The Final Conversation
Nanette (Nanny) Blitz König was one of the many young Jewish students whose life intersected with Anne Frank’s in Amsterdam. Though they were classmates at the Jewish Lyceum, their relationship was initially complicated. Anne, in her famously candid diary, admitted they weren’t close, writing that Nanny “[talks so much it isn’t funny]” and that she didn’t care if Nanny “[can’t stand me, but I don’t like her much either.]”
This youthful rivalry was brutally erased by the grim reality of the Holocaust. The two girls met again, years later, in the horrifying confines of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Despite the terrible circumstances, they were “ecstatic at seeing each other,” and they shared memories of their former lives.
It was during this time that Anne confided in Nanny about her diary. Nanny recalled that Anne “[wanted to use it only as a starting point for the book she wanted to write about what she experienced.]” This powerful statement confirms Anne’s serious intention to be a writer and turn her secret chronicle into a published work.
Tragically, both girls contracted typhus in the camp. Nanny’s last memory of Anne is devastating. Anne was “very weak, scrawny,” and covered with a blanket because she couldn’t bear the lice-infested clothes. Nanny sadly noted that Anne was “barely able to recognize me, or to talk.”
Nanette Blitz König is a survivor. She lives in Brazil, a living testament to the world Anne Frank left behind. Her memories provide a precious, final glimpse into Anne’s courage, her dream of becoming a writer, and the tragic circumstances of her death.
