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The Daily Insight

Liddy and Alfred A Small Light Real Life Story and What Happened After

Author

Sarah Richards

Published Feb 13, 2026

Liddy and Alfred A Small Light real life story is tragic but heartwarming at the same time. They are real-life people who witnessed the horrors of World War 2.

A Small Light is a new biological drama miniseries that looks at the story of Anne Frank from a different perspective that helped her and her family survive for more than two years.

The story revolves around Miep Gies, who used to work under Otto Frank, a Jewish man. The miniseries shows how Miep uses her wit to save Jewish refugees.

Among the refugees were Otto Frank and his reputed family member, hiding from the terror of Nazis and their atrocities.

The miniseries premiered on May 1, 2023, on National Geographic which was later streamed on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.

The miniseries cast consists of Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber, Joe Cole, Amira Casar, Billie Boullet and Ashley Brooke. The creator of this miniseries are Tony Phelan and Joan Rater.

Table of Contents

Inside Liddy and Alfred A Small Light Real Life Story

Liddy and Alfred Cohen from A Small Light are real-life children who met Anne Frank while hiding during World War 2.

Frannie and Louis were the parents of Liddy and Alfred before they were separated from each other. Their separation lasted for a lifetime and they never found each other.

Frannie was born as Froukje Saartje Stoppleman to her mother Saartje Stoppleman and her father Arond Stoppleman. Frannie also had a brother named Max Stoppleman.

Frannie’s husband Louis was born Louis Samuel Cohen. By religion, both Frannie and her husband were Jewish. Louis’s profession was a violinist.

The pair had met each other when Frannie was just 20 years old. A year later, she had her first pregnancy and gave birth to her daughter Liddy. Though she was called Liddy, her actual name was Alida Cohen.

Liddy was born on November 9, 1935, Hilversum. When she was two years old, her brother Alfred Cohen had also born.

When the enemy soldiers had begun to start capturing the Jewish people, the Cohen family was already getting anxious about the situation.

Frannie’s mother Mrs. Stoppelman tried to stop her daughter and son-in-law from taking any risky steps that would lead to their doom.

Her son Max also tried to persuade his sister and had even warned about traveling in such a situation early without any countermeasure.

But both Frannie and Louis were impatient to leave their current place and return their home to Leiden. Even then, the couple decided to take the risky move.

When they were about to board the train to Leiden, they were caught by the occupiers. But the commanding officer took pity on the children. So, he spared the kids from getting to camp.

Later at night, the officer came to Miep and Jan and handed over the kids to them. He also warned the kids not to be here when late an inspection came to seize the Jews.

What Happened to Alfred and Liddy?

Alfred and Liddy couldn’t stay much longer at their grandmother’s house. The children had to go somewhere safe place to survive.

After the SS soldier gave a warning to Miep and Jan, they were concerned about how to save those children.

So, the couple used their own resources to find out if there was any possibility to send the kids somewhere safe place. Miep wanted to keep the children where she grew up, but it was not feasible.

She was able to determine that keeping the children in her family’s house would be more dangerous for both her family and the children.

Jan, on the other hand, talked about the situation to his boss. Though his boss did not hear all the things, he gave him a location that can help him to secure the children’s safety.

Although the person Jan met at the location didn’t help him immediately, he said if he did something for him, he would help relocate the children under him.

The work turned out to be taking a baby away before the SS army found the child. Somehow, he was able to reach the location to deliver a baby even though he was fraught with danger.

After that, he was given the opportunity to send Liddy and Alfred for safety. Then Jan, Miep and Max had to explain to Mrs. Stoppelman as she was not ready to part with her grandchildren.

Her daughter was already a lost cause, and her grandchildren were the only ones who remained. But for the safety of her grandchildren, she reluctantly accepted the relocation plan.

Alfred was fine with going as he was still a small child, but Liddy was afraid to be separated again. Finally, after some time, Miep was able to convince her that it was for her safety.

After dying their hair color, they were taken to the secret meeting place where the kids would be taken away. But later on, the couple got to know that the kids were going to be separated for their safety.

Did Alfred and Liddy Survive The War?

Alfred survived the war but Liddy passed away of diphtheria while in hiding.

After Alfred and Liddy were taken separately, both were taken to a better hiding place.

While they were hiding, Alfred was reportedly in hiding at Eemnes, around the Utrecht area. But after that, there is not much information about where he lived after the war.

On the other hand, not much is known about where Liddy was taken but for refuge, but she passed in her hiding due to Diptheria. She passed away on January 9, 1944.

Her passing away message was sent by her grandfather living in London around that time.

Liddy and Alfred Relationship With Miep

Alfred and Liddy Cohen from A Small Light series had quite a good relationship with Miep.

Before Frannie and Louis came to the house Miep and Jan were staying, they didn’t know much about kids. Only after the children’s parents were captured did Miep have a better relationship.

After that, Miep and Jan had to take care of both the kids until their grandmother and uncle came by the house to take care of them.

Miep was very sympathetic to children as she had to lose her mother when she was just a child and had to come to a new place to live when she knew no one.

When their relationship became better, Miep even used to share a bed with them. Even though they were not her children, she was worried about how to save the kids from their impending doom.

When Jan told her, a place to hide them has been found, she was happy for them. When Liddy was unwilling to dye her hair, Miep told her story of how she came to the place.

Because of Jan and Miep’s care, the kids trusted them, and before leaving separately, both had created a solid relationship with Jan and Miep.