Miep Gies (then still named Hermine Santruschitz) came to the Netherlands as an eleven-year old to recuperate with a foster family in Leiden, following the food shortage experienced in Vienna during the First World War. At a physician's recommendation, her first stay of three months was prolonged by another three months.  

However, what was initially meant as a temporary stay never came to an end. Below you can see a declaration dated August 19, 1923, in which the foster parents officially declare to have taken 'an Austrian girl' into their care on November 21, 1921.


Declaration of foster placement commencing November 21, 1921. Translation:

Leiden, 19/8, 1923

The undersigned declare that the family L. Nieuwenburg have received into their care, from their Committee on 12/11 1921, an Austrian girl named Hermine Santruschitz.

Central Committee for the care of Austrian workers' children in the Netherlands,
[unreadable] Com. Leiden,

Chairman
Secretary [signature]