The Little Comedian Arrives in Amsterdam
In March 1934, Edith Frank wrote to her friend Gertrud Naumann, providing a snapshot of her family’s new life in Amsterdam. The family had secured a small flat the previous December, marking their emigration from Germany. Edith’s letter is one of relief and domestic contentment, a moment of peace before the looming storm.
She noted that both daughters had recently joined them after staying in Aachen for a year. Margot and Anne were settling into their new home and were both “full of fun.” But her description of her youngest daughter is particularly insightful: “Anne a little comedian.”
This brief, affectionate phrase confirms the spirited, entertaining personality that would later leap off the pages of Anne’s diary. Even as a small child, Anne possessed the natural exuberance and wit that would make her the center of attention and a source of both joy and challenge to her family.
This letter captures the Frank family in a moment of hopeful transition. They had escaped the initial dangers of Nazi Germany and were beginning to build a new life in the relative safety of the Netherlands, a time when their biggest concern was simply enjoying the antics of their “little comedian.”