Since its first publication on 25 June 1947, Anne Frank's The Diary Of A Young Girl has become the most translated Dutch book of all time (translated into over 67 languages) with 30 million copies sold, and counting.

The musings, dreams and imaginings from 13-year-old Anne Frank have continued to captivate and inspire the world, detailing two years of her life while hiding with seven other Jews behind a movable bookcase during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.

However, until now, readers commonly believed the discovery of Anne, her family, the Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer was the result of a wartime betrayal by someone who knew of and disclosed their location to the German authorities.

But, new research suggests that this is might not have been the case.

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According to the Anne Frank House, researchers have used Frank's diary and new sources to find out that illegal employment and ration-coupon fraud may have played a part in the raid on 263 Prinsengracht, resulting in the accidental finding of Frank and her subsequent arrest.

The report reads: 'Anne Frank's diary entries from March 1944, not previously used as a primary source, led to police and judicial documents from different parts of the Netherlands.

'This new study reveals that there was more going on at 263 Prinsengracht than just people being hidden in the Secret Annexe. Illegal work and fraud with ration coupons was also taking place.'

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While researchers don't dispute the idea that someone may have betrayed the Frank family, they do believe that the Sicherheitsdienst (German Security Service) might have come across their location, by accident, during a raid of other illegal activity.

Ronald Leopold, Executive Director Anne Frank House writes:

'The current research study provides a different perspective: it is possible that the SD searched the building because of this illegal work and fraud with ration coupons, and that the SD investigators discovered Anne Frank and the seven others in hiding simply by chance.'

'Hopefully more researchers will see reason to follow up new leads,' he added.

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Katie O'Malley
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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.