On 5 July 1942 Margot Frank receives a call-up to report for a German work camp. The next day the Frank family goes into hiding. The Van Pels family follow a week later and in November 1942 an eighth person arrives; dentist Fritz Pfeffer . They remain in the secret annex for just over two years.
The people in hiding must stay very quiet, they are often afraid and despite good and bad times, spend most of it together. They are helped by the office workers Johannes Kleiman, Victor Kugler, Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl, by Miep's husband Jan Gies and warehouse boss Johannes Voskuijl, Bep's father. These helpers not only arrange food, clothes and books, they are contact with the outside world for the people in hiding.
