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February 23, 2010 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H675 was a time of shortages, a time when War II. Furthermore, we must never forget the and remains as a testament for future genera- getting food meant managing ration horrible atrocities of the Holocaust and con- tions on the horrors of the Holocaust and the coupons. Despite their efforts, though, tinue to fight against acts of genocide around importance of preventing genocide in all on August 4, 1944, the Gestapo raided the world as well as fight against bigotry and forms. the secret hiding place, and they cap- intolerance here at home in the U.S. Sadly Miep Gies recently passed away on tured the eight hideaways who were be- During the Second World War, Miep Gies January 11, 2010 leaving behind a legacy of trayed by an anonymous tip. helped and assisted Anne Frank and her fam- compassion and teaching. Today I stand in Miep Gies discovered the pages of the ily by hiding and protecting them from Nazi recognition of the courage that Miep Gies had diary that Anne kept during her time persecution. In fact, Miep Gies agreed to hide in risking her own life to shelter and provide in hiding, and Miep locked them in a and assist the Frank family in avoiding Jewish for the Frank family while they were in hiding desk drawer for safekeeping. When she persecution at the hands of the Nazis without from the Nazis. The love and selflessness that learned that Margot and Anne had died hesitation. Miep Gies showed in sheltering her friends of typhus at the Bergen-Belsen con- Miep Gies initially met Anne Frank’s father, from the hatred and persecution of Nazi Ger- centration camp, she returned Anne’s Otto Frank, in 1933 and worked as a secretary many should be an example to us all. diary to Otto Frank, the only one of in his pectin manufacturing company, Opekta. I would also like to commend Miep Gies for the eight to have survived the Holo- After some time, she became well acquainted recovering and preserving the diary of Anne caust. with the Frank family, as did her husband Jan Frank through the end of World War II. Be- Later in her life, she testified against Gies, whom she married on July 16, 1941. cause of the thoughtfulness of Miep Gies, the the Neo-Nazis, who denied the authen- In the early 1940s, the Nazis began tar- Diary of Anne Frank now serves as both an ticity of the diary. She helped in the geting specific groups of people including inspiration as well as an example to millions of establishment of a museum in the Jews, ethnic Poles, Romani, Soviet civilians, people around the world. small building where Anne and her Soviet prisoners of war, people with disabil- It is important that we never forget the hor- family had hid. ities, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and rible actions that took place during the Holo- As was noted, she passed away re- other political and religious groups. Between caust. It is also important that we never forget cently, on January 11, 2010, at the age 1940 and 1945 during the Holocaust, more the courageous and noble acts of people all of 100, but she kept alive a very impor- than 6 million Jews and other targeted groups across Europe in the fight against the Nazi re- tant part of Holocaust history by pre- were exterminated by the Nazis. gime as well as those who assisted per- serving Anne’s diary and by helping us During this time, Miep Gies along with her secuted groups during those terrible times. to learn, to understand and to remem- husband and several colleagues helped hide Furthermore, I would also like to urge coun- ber so it will not happen again. the Frank family including Edith and Otto tries and leaders across the world to reassess The ‘‘Diary of a Young Girl,’’ by Frank, their daughters Margot and Anne, Her- their efforts in fighting racism, intolerance and Anne Frank, has been translated into mann and Auguste van Pels, their son Peter, anti-Semitism. Through providing education 70 languages—an inspirational story and Fritz Pfeffer, from Nazi persecution. Miep and instruction to adults and children alike, we about hope in the face of war and an Gies’ husband Jan Gies was a member of the can help to ensure that what happened in Eu- important testament for future genera- Dutch Resistance who was dedicated to as- rope during the Holocaust is never allowed to tions so that the horrors of the Holo- sisting Jews and other persecuted peoples es- happen again. caust will not be forgotten. Like so cape by obtaining illegal ration cards for food I ask my colleagues for their support of this many others who read Anne’s diary, as and finding good hiding places. Miep Gies and legislation as well as their support for those a young woman, I was deeply moved by her husband hid the Frank family in a secret who protect defenseless people across the her steadfast optimism even during a upstairs room of the office building that was world. I strongly urge you to support this reso- period of her life defined by the evil of used by Mr. Frank’s spice company from July lution. that day. 1942 to August 1944. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speak- Thanks to Miep Gies’ bravery, Anne’s Every few days Miep Gies would come by er, I yield back the balance of my time. recollections have been preserved for the secret upstairs room of Mr. Frank’s former Mr. MCMAHON. Madam Speaker, I future generations. Miep later de- office building and bring food supplies in addi- have no further requests for time, and scribed her efforts to assist the eight tion to writing supplies for Anne Frank. Be- I yield back the balance of my time. people in hiding, saying, ‘‘Of course, cause of Miep Gies’ genuine compassion and The SPEAKER pro tempore. The it’s nice to be appreciated, but I only selflessness, her friends were able to evade question is on the motion offered by did my duty to my fellow man. I helped the horrors of Nazi persecution for two years. the gentleman from New York (Mr. people in need. Anyone can do that, Sadly, on the morning of August 4, 1944, MCMAHON) that the House suspend the can’t they?’’ the Gru¨ne Polizei arrested Anne Frank and rules and agree to the resolution, H. This understated appraisal of her he- her family who were hiding in the secret up- Res. 1074. roic acts is just one example of her stairs room of Mr. Frank’s office building. Be- The question was taken. modesty and her integrity. We can cause of her genuine care and compassion for The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the learn much from Miep Gies, an ordi- her friends however, Miep Gies attempted to opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being nary woman, who showed extraor- petition and bribe the Austrian Nazi officer to in the affirmative, the ayes have it. dinary courage in the face of unspeak- release her friends for several days after their Mr. MCMAHON. Madam Speaker, on able peril during Nazi occupation and arrest. Unfortunately the officer would not that I demand the yeas and nays. the Holocaust. She is a powerful sym- allow for their release. The yeas and nays were ordered. bol of resistance against oppression After being arrested, Anne Frank and her The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- and injustice. She is an example of our family were deported to the Auschwitz Nazi ant to clause 8 of rule XX and the human capacity to rise even to the Concentration Camp where Anne stayed until Chair’s prior announcement, further most daunting of challenges. being transferred to the Bergen-Belsen con- proceedings on this motion will be I urge my colleagues to join me in centration camp. Sadly, Anne Frank later died postponed. recognizing this incredible woman’s there in March 1945 at the age of 15 though f life and legacy. her father Otto Frank, from whom she was EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam separated, survived the war. Speaker, I stand before you today in support Sometime after Anne Frank and her family HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of H. Res. 1074 ‘‘Honoring the life of Miep were arrested and deported, Miep Gies found ON RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN Gies, who aided Anne Frank’s family while the diary Anne Frank had kept while hiding IRAQ they were in hiding and preserved her diary from the Nazis in the secret room and safe- Mr. MCMAHON. Madam Speaker, I for future generations.’’ guarded it through the end of the war. It move to suspend the rules and agree to I would like to begin by thanking my col- wasn’t until after the end of World War II that the resolution (H. Res. 944) expressing league Representative MARY JO KILROY for in- Miep Gies released the pages of Anne Frank’s the sense of the House of Representa- troducing this resolution in the House, as it is diary to her father, Otto Frank. tives on religious minorities in Iraq, as important that we honor and recognize those The diary of Anne Frank was later published amended. who helped and aided groups of people who and entitled ‘‘The Diary of a Young Girl.’’ The The Clerk read the title of the resolu- were persecuted by the Nazis during World diary was also translated into 70 languages tion.

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