Parents' Guide to When We Flew Away: An Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary

WHEN WE FLEW AWAY begins in May of 1940. About to be eleven-year-old Anne is living in Amsterdam with her parents Edith and Otto (called "Pim"), her 14-year sister Margot, and her grandmother (called "Oma"). Her father had been a wealthy banker in Germany, but after the rise of antisemitism and the Nazi Party he moved his family to what they all thought was the safety of the Netherlands, one of the most tolerant countries in Europe. Anne and her sister attend schools that have both Jewish and Christian students and their lives are comfortable and happy. Margot is considered the beautiful sister (Anne doesn't mind) while Anne is the dreamer. As the Nazi Army begins its march across Europe, Otto regrets not sending the girls to England and is desperately trying to get visas for the family to go to America. But after the Germans invade the Netherlands, all hope of visas seems lost and there is no escape for the family. All Jews must now register with local governments, people they considered friends and classmates become enthusiastic supporters of the Nazi Party, men are being arrested and sent to concentration camps, and their rights (even sitting on park benches is forbidden for Jews) are increasingly being taken away. Then the impossible happens. Nathan Strauss, Jr., an old friend of Otto's from New York City, writes to say all the paperwork for their visas in now in order. But once again their hopes for visas are shattered. There is some unexpected happiness for Anne as she meets a boy named Helmut, who's known as "Hello" because that's how he greets everyone. But Anne's happiness is short lived as Margot receives a notice that she's being called up for a "labor camp." The family has no choice, they leave under cover of darkness and go into hiding.