Buddy Elias

Bernd Paul Eric Elias (Buddy) was the son of Leni Frank, a sister of Otto Frank, and first cousin of Anne and Margot.^[1] His father, Erich Elias,became head of the Basel-based company Opekta in 1929,^[2] and Buddy moved there with his mother and brother Stephan in 1931. Two years later, his maternal grandmother, Alice Frank-Stern, joined them.

Otto Frank visited his family in Basel regularly, often with his daughters Anne and Margot. They also met at Sils Maria, where Olga Spitzer, a second cousin of Otto's, owned a vacation villa. Buddy had a special bond with Anne, who was four years younger than him and, like Buddy, loved ice skating. Anne fantasised in her diary about a career as an ice dancer together with her cousin Buddy.^[3] There are some photographs of Buddy from 1940-41, in which he is depicted as an 'ice clown'.^[4] In 1947, he joined the Holiday on Ice traveling show and toured the world with this company.^[5]

After returning to Basel, he began a cereer as a professional actor. He performed on stage in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. In 1965, he married Gertrud “Gerti” Wiedner, an Austrian actress.^[6] They had two sons, Patrick and Oliver, both of whom became actors.^[7] Their granddaughter, Leah Anouk Elias, is also an actress.^[8]

As a member of the Member of the Board of Trustees and as president of the Swiss Anne Frank Fonds, Buddy Elias dedicated himself to keeping the legacy of his niece Anne Frank alive until his death.^[9]

Source personal data.^[10] Address: Herbstgasse 11, Basel (’41).^[10]