MovieChat Forums > The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) Discussion > Death of Mrs. Van Daan?

Death of Mrs. Van Daan?

posted 14 years ago by BoyWiththeGreenHair
3 replies | jump to latest

I was reading Shelley's Autobiography, Shelley II, and when she came to the making of The Diary, she described George Stevens' convincing her to take the role with the reasoning that she was one of the strongest members of the annex and was the last to die, apparently on an American ambulance after the Allied invasion.

And yet, I haven't come across any historical information to back up this claim that she died in that fashion. Can anyone clarify this?

But in regards to her being the "strongest," I had honestly never thought about it, if it is even fair to compare them in that way at all. Auguste Van Pels was seperated from both her son and her husband, with no knowledge about their whereabouts, unlike Anne, Margot, and Edith, who at least had each other. And yet it is at least clear that she lasted as long as her Peter, who may have been the last to die. Never thought about that before...

[–] DodgersRule 13 years ago

I know her husband was the first. He wasn't in the camp long at all when they marched him to the gas chamber ... Oh gads! It's so sad and disturbing ...

[–] briarswt 12 years ago

We DON'T know for absolutely sure who died last

It was certainly a Van Pels. But between Peter and Auguste, we do not know for sure. We do know however that they likely died within weeks if not days of each other, and both almost made it to the end.

However both were incredibly strong. Odds were not great for survival past a few months in a Nazi camp, and both made it almost eight months or so. There are various reports that Hermann broke down pretty quickly upon his arrival in Auschwitz despite others' efforts to help. Edith fought as hard as she could until the girls were taken from her.

[–] astockton_uk 9 years ago

Mrs. van Pels was sent to Bergen-Belsen, then to Buchenwald, then was put aboard a transport to the Theresienstadt "model ghetto" in Czechoslovakia. She may have died aboard the train, although one person who claimed to have witnessed her death said that the SS murdered her by throwing her onto the train tracks.

As the Soviet Army approached Auschwitz, the SS evacuated the place, taking with them some prisoners who were still fit enough to walk. Peter van Pels is believed to have been one of the prisoners. They were already almost skeletons, they received no food, water or rest stops on the march, and the SS shot anyone who collapsed. However, Peter survived long enough to reach the Mauthausen concentration camp, and apparently died there.

Edith died of starvation in the Auschwitz infirmary. Her mind was gone, and after she died, it was discovered that she was hoarding her bread ration in the apparent delusion that she could give it to her daughters.