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Anne Frank's nationality

Anne Frank was German, but died stateless.

Subject

Anne Frank was born a Prussian national.[1] From 1866 to 1933, Frankfurt am Main belonged to the Kingdom of Prussia.[2] In 1871, the German Empire was established, but the population retained their separate Prussian, Bavarian, Saxon, etc. nationalities. After 1933, the various states, including Prussia, were brought into line with the Third Reich. The transition from Prussian to German was a consequence of the Gleichschaltungsgesetze (Consolidation Laws) of 31 March and 7 April 1933.[3] From February 1934 onwards, all citizens were assigned Deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit (German nationality).[4] Anne's personal index card in the Amsterdam population register therefore states that she had German nationality.[5]

On 25 November 1941, Otto Frank and his family became stateless citizens overnight[6] as a consquence of the Elfte Verordnung zum Reichsbürgergesetz (Eleventh Decree of the Reich Citizenship Law) of 25 November 1941. This regulation decreed that all Jews with German nationality living abroad would lose their citizenship.[7] Anne aslo died stateless.[8]

Op 9 October 1942, Anne wrote in her diary: "Nice people the German and to think that I am really one of them too! But no. Hitler took away our nationality long ago (...).'[9]
In de folder waarin uitgeverij Contact het verschijnen van Het Achterhuis aankondigde, werd Annes stateloosheid vermeld.[10] When Otto Frank offered copies of Het Achterhuis to various people upon its publication in 1947, he also mentioned Anne's statelessness several times. He did so to former ministers Bolkestein and Gerbrandy, and to Princess Juliana and Queen Wilhelmina.[11]

Following the break-in on 9 April 1944, Anne wrote: "During that night I really felt that I had to die. I waited for the police. I was prepared, as the soldier is on the battlefield. I was eager to lay down my life for the country, but now, now I've been saved again, now my first wish after the war is that I may become Dutch! I love the Dutch, I love thiis country, I love the language and want to work here. And if I have to write to the queen myself, I will not give up until I have reached my goal!"[12]

In 2004, Anne was a candidate for the KRO television programme De grootste Nederlander (The Greatest Dutchman). The KRO subsequently wanted to naturalise her as a Dutch citizen. Several members of parliament supported the plan, but the law only provides for the naturalisation of living persons. As a stateless person, she participated anyway and ended up eighth. [13]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Institut für Stadtgeschichte, Frankfurt am Main: Hausstandsbücher, nr.1.382; Null-Kartei, Kasten Nr. 451 (kopie bij: Anne Frank Stichting (AFS), afd. Collecties, Collectie in handen van derden, Instellingen Buitenland).
  2. ^ Wikipedia: Free City of Frankfurt.
  3. ^ Wikipedia: Gleichschaltung.
  4. ^ Verfassungen der Welt: Verordnung über die deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit vom 5. Februar 1934.
  5. ^ Stadsarchief Amsterdam (SAA), Archiefkaarten (toegangsnummer 30238: Archiefkaart Annelies Marie Frank (kopie onafgeplakte versie bij: Anne Frank Stichting (AFS), afd. Collecties, Collectie in handen van derden, Instellingen Nederland, SAA).
  6. ^ NIOD Instituut voor Oorlogs-, Holocaust- en Genocidestudies, Amsterdam, archief 077, Generalkommissariat für das Sicherheitswesen (Höhere SS- und Polizeiführer Nord-West), inv. nr. 242a: Kaart "Bureau Registratie" (kopie bij AFS, afd. Collecties, map E7.03 Emigratie/naturalisatie).
  7. ^ Verfassungen der Welt: Elfte Verordnung zum Reichsbürgergesetz (1941).
  8. ^ Het Nederlandse Rode Kruis, Den Haag, Oorlogsnazorg, dossier 117267, volgnr. 4: “Inhaftierungsbescheinigung” door International Tracing Service, 12 april 1957 (kopie bij: AFS, afd. Collecties, Collectie in handen van derdern, Instellingen Nederland, NRK).
  9. ^ Anne Frank, Daiary Version B, 9 October 1942, in: The Collected Works, transl. from the Dutch by Susan Massotty, London [etc.]: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2019.
  10. ^ AFS, Anne Frank Collectie (AFC), Otto Frank Archief, reg. code OFA_100: Uitgeversfolder Het Achterhuis, 1947.
  11. ^ AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_100: Correspondentie over Het Achterhuis. In de brief aan koningin Wilhelmina noemt hij de stateloosheid van zijn hele gezin.
  12. ^ Anne Frank, Diary Version A, 9 Aapril 1944, in: The Collected Works.
  13. ^ Wikipedia: Anne Frank, Nominatie grootste Nederlander.

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