A dentist in his late fifties who joins the Franks and the van Daans in the Secret Annex. Anne is often at odds with Mr. Dussel, in no small part because she shares a room with him. Anne views Mr. Dussel as petty, self-centered, and a bit slow. Mr. Dussel spends much of his time writing letters to his Christian girlfriend, Charlotte.
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Alfred Dussel Character Timeline in The Diary of Anne Frank
The timeline below shows where the character Alfred Dussel appears in The Diary of Anne Frank. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Year 1942
...It has been decided that another person will be allowed to hide in the Annex: Alfred Dussel, a middle-aged dentist. Anne is very excited at the prospect of his arrival, and it's...
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November 17th. Mr. Kleiman and Miep secret Mr. Dussel away in the Annex. The Annex dwellers greet him with coffee and cognac. Mr. Dussel...
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November 19th. Although she isn't thrilled to share her space and belongings with Mr. Dussel , Anne is willing to make this sacrifice "for a good cause." Mr. Dussel reports...
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November 20th. Mr. Dussel 's stories of the outside world horrify and transfix the Franks and the van Daans....
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November 28th. The honeymoon period with Mr. Dussel has ended, and he's taken to lecturing and scolding Anne. Overwhelmed by the collective nitpicking...
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...dwellers still manage to exchange presents: Anne receives a Kewpie doll, and Mr. van Daan, Mr. Dussel , and Mr. Frank all receive handmade gifts from Mr. Voskuijl (Bep's father and the...
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...approaches, and everyone in the Annex has received an extra ration of butter. Anne and Mr. Dussel are at odds – he's taken to shushing her day and night, and his morning...
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Year 1943
...a rumor that Turkey has entered the war is proven false. Meanwhile, it's discovered that Mr. Dussel has been disobeying the Annex rules – he's carrying on correspondence with a number of...
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May 1st. Mr. Dussel celebrates his birthday – he receives a package of foodstuffs from Charlotte. It's discovered that...
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July 13th. Employing her newfound tact, Anne politely asks Mr. Dussel if she can use the table in their bedroom for a few hours each day....
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...Mr. Van Daan long for a hot bath; Mrs. van Daan would like a cake; Mr. Dussel wants to see Charlotte; Mrs. Frank wants a cup of coffee; Anne wants to go...
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July 29th. Anne is infuriated when Mr. Dussel and Mrs. van Daan tease and criticize her opinions of a book. They claim her...
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...use of the table in her room until 4:00 – if she's a minute late, Mr. Dussel is often waiting impatiently with a clock in his hand.
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...calls this sort of thing? The art of living," she writes. Anne is upset that Mr. Dussel asked Miep for an anti-Mussolini book from the library – she almost had a run-in...
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...encourages the Annex dwellers to take lessons. Tensions have lessoned, for the most part – Mr. Dussel and the van Daans are still at odds, however, over a number of petty things.
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November 17th. Mr. Dussel , who has now been living in the Annex for a year, is mysteriously unhappy....
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Anne has come down with the flu. Tensions in the Annex have eased. For Hanukkah, Mr. Dussel gives Mrs. Frank and Mrs. van Daan a cake. Anne has saved up all of...
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Year 1944
...some extra sugar for her birthday, which has sparked jealousy in Mrs. van Daan. Meanwhile, Mr. Dussel often helps himself to more than his fair share of gravy at supper. "Are most...
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...Anne reveals that her longing is at least partially resolved. Following a small argument with Mr. Dussel , Peter takes Anne aside and confides in her that in the past he used...
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...finds solace in knowing that others are suffering far worse, Mr. Frank remains optimistic, and Mr. Dussel simply looks out for himself.
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April 25th. Mr. Dussel is in a huff due to the new security measures in the Annex, which now...
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June 5th. The adults in the Annex are quarreling again. Mr. Dussel disagrees with the Franks over the division of butter, and the van Daans are quibbling...
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...is terrified that she'll be killed, jealous that Peter confides in Anne, and upset that Mr. Dussel doesn't return her flirtations in kind.
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Afterword
On August 4th, 1944, the Franks, the van Daans, Mr. Dussel , Mr. Kleiman, and Mr. Kugler are arrested by an SS sergeant and members of...
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The Franks, the van Daans, and Mr. Dussel are imprisoned in Amsterdam, and are soon after transferred to Westerbork and then Auschwitz. Mr....
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Mr. Dussel dies in the Neuengamme camp in December 1944.
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