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The arrest of helpers Victor Kugler and Jo Kleiman left the two companies Gies & Co and Opekta without directors. Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl took over with the help of warehouse manager Willem van Maaren.
In 1955, Opekta and Gies & Co moved to other buildings in the city. By then, people from different parts of the world were already interested in visiting the Secret Annex where Anne Frank had lived in hiding. Whenever people asked him to, Kleiman returned to the empty building on Prinsengracht to give visitors a tour of the hiding place.
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Who were Victor Kugler and Jo Kleiman?
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When did Johannes Kleiman start Pectacon?
Dec 27, 2022 · On 12 December 1941, Otto Frank stepped down as a director at Opekta's shareholders' meeting, the purpose of which was to pro forma 'Aryanise' the company. Johannes Kleiman immediately accepted the appointment as managing director.
Kleiman played a very important role in the establishment of Pectacon in 1938, and was director of Opekta from its 'aryanisation' in the autumn of 1940. He was the initiator of the hiding period in the Secret Annex, and was one of the helpers during the entire period.
In March 1955, Kugler announced the liquidation of Gies & Co, but a few weeks later the danger had passed, because Verstegen's Sperijenhandel from Rotterdam declared its willingness to take over Gies & Co. under certain conditions.
Johannes Kleiman returned unexpectedly at the end of September 1944, the Germans had released him on account of his poor health. Victor Kugler came home after the war. Click here to see a video excerpt in which Miep Gies recounts the day of the arrest.
In March 1941, the German occupying forces ruled that Jews were no longer allowed to run their own businesses. Opekta became part of the German parent company Pomosin, while Johannes took over as managing director. The other company, Pectacon, was dissolved, as proposed by Kleiman. Gies & Co continued its activities.
