Besides for their safety and daily care, the hiders were also largely dependent on the helpers for news about the world outside. At night they could sometimes listen to the BBC radio in the private office, but the stories from their friends on the outside still made the biggest impression.

It was not only the important world news, but also the small events occurring in daily life in Amsterdam were interesting to them. The stories about people and places they knew made a deep impression. Every time Miep entered the Secret Annex, the occupants would be waiting for her at the staircase, eager to hear the latest news from her. Anne would always ask whether the Germans had cleared out their home at Merwedeplein. Miep had not noticed anything peculiar and always said that she didn't know. By coincidence she had seen the Van Pels home cleared out, however.