Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Anne Frank: Life at Westerbork
The Frank family was arrested on August 4, 1944. After more than two years living in hiding, Anne Frank and her family were all sent to a concentration camp. The family was sent to Westerbork. It was a transit camp for Jewish prisoners. Upon arrival, soldiers seized any clothing that the prisoners had brought with them. In exchange, they gave them blue overalls with a red bib and a pair of wooden clog shoes to wear.
Once settled, the innocent inmates were forced to work all day long. Anne, her mother Edith, and her sister Margot began working each morning at 5:00 am. They had to cut open old batteries. They separated the tar, carbon bars, and metal caps. After work, the inmates returned to their sleeping quarters. They lived in dirty, flea-infested barracks. These plain buildings were large but crowded. Each one held up to three hundred prisoners. Men and women were separated, so the Frank family were not allowed to sleep together.
While many despised their life at Westerbork, Anne remained cheerful. She enjoyed being able to talk with the other inmates while she worked. She also liked being able to go outside once again. Anne even appreciated the food that was served. While in hiding, the Franks had eaten a lot of potatoes. At Westerbork, the inmates were served oatmeal for breakfast. Anne welcomed the change!
