1. Bep Voskuijl was one of the eight children of Johannes Voskuijl and Christina Sodenkamp.
29 Facts About Bep Voskuijl
1. 2.
When still a teenager, Bep worked as a chambermaid, waitress and shop assistant in order to earn money to support the large Voskuijl family.
3.
In 1937, Bep enrolled in the Instituut Schoevers, the evening school for girls and women who wanted to learn secretarial work.
4.
Bep Voskuijl excelled at her courses in German, stenography and accounting.
5.
Bep Voskuijl was eighteen when she started working and was the youngest employee in the office.
6.
Bep Voskuijl became close with Otto Frank's wife Edith Hollander and their daughters Margot and Anne.
7.
Bep Voskuijl made friends with Miep Gies and got acquainted with Victor Kugler and Johannes Kleiman, all employees at Opekta who would later become protectors of the people in the Secret Annex.
8.
On Sunday 5 July 1942, Bep Voskuijl celebrated her 23rd birthday.
9.
Bep Voskuijl was responsible for milk and bread, and Bep Voskuijl's sister sewed garments such as pants and blouses for the people in hiding.
10.
Bep Voskuijl ordered correspondence courses for those in hiding, such as shorthand and Latin.
11.
Bep Voskuijl was lucky to have the support of her father, who was informed of the Secret Annex.
12.
Johannes Bep Voskuijl kept an eye on the situation in the warehouse, as the other employees were not let in on the secret.
13.
Furthermore, in August 1942, Bep Voskuijl built the famous bookcase that concealed the entrance to the Secret Annex.
14.
Bep Voskuijl managed to keep her fiance Bertus Hulsman ignorant for twenty-five months.
15.
Bep Voskuijl got on well with Anne and the feeling was mutual.
16.
For lunch, Bep Voskuijl joined the people in the Secret Annex, because at home there was not always enough to eat for ten people.
17.
Bep Voskuijl is easy to please and that is just what pleases us.
18.
In October 1942, Anne convinced Bep Voskuijl to spend a night in the Secret Annex, but Bep Voskuijl did not sleep a wink.
19.
Bep Voskuijl provided Anne with carbon paper she brought from the office.
20.
Bep Voskuijl was our best helper and security adviser; we miss him very much indeed.
21.
Bep Voskuijl went into hiding for a week and then got back to the office, after which she entered the Secret Annex and saved parts of Anne's diaries, that were scattered over the floor.
22.
Bep Voskuijl was honored in later years for her activities during the Second World War, but disliked publicity and gave few interviews about her association with Anne Frank.
23.
That same year, Bep Voskuijl met with Queen Juliana at the Dutch premiere of the Hollywood film The Diary of Anne Frank by George Stevens.
24.
Bep Voskuijl kept in contact with Otto Frank even after his move to Switzerland and new marriage.
25.
Otto knew that Bep Voskuijl had troubles making ends meet and did his best to help her, too.
26.
Bep Voskuijl corresponded with Victor Kugler, who moved to Canada after the war.
27.
Bep Voskuijl died in Amsterdam on 6 May 1983, due to a traumatic aortic rupture.
28.
Bep Voskuijl was heroic without bravura, simply assumed that the hiders in the Annex must be helped.
29.
Bep Voskuijl had a relationship with an Austrian non-commissioned officer.