Audrey Hepburn Survived Wartime Hunger, Then Spent Her Life Feeding Children
Behind the little black dress was a girl who lived through the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
Audrey Hepburn spent much of World War II in Arnhem, in the German-occupied Netherlands. She studied ballet and is said to have danced in secret performances that raised money for the resistance.
The Hunger Winter
In the winter of 1944 to 1945, food was cut off to much of the country. Hepburn, like many Dutch people, suffered from severe malnutrition. After liberation, aid arrived from the United Nations relief agency, a moment she never forgot.
Hollywood calls
Just a few years later, she was a star. Her first leading role, in Roman Holiday, won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1954. Sabrina, Funny Face and Breakfast at Tiffany's made her a style icon.
Her most important role
In 1988 she became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, visiting children in Ethiopia, Somalia, Vietnam and other countries. She said she was paying back the help she had received as a child.
She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992. After her death in 1993, she was awarded an Emmy and a Grammy, making her one of the few people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.
This story is based on the stars' own interviews and memoirs and on widely reported history. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.
