ned us for tea； put away the few belongings miep had been able to bring here in advance and began to feel much more at home。 especially when we handed him the following
typewritten rules and regulations for the secret annex （a van daan production）：
prospectus and guide to the secret annex a unique facility for the temporary acmodation of jews and other dispossessed persons open all year round： located in beautiful； quiet； wooded surroundings in the heart of amsterdam。 no private residences in the vicinity。 can be reached by streetcar 13 or 17 and also by car and bicycle。 for those to whom such transportation has been forbidden by the german authorities； it can also be reached on foot。 furnished and unfurnished rooms and apartments are available at all times； with or without meals。
price： free。
diet： low…fat。
runnina water in the bathroom （sorry； no bath） and on various inside and outside walls。 cozy wood stoves for heating。
ample storage space for a variety of goods。 two large； modern safes。
private radio with a direct line to london； new york； tel aviv and many other stations。 available to all residents after 6 p。m。 no listening to forbidden broadcasts； with certain exceptions； i。e。； german stations may only be tuned in to listen to classical music。 it is absolutely forbidden to listen to german news bulletins （regardless of where they are transmitted from） and to pass them on to others。
rest hours： from 10 p。m。 to 7：30 a。m。； 10：15 a。m。 on sundays。 owing to circumstances； residents are required to observe rest hours during the daytime when instructed to do so by the management。 to ensure the safety of all； rest hours must be strictly observed！！！
free…time activities： none allowed outside the house until further notice。
use of language： it is necessary to speak softly at all times。 only the language of civilized people may be spoken； thus no german。
reading and relaxation： no german books may be read； except for the classics and works of a scholarly nature。 other books are optional。
calisthenics： daily。
singing： only softly； and after 6 p。m。
movies： prior arrangements required。
classes： a weekly correspondence course in shorthand。 courses in english； french； math and history offered at any hour of the day or night。 payment in the form of tutoring； e。g。； dutch。
separate department for the care of small household pets （with the exception of vermin； for which special permits are required）。
mealtimes：
breakfast： at 9 a。m。 daily except holidays and sundays； at approximately 11：30 a。m。
on sundays and holidays。
lunch： a light meal。 from 1：15 p。m。 to 1：45 p。m。
dinner： mayor not be a hot meal。
mealtime depends on news broadcasts。
obligations with respect to the supply corps： residents must be prepared to help with office work at all times。 baths： the washtub is available to all residents after 9 a。m。
on sundays。 residents may bathe in the bathroom； kitchen； private office or front office； as they choose。
alcohol： for medicinal purposes only。
the end。
yours； anne
thursday； november 19； 1942
dearest kitty；
just as we thought； mr。 dussel is a very nice man。 of course he didnt mind sharing a
room with me； to be honest； im not exactly delighted at having a stranger use my things； but you have to make sacrifices for a good cause； and im glad i can make this small one。 〃if we can save even one of our friends； the rest doesnt matter；〃 said father； and hes absolutely right。
the first day mr。 dussel was here； he asked me all sorts of questions for example； what time the cleaning lady es to the office； how weve arranged to use the washroom and when were allowed to go to the toilet。 you may laugh； but these things arent so easy in a hiding place。 during the daytime we cant make any noise that might be heard downstairs； and when someone else is there； like the cleaning lady； we have to be extra careful。 i patiently explained all this to mr。 dussel； but i was surprised to see how slow he is to catch on。 he asks everything twice and still cant remember what youve told him。
maybe hes just confused by the sudden change and hell get over it。 otherwise； everything is going fine。
mr。 dussel has told us much about the outside world weve missed for so long。 he had sad news。 countless friends and acquaintances have been taken off to a dreadful fate。 night after night； green and gray military vehicles cruise the streets。 they knock on every door； asking whether any jews live there。 if so； the whole family is immediately taken away。 if not； they proceed to the next house。 its impossible to escape their clutches unless you go into hiding。 they often go around with lists； knocking only on those doors where they know theres a big haul to be made。 they frequently offer a bounty； so much per head。 its like the slave hunts of the olden days。 i dont mean to make light ofthisj its much too tragic for that。 in the evenings when its dark； i often see long lines of good； innocent people； acpanied by crying children； walking on and on； ordered about by a handful of men who bully and beat them until they nearly drop。 no one is spared。 the sick； the elderly； children； babies and pregnant women all are marched to their death。
were so fortunate here； away from the turmoil。 we wouldnt have to give a moments thought to all this suffering if it werent for the fact that were so worried about those we hold dear； whom we can no longer help。 i feel wicked sleeping in a warm bed； while somewhere out there my dearest friends are dropping from exhaustion or being knocked to the ground。
i get frightened myself when i think of close friends who are now at the mercy of the cruelest monsters ever to stalk the earth。
and all because theyre jews。
yours； anne
friday； november 20； 1942
dearest kitty；
we dont really know how to react。 up to now very little news about the jews had reached us here； and we thought it best to stay as cheerful as possible。 every now and then miep used to mention what had happened to a friend； and mother or mrs。
van daan would start to cry； so she decided it was better not to say any more。 but we bombarded mr。 dussel with questions； and the stories he had to tell were so gruesome and dreadful that we cant get them out of our heads。 once weve had time to digest the news； well probably go back to our usual joking and teasing。 it wont do us or those outside any good if we continue to be as gloomy as we are now。 and what would be the point of turning the secret annex into a melancholy annex？
no matter what im doing； i cant help thinking about those who are gone。 i catch myself laughing and remember that its a disgrace to be so cheerful。 but am i supposed to spend the whole day crying？ no； i cant do that。 this gloom will pass。
added to this misery theres another； but of a more personal nature； and it pales in parison to the suffering ive just told you about。 still； i cant help telling you that lately ive begun to feel deserted。 im surrounded by too great a void。 i never used to give it much thought； since my mind was filled with my friends and having a good time。 now i think either about unhappy things or about myself。 its taken a while； but