw\" id=\"footnote-29\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-29-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Otto Frank geciteerd in Mirjam Pressler, „Grüße und Küsse an alle”. Die Geschichte der Familie von Anne Frank, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 2000, p 40.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"p3vv6\" id=\"footnote-30\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-30-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978) (transcriptie p. 11).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"7e6ht\" id=\"footnote-31\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-31-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978); Zie ook Herman Vuijsje en Jos van der Lans, <em>Het Anne Frank Huis, </em>Amsterdam: Boom, 2010, pp. 142-143.</cite></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</section>",
"description_en": "<p>Otto Frank was not intensely concerned with religion, but he felt connected to liberal Judaism. Politically, he was moderate. He never attached himself to any party or political movement.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Up to 1933</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank grew up in Frankfurt's Westend district, a neighbourhood made up of about 20%, mostly liberal, Jews. His own family also belonged to the liberal Jewish denomination. His parents considered themselves primarily German 'Bildungsbürger', for whom Jewish faith played no important role.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>According to Otto Frank, his grandmother had visited the synagogue on the occasion of her wedding and never again. He himself did not initially concern himself with religious matters either.<sup data-footnote-id=\"sxjzk\"><a href=\"#footnote-1\" id=\"footnote-marker-1-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[1]</a></sup> This does not mean that the Franks had nothing to do with the Jewish community. At the Lessing grammar school, all students received religious instruction in their own faith. Otto Frank received Jewish lessons there. His teacher was Cäsar Seligmann, an old acquaintance of his father. Seligmann was the leading liberal rabbi of the Frankfurt Hauptsynagogue and the liberal Western Synagogue, which was consecrated in 1910. He was considered one of the leading representatives of the liberal Jewish movement in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century.<sup data-footnote-id=\"axc7l\"><a href=\"#footnote-2\" id=\"footnote-marker-2-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[2]</a></sup> Otto's father Michael Frank knew him from Landau in the Palatinate, where they had both grown up. At Michael Frank's funeral in 1909, Seligmann gave a speech. This shows that the Franks had a clear connection to the Israelite congregation in their town.<sup data-footnote-id=\"2drki\"><a href=\"#footnote-3\" id=\"footnote-marker-3-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[3]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank often stated that he was not strongly interested in matters of faith and that he had a pragmatic attitude. "<em>My parents-in-law had a Kosher household. Of course when my mother-in-law came we never had anything of pig. We adjusted and I worked with the liberal movement in Holland" .</em><sup data-footnote-id=\"tba9g\"><a href=\"#footnote-4\" id=\"footnote-marker-4-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[4]</a></sup> He also stated that his marriage and experiences with the Hitler regime had made him more aware of his background and made him feel more Jewish.<sup data-footnote-id=\"s0xgy\"><a href=\"#footnote-5\" id=\"footnote-marker-5-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[5]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>1933-1945</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>With Rabbi Mehler's arrival, Otto and Edith were closely involved in the formation of the Liberal Jewish Congregation (LJG) in Amsterdam. He was among some 40 members who submitted a declaration of support to Queen Wilhelmina in May 1938 to declare the liberal Jewish community an independent denomination.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank was annoyed by the negative comments on Mehler and liberal Judaism in the Orthodox daily and weekly newspapers. For this reason, he cancelled his subscription to the <em>Central Bulletin for Israelites</em> through a letter. Otto Frank wrote: "<em>I am a convinced Liberal Jew and I find the way your paper writes against Liberalism anything but distinguished".</em> This letter was partially printed and commented on by the editors:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'Criticism of our magazine is always agreeable to us. But who gives you the right to express this criticism in a form that does not correspond to the facts. Certainly, we reject religious liberalism, but we have found among the Jews who immigrated here - and almost only among these are the 'convinced liberals' - the contact we have sought from the beginning. And that our efforts are right is proven by the success, even if one individual expresses his 'conviction' in his own form'.<sup data-footnote-id=\"xjcte\"><a href=\"#footnote-6\" id=\"footnote-marker-6-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[6]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank, unlike his wife Edith, did not attend synagogue regularly. If he went, it was mainly on holidays. He later stated that, for his wife, he occasionally went to prayer services.<sup data-footnote-id=\"df01c\"><a href=\"#footnote-7\" id=\"footnote-marker-7-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[7]</a></sup> Although he was not Orthodox, he had Orthodox friends, such as the Goslar family. According to Hanneli Goslar, Otto Frank had learned the kidush at her home:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'The Frank family came to us very often on Fridays to celebrate the Sabbath. Otto told me after the war that in Auschwitz, together with other Jewish prisoners, they wanted to recite the kidush (the prayer you say just before meals), but no one knew it by heart. But Otto Frank had heard the kidush with us so many times that he was the only one to hold the ceremony in Hebrew'.<sup data-footnote-id=\"xda3v\"><a href=\"#footnote-8\" id=\"footnote-marker-8-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[8]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Involvement in Jewish organisations after</strong><strong> 1945</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>On <strong>9 November 1945</strong>, an advertisement appeared in the <em>Nieuw Israelitisch Weekblad </em>calling on all members of the Liberal Jewish congregations in Amsterdam and The Hague and other interested parties to provide their names and addresses. Otto Frank responded on <strong>17 November 1945</strong>: ''<em>In response to your advertisement in the Nieuwe Israelitische Weekblad, I inform you that if a new Liberal Jewish congregation is established, I would be happy to join it'.</em><sup data-footnote-id=\"o07zj\"><a href=\"#footnote-9\" id=\"footnote-marker-9-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[9]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Other sources showing Otto Frank's connection to Judaism are:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>He was well acquainted with the president of the <em>World Union of Progressive Judaism</em>, Rabbi David Wice of Philadelphia.<sup data-footnote-id=\"e6q4j\"><a href=\"#footnote-10\" id=\"footnote-marker-10-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[10]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He donated two hundred and fifty Swiss francs to the <em>Vereinigung für Religiös-Liberales Judentum</em> in Bern in <strong>1960,</strong><sup data-footnote-id=\"4vtl4\"><a href=\"#footnote-11\" id=\"footnote-marker-11-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[11]</a></sup> and in <strong>1963</strong>.<sup data-footnote-id=\"q2t5z\"><a href=\"#footnote-12\" id=\"footnote-marker-12-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[12]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>In <strong>April 1961</strong>, he donated five thousand guilders for the newly built synagogue of the Liberal Jewish Community.<em> "It is my wish that this amount will be listed as a gift in memoriam Rosa Holländer, Anneliese Schütz, Rabbi Dr L. Mehler".</em><sup data-footnote-id=\"zmgnf\"><a href=\"#footnote-13\" id=\"footnote-marker-13-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[13]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>In <strong>1966</strong>, he was included in the 'Book of Founders' of the new Progressive Jewish Centre in Amsterdam.<sup data-footnote-id=\"qeaka\"><a href=\"#footnote-14\" id=\"footnote-marker-14-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[14]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He continued to support the LJG: in <strong>1972</strong> he donated three thousand guilders and in <strong>1973</strong> twenty-five hundred guilders.<sup data-footnote-id=\"ylr13\"><a href=\"#footnote-15\" id=\"footnote-marker-15-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[15]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He was patron of the <em>Judaic Heritage Society</em> in the Jewish year 5740 (roughly coinciding with the year <strong>1980</strong>).<sup data-footnote-id=\"xfq60\"><a href=\"#footnote-16\" id=\"footnote-marker-16-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[16]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>He went to the <em>World Union for Progressive Judaism</em> as a delegate for the Liberal Jewish Congregation.<sup data-footnote-id=\"c3jao\"><a href=\"#footnote-17\" id=\"footnote-marker-17-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[17]</a></sup></li>\r\n\t<li>According to a letter of condolence on behalf of the Liberal Jewish Community, Otto Frank was: '<em>like almost no other, devoted to Judaism in general and progressive Judaism in particular'.</em></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Religious views</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank recognised the value of religion, without being truly religious himself.<sup data-footnote-id=\"i2lor\"><a href=\"#footnote-18\" id=\"footnote-marker-18-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[18]</a></sup> He had a universalist and strongly humanistic view of God, and after the war he carried prayers from different religions in his wallet.<sup data-footnote-id=\"idk8o\"><a href=\"#footnote-19\" id=\"footnote-marker-19-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[19]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank did not see God as a father who cared about each of his children, but believed in some kind of higher power, which has arranged the world and its laws in such a way that man has the free choice to be good or bad. Gifted men like Moses, Jesus and Buddha give moral laws, but man himself chooses whether or not to follow them.<sup data-footnote-id=\"9j4h5\"><a href=\"#footnote-20\" id=\"footnote-marker-20-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[20]</a></sup> Imperfect man can abuse this free will. If God always punished directly, there would be no free will either. In the long run, good will win and evil will destroy itself<em>. </em><em>'Real belief is based on this justice,'</em> says Otto Frank.<sup data-footnote-id=\"tsc7x\"><a href=\"#footnote-21\" id=\"footnote-marker-21-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[21]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>At his own request, although not in accordance with Jewish custom, Otto Frank was laid to rest and cremated after his death. He did not want to be buried in Basel, as there was only an Orthodox congregation there. Interment took place because Fritzi wanted to respond to the wishes of many to be able to say goodbye to Otto Frank.<sup data-footnote-id=\"oog0c\"><a href=\"#footnote-22\" id=\"footnote-marker-22-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[22]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Political views</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank rarely expressed himself explicitly on political issues, but correspondence shows that he was strongly anti-Communist.<sup data-footnote-id=\"o42tr\"><a href=\"#footnote-23\" id=\"footnote-marker-23-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[23]</a></sup> He spoke out in interviews against extremism of all directions and saw communism as being as great a danger as fascism. Nevertheless, he maintained good contacts with Jan Romein and Jacques Presser, among others. Romein was instrumental in the publication of <em>Het Achterhuis </em>and he knew Presser as a teacher at the Jewish Lyceum.<sup data-footnote-id=\"ekds4\"><a href=\"#footnote-24\" id=\"footnote-marker-24-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[24]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>In <strong>1952</strong>, when visiting America on the occasion of the presidential election, Otto Frank wore a pin of Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson.<sup data-footnote-id=\"z56bz\"><a href=\"#footnote-25\" id=\"footnote-marker-25-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[25]</a></sup> He described the atmosphere surrounding those elections in a letter to Miep Gies as<em> "Alles reichlich meshugge</em> ".<sup data-footnote-id=\"oxsk6\"><a href=\"#footnote-26\" id=\"footnote-marker-26-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[26]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<p>In <strong>1975</strong>, Otto Frank entered into correspondence with Omar Assuli, a Palestinian imprisoned in Israel since <strong>1970</strong>. He took this initiative after reading in a Swiss newspaper that Assuli was eager to correspond with Swiss citizens. Otto took a strongly pro-Israel stance towards Assuli. On <strong>8 January 1976</strong>, when asked, he learned from the head of the "Inmate Department" that Assuli was imprisoned for an offence against state security.<sup data-footnote-id=\"goi5j\"><a href=\"#footnote-27\" id=\"footnote-marker-27-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[27]</a></sup> It is unclear whether Otto continued to write to Assuli thereafter. No letters are known from which this is evident.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Zionism and Israel</strong></h1>\r\n\r\n<p>Otto Frank was ambivalent towards Zionism. He followed the movement with interest, and in the Secret Annex the people there read the book <em>Palestina op de tweesprong </em>('Palestine on the Eve'), in which the British-Hungarian investigative journalist László Faragó described the Jewish-Arab tensions in the British protectorate of Palestine.<sup data-footnote-id=\"xb3xr\"><a href=\"#footnote-28\" id=\"footnote-marker-28-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[28]</a></sup> When he and his other family members had serious discussions about emigration in 1933, he, like his mother and sister, rejected the idea of leaving for Palestine:</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>'Wir gehören dort nicht hin. Seit zweitausend Jahren leben wir Juden hier, in Deutschland. Wir sind gebildet, wir sind kultiviert, natürlich sind wir Juden, aber doch nicht orthodox. Wir haben nichts gemein mit den ostjüdischen Händlern und Fabrikarbeitern, unter denen es viele Zionisten gibt, weil sie keine andere Wahl haben, und wir haben erst recht nichts mit den ostjüdischen Rabbinern zu tun. Nein, wir können zwar in anderen europäischen Ländern leben, auch in Amerika, aber nicht in Asien.'<sup data-footnote-id=\"gf1kw\"><a href=\"#footnote-29\" id=\"footnote-marker-29-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[29]</a></sup></blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>After the war, Otto Frank was strongly pro-Israeli. In the mid-1970s, he had a disagreement with the Anne Frank House about Israel. He made sure that explicit support for Israel's right to exist was included in the statutes.<sup data-footnote-id=\"p3vv6\"><a href=\"#footnote-30\" id=\"footnote-marker-30-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[30]</a></sup> Yet he never seriously considered moving to Israel.<sup data-footnote-id=\"7e6ht\"><a href=\"#footnote-31\" id=\"footnote-marker-31-1\" rel=\"footnote\">[31]</a></sup></p>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"footnotes\">\r\n<header>\r\n<h2>Footnotes</h2>\r\n</header>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"sxjzk\" id=\"footnote-1\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-1-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Familiearchief Anne Frank-Fonds (AFF), Bazel Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_pdoc_09: <em>Aachener-Frankfurter Tageblatt</em>, Erste und einzige Ausgabe, Auflage 50 Exemplare, erscheint am 12. Mai 1925.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"axc7l\" id=\"footnote-2\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-2-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Manfred Capellmann u,a. <em>Wer war Henry Wolfskehl? Auf der Suche nach jüdischen Schülern und Lehrern am Lessing-Gymnasium 1897-1937. Eine Ausstellung der Archiv-AG des Lessing-Gymnasiums Frankfurt am Main im Museum Judengasse, 20. januar bis 06. März 2000</em>, Frankfurt am Main: Slebstverlag, 2000, p. 47; Zie ook het biografisch lemma over Seligmann op <a href=\"http://www.judengasse.de/dhtml/P145.htm\">http://www.judengasse.de/dhtml/P145.htm</a> (geraadpleegd op 5 december 2019).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"2drki\" id=\"footnote-3\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-3-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_pdoc_10: Grafrede Cäsar Seligmann voor Michael Frank, 19 september 1909.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"tba9g\" id=\"footnote-4\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-4-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Carol Ann Lee, <em>Het verborgen leven van Otto Frank. De biografie</em>, Amsterdam: Balans, 2002, p. 46.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"s0xgy\" id=\"footnote-5\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-5-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Lee, <em>Het verborgen leven</em>, p. 62.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xjcte\" id=\"footnote-6\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-6-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>“Correspondentie”, <em>Centraal Blad voor Israëlieten</em> <em>in Nederland, </em>23 december 1937</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"df01c\" id=\"footnote-7\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-7-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Anne Frank Stichting (AFS), Anne Frank Collectie (AFS), Otto Frank Archief (OFA), reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 14 september 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xda3v\" id=\"footnote-8\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-8-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Telefonisch interview T. da Silva met Hannah Pick-Goslar, 7 november 2019.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"o07zj\" id=\"footnote-9\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-9-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Liberaal Joodse Gemeente, Amsterdam: B riefkaart (Plikart), O. Frank p/a N.V. Ned. Opekta Mij. aan M. Goudeket, 17 november 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"e6q4j\" id=\"footnote-10\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-10-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>WHS, Goodrich/Hackett papers, Box no. 2, correspondence 1953-1956: Otto Frank aan Frances Goodrich en Albert Hackett, 9 september 1955.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"4vtl4\" id=\"footnote-11\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-11-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Bedankbrief Victor Loeb, 14 juni 1960.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"q2t5z\" id=\"footnote-12\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-12-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Bedankbrief J. Kunstenaar, 15 maart 1963.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"zmgnf\" id=\"footnote-13\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-13-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Otto Frank aan de Liberaal Joodse Gemeente, 1 april 1961.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"qeaka\" id=\"footnote-14\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-14-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Oorkonde.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"ylr13\" id=\"footnote-15\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-15-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Liberaal Joodse Gemeente aan Otto Frank, 4 juli 1975.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xfq60\" id=\"footnote-16\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-16-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_087: Certificaat nr. 120.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"c3jao\" id=\"footnote-17\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-17-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"i2lor\" id=\"footnote-18\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-18-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 26 september 1945.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"idk8o\" id=\"footnote-19\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-19-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Fritzi Frank, AFF_FrF_pdoc_02: Fritzi Frank-Markovits, Mein Leben mit Otto Frank, p.3.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"9j4h5\" id=\"footnote-20\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-20-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA??: Otto Frank aan 'Rita', 30 november 1969.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"tsc7x\" id=\"footnote-21\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-21-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_275: Otto Frank aan 'Joan' (Lewis), 30 december 1955.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"oog0c\" id=\"footnote-22\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-22-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, Getuigenarchief, Schloss-Geiringer, Eva: Verslag telefoongesprek Erika Prins met Eva Schloss, 7 april 2009.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"o42tr\" id=\"footnote-23\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-23-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Met Lin Jaldati. AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_085: Briefwisseling van Otto Frank met Lin Jaldati, 30 november 1964 t/m 20 februari 1965.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"ekds4\" id=\"footnote-24\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-24-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Voor de betrokkenheid van Romein bij de publicatie van het dagboek, zie Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis (IISG), archief J.M. Romein, inv. nr. 698.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"z56bz\" id=\"footnote-25\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-25-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Otto Frank aan Milly Stanfield, 29 mei 1971.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"oxsk6\" id=\"footnote-26\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-26-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, A_Gies_I_129: Otto Frank aan Miep Gies, 21 oktober 1951. </cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"goi5j\" id=\"footnote-27\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-27-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFF, Otto Frank, AFF_OtF_corr_15: Briefwisseling van Otto Frank met en over Omar Assuli, 14 september 1975 t/m 14 december 1976.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"xb3xr\" id=\"footnote-28\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-28-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Anne Frank, Diary Version A, 8 May 1944, in: <em>The Collected Works</em>, transl. from the Dutch by Susan Massotty, London [etc.]: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2019. See Diary Version A, 11 May 1944, that shows that the youngsters in the Secret Annexe read the book <em>Palestina op Eve</em> (New York 1936), in which the British-Hungarian investigative reporter László Faragó examined Jewish-Arab tensions in the British protectorate of Palestine.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"gf1kw\" id=\"footnote-29\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-29-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>Otto Frank geciteerd in Mirjam Pressler, „Grüße und Küsse an alle”. Die Geschichte der Familie von Anne Frank, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 2000, p 40.</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"p3vv6\" id=\"footnote-30\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-30-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978) (transcriptie p. 117).</cite></li>\r\n\t<li data-footnote-id=\"7e6ht\" id=\"footnote-31\"><sup><a href=\"#footnote-marker-31-1\">^</a> </sup><cite>AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_211: Interview met Otto Frank, afgenomen door Arthur Unger (1978); Zie ook Herman Vuijsje en Jos van der Lans, <em>Het Anne Frank Huis, </em>Amsterdam: Boom, 2010, pp. 142-143.</cite></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</section>",
"summary": "Otto Frank felt connected to liberal Judaism. Politically, he was moderate.",
"summary_nl": "Otto Frank voelde zich verbonden met het liberale jodendom. In politiek opzicht was hij gematigd.",
"summary_en": "Otto Frank felt connected to liberal Judaism. Politically, he was moderate.",
"same_as": null,
"parent": 396124401,
"files": []
}