On the night of May 9, 1940, the Frank family’s worst fears came true. They were awakened by explosions and the sound of aircraft as the German army invaded the Netherlands. From their home, they could see the bombing of Schiphol Airport, a terrifying sign of the war that had finally reached their doorstep.
The invasion sparked a wave of panic and despair among Amsterdam’s Jewish residents. Some, in a desperate attempt to flee, drove to the coast, hoping to escape to Britain by boat. Very few succeeded. The desperation was so profound that some even committed suicide, having lost all hope.
After five days of fighting and the devastating bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch army capitulated. On May 15, the surrender agreement was signed.
Despite the fear, life seemed to return to normal for the Frank family. Anne and Margot were able to go back to school on May 20, and for a time, it seemed as though their daily lives would not be affected. This brief period of normalcy, however, was just the calm before the storm. It was a temporary illusion of peace before the Nazis began their systematic persecution, a period that would eventually force the Frank family into hiding.