Siblings Christiane van Maarsen Spouse Ruud Sanders (m. 1954) | Role Author Name Jacqueline Maarsen | |
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Children Marteen Sanders, Lili Sanders, Joost Sanders Parents Hijman van Maarsen, Eline van Maarsen Books My Name Is Anne - She Said, A Friend Called Anne: On, My Friend Anne Frank, Inheriting Anne Frank Similar People | ||
Full interview with jacqueline van maarsen by rabbi shmuley boteach
Jacqueline Yvonne Meta (Jacque) van Maarsen ( [ʒɑkəˈlin iˈvɔnə ˈmeːtaː (ʒɑk) vɑm ˈmaːrsə(n)]) (born 30 January 1929) is a Dutch author and former bookbinder. She is best known for her friendship with diarist Anne Frank. Jacque's Christian mother was able to remove the J (Jew) signs from the family's identity cards (Jacque's father was Jewish) during the Second World War, an act which helped the van Maarsens to escape from the Nazis.
Contents
- Full interview with jacqueline van maarsen by rabbi shmuley boteach
- Jacqueline van maarsen 70 jaar bevrijding in theater amsterdam
- Early life
- After the Second World War
- Present life
- Books
- References
Jacqueline van maarsen 70 jaar bevrijding in theater amsterdam
Early life
Jacque was born in Amsterdam to a Dutch-Jewish father, Hijman van Maarsen, and a French Christian mother, Elline van Maarsen. Jacque has a sister, Christiane. Jacque studied in a regular school in Amsterdam until 1940, when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. Then Jacque had to move to a Jewish lyceum. In the Jewish school, Jacqueline befriended many girls, including Anne Frank, Nanette Blitz, Sanne Ledermann and Hanneli Goslar. Jacque was the secretary of the ping-pong club started by her friends, Little Dipper Minus Two.
Anne and Jacque became best friends, and they often visited each other's houses and did their homework together. Jacque sincerely liked Anne, but found her at times too demanding in her friendship. In July 1942, Anne's family went into hiding, but Jacque did not know about this. Anne, in her diary later, was remorseful for her own attitude toward Jacque, regarding with better understanding Jacque's desire to have other close girlfriends as well - "I just want to apologize and explain things", Anne wrote. After two and a half months in hiding, Anne composed a farewell letter to Jacque in her diary, vowing her lifelong friendship. Jacque read this passage much later, after the publication of the diary.
Meanwhile, the Nazis were arresting Jews throughout the country. Jacque, who was half-Jewish by Nazi standards, felt the threat of arrest. Because she was Christian, Jacque's mother was able to remove the "J" (Jew) signs from the family's ID cards. This act helped the Van Maarsens to escape from the Nazis, and it allowed Jacque to transfer out of the Jewish school and back into general education.
After the Second World War
After the war, Jacque came to know Anne had not survived. Otto Frank, Anne's father, got in touch with Jacque, and Jacque was one of the first people to whom Otto Frank showed Anne's diary. In 1947, The Diary of a Young Girl was published.
Jacque became an award-winning bookbinder. She married her childhood friend, Ruud Sanders, in 1954. They had three children. She has written five books on her notable friendship with Anne Frank (see below),
Present life
Jacque still lives in Amsterdam and has seven grandchildren.
Since 1987, Jacque has been giving speeches about Anne Frank in different schools in Germany and the United States.
Jacque has also written four books about her and Anne's notable strong and close friendship.
Additionally, Jacque appeared in the November 28, 2008 documentary Classmates of Anne Frank.
At present, Jacque is writing a book of short stories, inspired by her travels.