August 4, 1944, started like any other sweltering morning in occupied Amsterdam. But by lunchtime, the Secret Annex was empty. The bookcase had been shoved aside, and eight people were headed toward a fate they’d spent 761 days trying to outrun. For decades, one name has sat at the top of the "suspect" list: Willem van Maaren.
If you’ve read the diary, you know the vibe. Anne didn't like him. Otto Frank didn't trust him. The helpers, like Miep Gies, basically thought he was a snake. But when we ask why did Willem van Maaren betray the Franks, we’re actually stepping into one of the most complex "whodunits" in history. Was it for the money? Was it a power trip? Or did he even do it at all?
The Man Downstairs: Who Was Willem van Maaren?
Van Maaren wasn't part of the "old guard" at Opekta. He was hired as the warehouse manager in the spring of 1943, long after the Franks had already moved into the annex. He replaced Johan Voskuijl, who had become too ill to work. Right away, things felt... off.
He was curious. Not just "interested in his job" curious, but "snooping through desks" curious. He would leave bits of paper on the edges of tables to see if they’d be knocked off by someone walking past after hours. He’d ask questions that made the helpers’ blood run cold. Honestly, if you were hiding for your life, he’s exactly the kind of guy who would keep you up at night.
The Case Against Him: Petty Theft and Suspicious Traps
Why did people think he was the one? For starters, he was a thief. He stole coffee and potato flour from the warehouse to sell on the black market. In a world where everyone was starving, a guy willing to steal from his boss is a guy people assume would sell out a family for a few guilders.
👉 See also: Why are US flags at half staff today and who actually makes that call?
The "Kopgeld"—or "head money"—paid by the Nazis was about 40 guilders per person. For eight people, that’s a massive payday for a warehouse worker.
Then there were the traps. Van Maaren admitted later that he suspected something was up in the building. He noticed that bread was disappearing and that the toilets were being used when the warehouse was supposed to be empty. He even asked fellow employees if Otto Frank had ever been in the building after he "fled to Switzerland."
The Smoking Gun That Wasn't
After the war, Otto Frank was convinced. He pushed for investigations into Van Maaren in 1948 and again in 1963. During these probes, some weird stuff came out.
- The Knowledge Factor: Van Maaren knew the layout of the building better than anyone.
- The Arrest Day: When the SD (Sicherheitsdienst) arrived, Van Maaren was there. While the officers went upstairs, one stayed behind to talk to him. Some witnesses said they looked "friendly."
- The Boasts: There were rumors he’d bragged about knowing where Jews were hiding before the raid happened.
But here’s the kicker: the Dutch police could never actually pin it on him. Every time they dug, they hit a wall. He denied it until his death in 1971. He claimed he was just a naturally nosy guy who wanted to know if people were stealing from the warehouse at night. He even said he was protecting the company from burglars.
✨ Don't miss: Elecciones en Honduras 2025: ¿Quién va ganando realmente según los últimos datos?
Why Did Willem van Maaren Betray the Franks? (The Alternative Theories)
If we assume he did it, the motive is simple: greed and self-preservation. But historical research from the last decade, specifically a major 2016 study by the Anne Frank House, suggests we might be looking at this all wrong.
What if nobody betrayed them?
It sounds crazy, but the 2016 report suggests the raid might have been about ration coupon fraud. Two men who worked in the building had been arrested for dealing in illegal coupons months earlier. The SD officers who conducted the raid weren't "Jew hunters"—they were assigned to the unit that handled economic crimes. It’s entirely possible they walked into that building looking for fake paperwork and stumbled onto a bookcase that looked a little too permanent.
The New Suspect: Arnold van den Bergh
In 2022, a cold case team led by a former FBI agent pointed the finger at a Jewish notary named Arnold van den Bergh. They suggested he gave up a list of hiding addresses to the Nazis to save his own family.
🔗 Read more: Trump Approval Rating State Map: Why the Red-Blue Divide is Moving
This theory caused a huge stir. Many historians, including those at the Anne Frank House, were skeptical. They argued there’s no proof such a "list" ever existed and that the evidence against Van den Bergh was thin. It just goes to show that even 80 years later, the "why" and "who" are still moving targets.
The Reality of the Warehouse
Living above Willem van Maaren must have been psychological torture. Imagine being Anne, hearing a man you know is "shifty" walking around directly beneath your feet.
He didn't need to be a Nazi sympathizer to be dangerous. In 1944 Amsterdam, information was currency. Whether he made a formal tip-off or just mentioned his "suspicious" workplace to the wrong person at a bar, the result was the same.
What We Know for Sure
We will probably never have a signed confession or a transcript of the phone call that ended the Franks' lives. The archives are incomplete, and the people involved are long gone.
If you want to understand the betrayal, you have to look at the environment. It wasn't just about one "evil" person. It was a city under extreme pressure where neighbors were paid to spy on neighbors. Willem van Maaren might have been the betrayer, or he might have just been a petty thief who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Next Steps for Your Research:
- Visit the Anne Frank House Online: They have a massive digital archive specifically on the 2016 "serendipity" theory that explores the ration coupon angle.
- Read "The Diary of a Young Girl" (Critical Edition): This version includes detailed biographical sketches of everyone in the warehouse, including Van Maaren’s full testimony from the 1960s.
- Check the 2022 Cold Case Findings: While controversial, the book The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan outlines why investigators moved away from Van Maaren and toward Van den Bergh.