The Hiding Place
(Corrie ten Boom)

Preface

Though this is the story of Corrie Ten Boom, it is written by John and Elizabeth Sherrill. They had been writing a book called “God’s Smuggler” and kept coming across Corrie Ten Boom’s name, so they decided they would add her to their book. She was given an honorable title in Vietnamese and was known from behind the Iron Curtain; when they heard of all of her missionary work they decided that they must know more about her. Little did the Sherrills know that Corrie ten Boom would prove worthy of having her own book. The writers attended a church service in Germany where they heard two speakers talk about their time in Nazi concentration camps; one of the speakers was Corrie ten Boom. They were so enthralled with her story and her persona that they decided they must stay behind to speak with her.

Boom had made her life’s mission to spread comfort, love, and counsel worldwide. Her journey began in a concentration camp where she found “a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest” just as Isaiah had promised. The authors stuck by Boom, and learned about her by following her to the places that held much meaning in her life. They thought that by learning Boom’s story they were adventuring in the past, but they soon found that she was teaching them things to bring to their future. In hearing about Boom’s experiences and the people who had been involved in her life, the authors realized that they wanted to know these people, and thought the rest of the world would want to know them, too. It was with this realization that the Sherrills decided they must record Corrie ten Boom’s story to share with the masses.

Chapter One

It is Holland in 1937 and the people of Haarlem are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the local watch shop. Corrie ten Boom, the narrator, was forty-five years old and had never been married. She complained about gaining weight as she got older though her sister Betsy, seven years older than she, could still turn heads. Corrie’s house was called Beje and it had a peculiar shape; it was three stories high, two rooms long, and one room wide. Everyone in town showed up for the party, even the delivery boy who brought her flowers. The party was to celebrate the shop opened by Corrie’s grandfather but also to celebrate Corrie’s father, Casper, who was loved by everyone in Haarlem.

Corrie describes the dining area of the house and the family members who were no longer able to be there physically, but would always be there in spirit. It is obvious from her description that her family was truly loving and truly appreciative of the time they spent together. As Corrie and her sister, Betsie, reminisced about family and fun times, they could not have possibly known the horror that would soon enter their lives; they could not imagine their father being dumped into a grave nameless, or that conservative Betsie would be naked in a room of strange men.

Betsie sent Corrie to their sister Nollie’s house to get some cups because guests were arriving rapidly. Corrie rode her bike to her sister’s home and stopped out front; in retrospect, Corrie remembers that she would soon stop her bike in front of Nollie’s home again, though on this next occasion she would not go inside for fear of what she may find. Corrie waits for the cups and tells the reader about the man people who came together that day and would soon come together again, though under not so celebratory and light-hearted circumstances. Her brother Willem had experienced a horrific contempt for human life while completing his doctorate in Germany in 1927 though no one had believed his story; however, now as businesses owned by Jews are being shut down people are starting to listen. Willem opened a home for elderly Jews and younger Jewish refugees who had come from Germany. Corrie recalls that the shadow of the war fell on them that day, but no one believed or imagined how terrible and all-encompassing it would soon become.

Chapter Two

In 1989, Corrie is six years old and, she is living at Beje with her parents, her Aunt Jans, and her siblings; Betsie is the eldest sister, and she is already suffering from anemia. Aunt Jans is devoutly religious and frowns upon the new fashions, expecting the girls to do the same; Nollie disregards her wishes and wears a new hat to school. Corrie does not want to start going to school and tries to stay home, but her father gently forces her out of the house. Corrie has fond memories of the time she spent with her father; she recalls accompanying him to the Naval Observatory in Amsterdam where he would get the official time from the clock there. He would also speak to Jewish businessmen and argue with them about religion. Corrie would often talk to her father about things as well; one time she asked him about sex and he told her that she was too young to be concerned with such things and she let it go.

When Corrie was young she used to like listening to music outside of the cathedral or the concert hall. Her family would often help needy families in their neighborhood, whenever they were able to. One day, they brought some food to a woman whose baby had just died, and it was the first time that Corrie had ever seen a dead body. She becomes nervous about the safety of her own family after this experience, but her father calms her down with his wise words, just as always. In the Ten Boom family, the aunts would often impart their old-fashioned beliefs and values onto the young girls, with love. Mrs. Ten Boom would always encourage the family to help those in need, even if it would be an inconvenience to their own family. Mr. Casper Ten Boom proves himself to be a truly spiritual man who imparts spiritual values on his children and is also quite disciplined. Mr. Ten Boom is always willing to answer questions honestly and, he and Corrie have a truly open relationship.

Chapter Three

Willem, Corrie’s oldest brother, is leaving for college. Corrie is in love with Karel, one of Willem’s friends, but she admits that she falls in love with boys often. She does not have enough confidence to talk to boys, like Nollie does, so when she and Nollie visit Willem and Karel at school, Corrie becomes tongue-tied. Back at home Mrs. Ten Boom and Aunt Bep have both become ill; the doctor brings over a new invention called a blood pressure cuff. Aunt Jans finds out that she has diabetes, and Corrie learns how to test Aunt Jans’ blood sugar; one day, the test does not come out right, and Aunt Jans learns that she only has a few weeks left to live. Despite having been infatuated with death for a long time, Aunt Jans takes her prognosis calmly.

When Willem graduates from seminary and gets married the family decides to go hear him give his first sermon, despite Mrs. Ten Boom’s failing health. Corrie is excited to see Karel and when she does he tells her that he would like to write to her. Willem pulls Corrie aside and tells her that Karel’s parents would not approve of a relationship between them because they want a high-class marriage for their son, but Corrie decides to write to him anyway. At first they write each other daily but Karel’s letters begin to trickle off; Karel soon comes to Beje to introduce his new fiancé to Corrie. Corrie is heartbroken, but her father gives her words of wisdom as always. Corrie recalls many situations throughout her life that have helped her cope with difficult situations and death, much of which helped her when she was living in the concentration camp. Toward the end of the chapter, the reader learns of Corrie and Betsie’s practical views on living the single life; Corrie’s love for Karel and her reaction to that situation help the reader relate to her.

Chapter Four

It is 1918, and World War I has just come to an end. Mrs. Ten Boom has been in a coma for the past two months as she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. The family prays for her recovery, but it is all that they can do; she wakes, but when she does she cannot speak. As Nollie prepares to marry, Aunt Anna must give Nollie the “sex talk”. Betsie has decided not to marry because she has become barren due to her health problems and Corrie, who is twenty-seven, is perfectly OK with being single as well. At the wedding, Mrs. Ten Boom sings a hymn aloud; she dies only four weeks later. Betsie falls ill again as well, so Corrie has to take over the bookkeeping duties of the shop. Corrie finds that she likes the job terribly much, and Betsie admits that she likes her new role as keeper of the household, which she has taken on since the passing of their mother. Corrie begins to learn the inner workings of the watch shop and becomes the first female licensed to make watches in Holland.

Casper Ten Boom fosters ten children after his wife dies, and the family is also visited by ten grandchildren, thanks to Nollie and Willem’s marriages. The people of the town all chip in to buy Casper a radio, which he listens to often, and he begins to set all of his clocks by the chiming of Big Ben, which he hears over the radio. Most of the people in Haarlem are in denial about the true nature of the Germans and what they are doing. Casper even hires a young man named Otto who is German and who is proud to admit he is part of the Hitler Youth. He often criticizes the Ten Boom family, as well as the Jews, for their reading of the Old Testament. Casper tries to be tolerant of the boy and to lead by example, but eventually he has to fire Otto because of his mistreatment of another employee—an old man named Christoffels.

Chapter Five

One night the family listens to the Prime Minister address Holland over the radio; he says that Holland is going to remain a neutral party. Casper does not think that Holland will be able to remain neutral; he thinks that there will be a war. That night everyone is woken by an air raid and Betsie and Corrie pray for Holland; Betsie also prays that the Germans will be able to see the error of their ways. The occupation moves through Holland, though the everyday life is not affected too seriously at first; everyone is forced to carry identification with them everywhere they go and ration cards are required. Radios are taken away, and the only news that reaches the people of Holland is the news that the Germans have decided can be shared. Corrie hides the family’s larger radio under a stairwell and only turns in their smaller one; she is surprised that she was able to lie so easily.

One night when Corrie is having trouble sleeping, she gets up and has a cup of rationed tea with Betsie; when she returns to her bed she finds that there is a piece of shrapnel in it. Soon there are Nazis everywhere, and the Dutch are being recruited. The Jews in Holland are forced to wear stars on their clothing at all times. The Jews slowly at first, and then quickly, begin to disappear; some have gone into hiding and others have been taken by the Germans. Casper is less than impressed with the Germans and pities them for being so hateful. When everyone begins to understand that the Jews who have fled are searching for hiding places, Corrie learns that Willem has taken a role in helping the Jews find safe places to stay. Friends and neighbors of Corrie and her family have been raided, and some have hidden Jews, or their belongings. On Corrie’s street Kik Ten Boom hides a Jewish businessman who resembles his bulldogs; he had poisoned the dogs for fear that they would suffer at the hands of the Germans. Corrie sees that many people need help, and she decides to go along with the rest of her family in doing whatever she can to provide assistance.

Chapter Six

For people who live in Haarlem, life is becoming increasingly difficult. For instance, the national anthem has been banned, and anyone found singing or playing it has been sent to prison. The Ten Booms go to a concert at the local cathedral to see Peter, Nollie’s son, play the organ and to their horror he plays the national anthem. While many people are proud of his resistance, Corrie and her family are worried for his safety after the defiance. Nollie has hidden two Jews for Willem to keep them safe, but she is unable to keep Peter safe; he is arrested for illegally playing the national anthem.

Jews come to Beje for help in hiding and Corrie asks Willem to help them, but he tells her that she must find her own way to help. Corrie gets help from a man who works in the rations office and who steals rations cards, which he renews weekly; this is the only way to support the stowaways. Soon after Corrie begins to help the Jews, Kik tells her about the sophisticated operation that is running through the Holland underground to keep the Jews safe; Corrie finds out that Pickwick, a longtime customer, runs most of it, but he goes by the name Mr. Smit, as does everyone else involved. Pickwick tells Corrie that Peter will not be in prison for long. He sends some people over to Beje to build a secret room where they can hide Jews; the room is going to be in Corrie’s bedroom. Bricks are smuggled into the house, just a couple at a time, and soon a brick wall is built that looks like it is just as old as the rest of the house; the builder tells Corrie that drills should be completed daily to practice hiding in the room. Jews regularly come to the Ten Booms for help and the family sees helping the Jews as a job sent to them by God.

Chapter Seven

Young men are hesitant to be seen in public because of the razzia, which is the search for young men who are of working age. The razzia goes through Nollie’s neighborhood when Corrie and Betsie are visiting one day, and Nollie decides to be truthful to them no matter what; Corrie disagrees with Nollie’s faith in honesty at this moment, but she does not say so. Places that were once safe for the Jews are slowly losing their safety as homes become overcrowded and hideouts discovered. A woman named Mrs. DeBoer has taken in eighteen Jews and also agrees to take in the Bulldog, as well as his wife. The community even begins to look different as many trees are being chopped down for firewood. The winter is frightfully cold, and firewood becomes hard to find; Christoffels comes down with an illness from the cold, and he dies. At Mrs. DeBoer’s house the younger Jews begin to get restless and claustrophobic so they decide to make a break for it; unfortunately the commotion attracts attention and Mrs. DeBoer’s home is raided, taking in everyone except for Bulldog’s wife who is not Jewish.

Many people in Haarlem sympathize with the movement, including policemen. At the urging of one of the policemen, Corrie takes in the son of a cleaning lady. Many boys who are not Jewish are hiding out because of the razzia; some of them will even dress as girls if they have to leave the house. When Corrie or others take in the non-Jewish boys, they will charge a fee for ration cards. Corrie calls her network God’s underground, and she finds that she needs many resources to support everyone. Corrie has exceptionally low resources and is forced to turn away a woman and her baby when the preacher will not help her support them; the farm she sends them to is raided and she never learns what happened to them. Pickwick manages to get the phone system working again, and Corrie develops a code to speak in that makes everything sound like a watch repair question or solution. As many people begin living at Beje they hold practice drills to improve the amount of time it takes to hide all the Jews in the secret room; they eventually can erase any sign of a visitor within seventy seconds.

Chapter Eight

It has now been one and a half years since Corrie and her family have been involved in the underground. Corrie lives in fear that someone is going to make a mistake and they will be discovered. Nollie’s home is raided and she is arrested for keeping a Jewish woman as her maid; as Nollie does not lie to the authorities because she feels God will save her for always telling the truth. The Jewish maid manages to escape, and Mietje, a cleaning woman who Corrie helped, manages to get messages between Corrie and Nollie. Corrie finds out that the doctor who treats the prisoners tends to be a sympathizer, so she visits him, compliments him and his dogs, and begs for Nollie to be freed for the sake of her six children; though she does not tell the doctor that Nollie’s children are grown. When she leaves she is not sure what the doctor thought of her plea and she continues to live in fear of being caught.

One night when the family is all eating dinner Corrie spots a window washer outside. He tells her that he must have come to the wrong story, but she is still worried that he is spying, so she extends the drills to include sleep interrogations; Corrie would have people question her while she was sleeping so she could practice covering her knowledge of the underground when her defenses were down. The group became even more at risk when they took in an asthmatic 91-year-old woman named Mary Itallia. Otto visits unexpectedly to interrogate the Ten Boom family, and they do well, until he questions how they are able to drink real tea when it has not been available for quite some time. Corrie insinuates that she is having an affair with a German officer and Otto leaves, seemingly satisfied with torturing his former employers.

It is 1943 and Christmas is approaching quickly; Corrie says that every single family in Haarlem has a family member who is in hiding or has been imprisoned. The prison doctor releases Nollie and the people of Beje celebrate Christmas and Hannukah. When the chief of police summons Corrie she brings a large bag with her in case she is sent to prison. The chief surprises Corrie by telling her that he is supportive of the underground, and he needs a German spy killed. Corrie does not know anyone who can help him, but she offers to pray; she also realizes her underground network is not particularly well hidden. When Corrie learns one of the hideouts is to be raided, she sends Jop with a warning, but he is captured and everyone worries that he will not be able to stay quiet.

Chapter Nine

Beje is officially raided on February 28, 1944. Corrie has been in bed for two days, sick with the flu, and she has to leave without the bag that she had packed for the inevitable time when Beje would be raided, because it is in front of the entrance to the hidden room where there are currently four Jews hiding. Corrie is taken to the kitchen where her entire family is being questioned; she is surprised to find that the hiding place for their valuables was found immediately. Corrie and Betsie are beaten for information about the underground though neither of them reveals anything; Betsie does tell Corrie that she feels sorry that the soldiers are full of such hate. The family is taken to a facility where they prepare for prison; Rolf tells them to stash any incriminating evidence in the bathrooms. Corrie is taken out of town with her siblings and father, and she realizes the vision she had when she first joined the underground is coming to fruition; she and her family are being hauled out of town.

Chapter Ten

The prisoners are taken to The Hague, and Casper Ten Boom is offered release if he promises to stay out of trouble because he is old, but he says he will continue to help the people of Haarlem any way he can so they lock him up with his siblings. Eventually, men and women are separated, and when they are put into cells no two people from the same town can be in the same cell. Corrie, still sick, finds herself in a cell with four other women passing their time playing cards made from their daily toilet paper rations. Corrie is sent to the hospital when her condition does not approve, and at the hospital, she begs a nurse for a Bible and a needle and thread. When she is released and sent back to prison, she receives a package from the nurse containing soap, small gospel books, and safety pins. As Corrie’s condition worsens, she is placed in solitary confinement where a young man has to come to give her medicine and feed her because she is so weak; she asks the young man for news of her father but he says giving her such information would be troublesome for both of them. Corrie rejoices in the fact that she has a window to look out and she spends her time reading parts of the Bible.

By April 15, Corrie’s birthday, she is still in solitary confinement, but she is no longer sick. She is taken to a shower room where the women are showering for the first time since they arrived at the prison. That week the guards celebrate Hitler’s birthday and in their absence the women pass messages to one another. Corrie learns that she and Betsie are the only ones from Beje still imprisoned, and she has heard no news of Casper. Nollie sends Corrie a package, as she has been released, and manages to include a secret message that the Jews who were in the hidden room all remained safe. A German officer visits Corrie to ask her about the underground but thankfully, as everyone went by the name Mr. Smit, she cannot confirm nor deny any of the names they have. She receives word from Nollie that Casper Ten Boom died ten days after they were all imprisoned. Corrie is beside herself with grief and is given a sedative, though no one shows her any sympathy.

Chapter Eleven

After spending three weeks in prison Corrie is taken to meet with Lieutenant Rehms for her hearing; she finds the man uncommonly kind and pleasant but is wary that his kindness may be a means of manipulation. Corrie tells Rehms about her faith, and later he asks to see her again to find out more about her religion, because he craves a way to escape all of the darkness and hatred that is central to his life. Corrie wants to see Betsie, and Rehms tells her he does not have that power, but he does arrange for Corrie to see Betsie when she is taken back to her cell. The entire family gets together in front of Lieutenant Rehms some weeks later to learn the contents of Casper’s will; he left everything including Beje to Corrie and Betsie. Corrie finds out that Willem has become seriously ill since being imprisoned and his son was captured as well. Nollie gets a Bible to Corrie and before the siblings all part ways Willem says a prayer for Lieutenant Rehms whose kindness is appreciated by the Ten Booms.

Chapter Twelve

Not long after the Ten Booms’ met with Lieutenant Rehms evacuation orders are given. The prisoners are taken out of The Hague and to a location in the more southern part of Holland. Corrie and Betsie find one another and stay close together while they are transferred to a prison called Vught. After two weeks, Betsie and Corrie both receive pink slips, which they are told means they will be released. They are so excited that they split up what meager possessions they have amongst their fellow prisoners. They go through a day of processing, are given back their valuables, and they are taken to another compound where their valuables are once again taken from them. Betsie decides that her new mission will be to spread religion around the prison. The women are frustrated to still be in custody but find joy in little things, like receiving new clothes for the first time since they have been imprisoned. Betsie makes uniforms and Corrie makes radios though her supervisor picks on her often, possibly for being too good on the job. Betsie holds daily prayer meetings and Corrie helps; many of the women know men on the other side of camp and are devastated when they receive news of executions from the men’s side.

Corrie finds out that six months is the typical period of imprisonment for their crime, so she figured she should be released at the beginning of September; she has been keeping track of the date while she has been locked up. When the date draws near explosions are heard all around and the women are hopeful that help is coming; however Corrie’s supervisor thinks that the explosions mean the Germans are blowing up bridges and roadways. On a day past the time when Corrie expected to leave, all of the men are executed. The women are all herded onto freight trains where many of them faint or fall ill because of the cramped conditions; Betsie falls ill too.

Chapter Thirteen

The women arrive in Germany after two days of traveling and are barely able to move because of hunger and thirst. They are forced to march to Ravensbruck, a women’s concentration camp. In camp, they see the incinerator, which instills a feeling of dread, and they are not allowed to get a drink of water. When they arrive at a tent, they lay in beds of straw, which are filled with lice; Betsie and Corrie cut one another’s hair off while they weep. It is three nights in these conditions before they are processed. The women are taken to crowded rooms where they are given gowns and Corrie manages to smuggle in a blue sweater from Nollie and the Bible. They are sent to their barracks where five women sleep in each flea-infested bunk; Corrie and Betsie read the Bible together and Betsie continues to pray and give thanks for everything, even the fleas.

At Ravensbruck, the women are stripped and inspected once a week, and they are only addressed by their numbers. Each sleeping quarter is built for 400 people, but holds 1400, and the food runs out quickly. Tensions begin to run high as most of the women do not speak the same language though everyone appreciates Betsie and her constantly sweet spirit. Corrie and Betsie are put to work unloading handcarts, and they enjoy the work because it allows them to go for walks outside. In the barracks, they have Bible meetings because there is limited supervision; they take turns reading passages in Dutch and translating to German and the other women who can translate them into their own languages. The vitamin drops that Betsie must take for her illness last a long time, and when they run out, a prisoner who works at the infirmary brings Betsie vitamin pills. When winter comes, Betsie’s fever reaches 104 degrees, and she is taken to the infirmary.

Chapter Fourteen

Corrie is told how to get into the hospital to see Betsie by Mien, the woman who smuggled them the vitamin pills. Corrie enters the bathroom at the back of the hospital and finds that it is full of dead bodies. She sees Betsie and leaves quickly; five days later Betsie comes back to the barracks never having seen a doctor. She is placed on knitting duty with the old women, which takes place in the barracks. She remains optimistic and devout in her religious beliefs. She decides that she would like to open a home for survivors of the concentration camps and would also like to rehabilitate the guards. Corrie continues to work outdoors, but when her brigade is to be moved to a different location, she fails the fitness test purposely so she can stay with Betsie; she ends up working in the knitting brigade. Betsie remains in excellent spirits, though Corrie suspects that depression creeps up, and Corrie deals with feelings of selfishness and other things that she feels are unchristian of her. As December comes many of the women die during roll call and Betsie’s illness comes back, leaving her paralyzed. Betsie dies just before Christmas and Corrie thinks that she looks younger than she has in a long time. The blue sweater has to be burned with Betsie’s body, so her disease does not spread.

Chapter Fifteen

Shortly after Betsie’s death, Corrie learns that she is to be released. She is forced to sign a release saying that she was treated fairly and the conditions were excellent at Ravensbruck; then they give her meal vouchers, her valuables, and put her on a train to Berlin. Corrie has a hard time functioning after being institutionalized and learns that her money cannot be used in Berlin. She finally gets to Holland, where she stays in a hospital in Groningen until she can travel further into the country; she enjoys having hot baths and clean sheets for a few days. When she is finally able to hitch a ride to Willem’s house, she finds that he is still seriously ill, and no one has received word about his son Kik.

When Corrie is finally able to return to Beje she finds that Toos has been running the shop while she has been gone. Nollie and her daughters come to see Corrie and the reunion is highly emotional. Corrie feels as though she is of little use back at home, so she rejoins the underground, though her instincts and reactions are not what they used to be. A woman named Mrs. Bierens wants to help Corrie to open the rehabilitation home that was Betsie’s dream and offers her home to use. In May 1945, Holland is liberated, and in June a woman named Mrs. Kan is the first resident of the home. Corrie finds that she has a hard time forgiving her own neighbors for betraying their friends and also cannot forgive the guards from the camps. She opens Beje to members of the Nazi party who no longer want to be involved with it. When she begins doing speaking engagements she meets a former guard and is unable to shake his hand even after telling her that he is Christian; she realizes her lack of forgiveness makes life hard to live. As Corrie continues traveling she spreads the story, as Betsie’s story, and helps to make her sister’s dreams come true.