A Chance Meeting

June 17

Something truly serendipitous happened on our first day in Amsterdam.  After checking into the  hotel and finding the room not ready (it was only about 9:00 AM after all), we freshened up in the hotel restrooms and I happened to notice three ladies who seemed to be of varying generations.  I wasn’t sure of their nationality and didn’t want to stare, but later out on the street in front of the hotel, there they were again and apparently heard us discussing Anne Frank and our anticipation of seeing her house.  The younger lady gestured toward the oldest lady and said to Maile, “Do you know who this is?” “No” we said.  “Well, This is Lise, Anne’s best friend. We are here from Israel to celebrate what would have been Anne’s 85^th birthday!” 

Well, even though I just read the book a few months ago, I couldn’t remember who was Lise, but Maile knew immediately and was actually shaken by the introduction!  Like being in the presence of royalty!  Or a rock star!  Lise, her pseudonym in The Diary, was actually Hannah Pick Goslar, also 85, who was Anne’s best friend before the confinement and who, miraculously ran across her again when they were both in the Bergen-Belsen camp shortly before Anne died.  Hannah (Lise) has written a book about her friendship with Anne and as we discovered later, plays a prominent role in the museum.  She is shown in a short film telling the story of their friendship and their chance meeting at Bergen-Belsen.   Hannah gave us her card and told us to look her up when we are in Jerusalem.  Ah, the wonders of happenstance!  We bought her book at the Museum Book Store and Maile has read it already.

Maile with her new friend, Hannah Goslar

The entrance to the Hotel Ambassade--understated elegance

Holland and Maile at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam