A Glimpse into the Anxieties of Margot Frank
In a letter to her American pen pal, Betty Ann Wagner, on April 27, 1940, Margot Frank provided a rare glimpse into the anxieties that were beginning to consume her family’s life. While her younger sister, Anne, was busy writing to Betty Ann’s sister, Juanita, Margot’s letter revealed a more mature and somber awareness of the looming danger.
Margot wrote that they “often listen to the radio,” a source of news that in those days was often a source of dread. Living in a “small country” with a “frontier with Germany,” she admitted that they “never feel safe.” This simple statement is a powerful testament to the constant state of fear that was slowly creeping into their lives.
Her words about her cousins in Switzerland are especially heartbreaking. She explained that while their home was “not far” by American standards, it was an impossible distance for them. The family was trapped, unable to travel through Germany, Belgium, or France because of the war. “It is war and no visas are given,” she wrote, a simple, bureaucratic statement that meant they were trapped.
Margot’s letter is a poignant reminder that the Frank family, even before the invasion, was living a life filled with uncertainty and fear. It is a testament to the quiet, heartbreaking anxiety of a young girl who, in a world filled with chaos, was trying to make sense of her family’s new and dangerous reality.