Born on February 15, 1909, in Vienna, Austria.
Miep Gies, born Hermine Santrouschitz, came into the world on February 15, 1909, in Vienna, Austria. Her early childhood was marked by the economic turbulence and food shortages that followed World War I. At the age of 11, Miep moved to the Netherlands under a child relief program designed to help impoverished Austrian children recover their health. This relocation proved to be a turning point in her life, placing her in the country where she would become a significant figure in Holocaust history.