Operation of the Opekta branch in Amsterdam placed Victor Kugler at the center of a perilous rescue effort during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Serving as the managing director of the firm, he assumed responsibility for shielding eight individuals, including Anne Frank, within a concealed annex located on the company's premises along the Prinsengracht.
Early Life and Career
Born in 1900 in Vrchlabí, Bohemia, Kugler spent his early years in Austria-Hungary. He served in the Austro-Hungarian Navy during the First World War before being wounded and discharged in 1918. After working as an electrician in Germany, he moved to the Netherlands in 1920. By 1933, he joined the Amsterdam branch of Opekta, eventually becoming Otto Frank's deputy and a Dutch citizen in 1938.
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In 1940, Kugler took over the directorship of Opekta to prevent Nazi confiscation of the business. Between July 1942 and August 1944, he worked with Miep Gies, Johannes Kleiman, and Bep Voskuijl to sustain the hiders in the annex. On 4 August 1944, the Gestapo arrested him following a raid on the Opekta building. He was held in several prisons before being transported to the Amersfoort concentration camp in September.
Forced Labour and Survival
Following the destruction of the Amersfoort train station during an air raid, Kugler was transferred to Zwolle for forced labour in September 1944. Later, he was moved to Wageningen to dig anti-tank trenches under the German S.A. during the winter. In March 1945, he escaped during a march to Germany amid a bombing raid. He returned to Hilversum, hiding in his residence until the liberation of the Netherlands on 5 May 1945.
Post-War Life and Recognition
After the death of his first wife, Laura Maria Buntenbach-Kugler, in 1952, he married Lucie Sophia van Langen. The couple emigrated to Canada. In 1958, he appeared on the television show To Tell The Truth. In 1972, Yad Vashem designated him Righteous Among the Nations. He died in 1981 at Etobicoke General Hospital and was interred at Sanctuary Park Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1900, Vrchlabí
- Died: 1981, Etobicoke General Hospital
- Citizenship: Canada, Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Occupations: Electrician, resistance fighter, managing director
- Award: Righteous Among the Nations (1972)
- Burial: Sanctuary Park Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Kugler's role in the hiding of Anne Frank?
He was a managing director of Opekta who, alongside three colleagues, provided supplies and concealment for eight people in the office annex from 1942 until 1944.
How did Kugler survive his imprisonment?
After being moved between prisons and forced labour camps, he escaped during a forced march in March 1945 by utilizing the chaos caused by a bombing raid.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1972
- Worked as electrician, resistance fighter and managing director
