Victor Kugler (June 5, 1900 – September 16, 1981) was one of the Dutch citizens who helped hide Anne Frank and her family from Nazi persecution during World War II. He was a key figure among the "helpers" who provided food, news, and emotional support to the eight people hiding in the Secret Annex (Achterhuis) in Amsterdam from July 1942 until their discovery and arrest in August 1944.
Early Life
Born in Hohenelbe, Austria-Hungary (now Vrchlabí, Czech Republic), Kugler later moved to the Netherlands. In 1923, he began working for Otto Frank, first as an employee at Opekta, a company that manufactured pectin for making jam, and later as managing director. When Otto Frank founded a second company, Pectacon, which sold spices, Kugler became its director as well.
Role During the Holocaust
Following the Nazi invasion and occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, conditions for Jewish people rapidly deteriorated. Otto Frank, recognizing the danger, began to plan for a possible hiding place. Victor Kugler, along with Miep Gies, Bep Voskuijl, and Johannes Kleiman, were among the few trusted non-Jewish employees who agreed to help the Frank family and four other Jewish people (Hermann, Auguste, and Peter van Pels, and Fritz Pfeffer) go into hiding.
From July 6, 1942, Kugler was instrumental in assisting those in the Secret Annex. He was responsible for providing them with food, clothing, books, and news from the outside world. He ensured the businesses continued to operate, thus maintaining a facade of normalcy and providing the necessary funds for their upkeep. Kugler risked his own life daily, knowing that aiding Jews was a capital offense.
Arrest and Survival
On August 4, 1944, the Secret Annex was raided by the German Security Police (Grüne Polizei), led by SS-Oberscharführer Karl Silberbauer. All eight people in hiding were arrested, along with Victor Kugler and Johannes Kleiman. Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl were questioned but released.
Kugler was initially imprisoned at the Amstelveen police station and then transferred to the SD headquarters on Euterpestraat in Amsterdam. On September 7, 1944, he was taken to the concentration camp at Amersfoort. On September 17, 1944, he was deported to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, and later to Ravensbrück.
As the Allies advanced in the spring of 1945, prisoners from Ravensbrück were forced on a death march. Kugler managed to escape from this march on April 27, 1945, during a bombardment. He was able to hide in a barn for several days until the area was liberated by Soviet troops. He then walked back to his hometown of Hilversum, Netherlands, a journey that took him two months. He weighed only 84 pounds upon his return.
Post-War Life and Legacy
After the war, Victor Kugler reunited with his wife and continued to work for Otto Frank. He later emigrated to Canada in 1955, settling in Toronto, Ontario. He married his second wife, Lucie van Langen, in 1965, after his first wife died.
Kugler dedicated much of his later life to sharing his experiences and the story of Anne Frank. He was recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations on September 13, 1973, for his courageous actions in saving Jewish lives.
Victor Kugler died on September 16, 1981, in Toronto at the age of 81. He is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Thornhill, Ontario. His unwavering bravery and selflessness are a testament to the human spirit in the face of unimaginable evil, ensuring that the legacy of Anne Frank and the Holocaust would not be forgotten.
See Also
- Anne Frank
- Miep Gies
- Johannes Kleiman
- Otto Frank
- Secret Annex
- Righteous Among the Nations