3 Invasion

Chapter 3 Invasion Until daybreak, German and Dutch planes fought over Amsterdam's skies. That morning, the streets were filled with panic, as people tried to find out what was happening. Others stayed glued to their radios. The next few days were punctuated with the piercing wail of air-raid sirens, warning everyone to take cover. The sirens were always followed by the sound of exploding bombs. Anne lay awake most

nights, shaking with fear. Then came the announcement on the radio: "Germans threaten to bomb the city of Rotterdam unless we surrender." Two hours before the deadline expired, the Germans bombed Rotterdam anyway. 900 people were killed. Fearing further bombings, the Netherlands surrendered -just four days after Hitler had invaded. At first, life carried on as normal. But, little by little, things did begin to change. It was announced that Jews had to register themselves. so the Nazis could find out exactly where they

lived. Soon after, the Nazis began to pass anti-Jewish laws. Anne was furious. "We can't do anything," she grumbled to Lies and Sanne. "We have to walk everywhere. We're not allowed into parks or swimming pools..." "I hate it," agreed Lies. They had spent the morning flicking through fashion magazines and gossiping. Now they wanted to go out. But echoing down the street they heard the stamp! stamp! of marching footsteps. A group of Dutch Nazis were walking by, wearing their uniforms with pride.

The girls hid from view until the footsteps faded into silence. They'd heard stories of what Nazi soldiers did to Jews. "Do you want to come up and see my outfit for Miep and Jan's wedding?" Anne suggested, to break the silence. They raced inside. Anne proudly showed them her new coat and hat. "And," she added excitedly. "I'm going to have a new hairstyle for the occasion." Anne felt that whenever she was with her friends, she had to stay cheerful. Margot,

on the other hand, grew quieter than ever. At the end of that summer, all the Jewish children from Anne's school were kept behind after assembly. The headmistress faced them from the front of the room. "I'm afraid you won't be allowed to return to this school next term," she began, her hands clasping and unclasping as she spoke. "The Nazis have passed a new law. Jewish children can no longer go to school with non-Jews." Anne let out a cry and sobbed into her hands. She loved her school- why did she have to leave? She'd never see any of her non-Jewish friends now. When Anne got home, Otto and Edith did their best to comfort her. "We'll send you and Margot to the Jewish Lyceum," Edith told her. "It's so far away!" Anne cried. "I know, I know," said Edith. "Please don't worry though. We must try to keep our lives as normal as possible. But even loving parents were powerless to stop what was happening.

The following spring, the Nazis passed yet another law. All Jews had to sew a yellow star onto their clothes, with the word "Jood" on it, the Dutch for Jew. "I'm scared to do anything now in case it's forbidden." said Anne's friend, Jacque. Anne knew just how she felt. That year, the Franks celebrated the Jewish festival of Passover with the van Pels family. Otto and Mr. van Pels worked together, and suddenly it seemed as if the van Pelses were always at the Franks' house- the parents