THE HIDING PLACE By Corrie Ten Boom

Corrie Ten Boom, Her Story…. During 1943 and into 1944, there were usually 5-6 people illegally living in the Ten Boom home: some of whom were Jews and others members of the Dutch underground. Additional refugees would stay with the Ten Booms for a few hours or a few days until another 'safe house' could be located for them. Through these activities, the Ten Boom Family and their many friends and co-workers of 'the BeJe group' saved the lives of an estimated 800 Jews and other refugees.

The Setting- Haarlem

The Setting- Haarlem

The History of Haarlem Haarlem is the provincial capital of North Holland. Its population is slightly over 150,000.    Haarlem was replaced by Amsterdam as the major financial player in the Netherlands, thereby reducing Haarlem to a cozy quiet community. In the long run this turned out to be a good thing.  Most of Haarlem’s medieval buildings have remained intact.  In fact, quite a few of them are regarded as Rijksmonuments in the Dutch Heritage register. World War II saw the city under siege by the Germans who used much of the area as a defensive line.  The war took its toll on Haarlem and it was never the same after the end of it with many industries moving out of the city elsewhere.

Haarlem – Town hall

Chapters 1-2: Summary Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Corrie Ten Boom and her family are celebrating the centennial anniversary of their watch shop. Corrie is 45, unmarried, and lives with her father and sister. Townspeople arrive through the day, bringing flowers and other gifts, to celebrate with the family. Willem brings a Jewish friend who has been attacked in the streets. Chapter 2 Corrie remembers when her Aunt Jans lived with the family and how she didn't want to go to school on the first day. Corrie also remembers traveling to Amsterdam with her father to check the time at the Naval Observatory. Corrie first sees a dead body when she goes to visit a young mother who has lost her baby. This makes her fear for those around her. Corrie's father gives her advice and comfort about things like death.

Chapter 3-4: Summary Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Corrie falls in love with Willem's friend Karel. Aunt Jans has diabetes and in January, she is given only several weeks to live. Karel and Corrie begin to write to each other. Willem warns Corrie that Karel's family wants him to marry someone of a higher class. Corrie is heartbroken when Karel becomes engaged to someone else. Chapter 4 Mrs. Ten Boom goes into a coma. She emerges in time for Nollie's wedding, but dies soon after. Betsie becomes ill and Corrie takes over working in the watch shop. She becomes the first female, licensed watchmaker in Holland. The townspeople buy Casper a large radio. Technology changes the way that the watch shop operates. Casper hires a young German, Otto, but Otto mistreats other employees and is fired.

Chapters 5-6: Summary Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Germany takes over Holland. At first, life doesn't change much. Everyone is required to have identification cards and the Germans confiscate radios. The Jews in Haarlem are required to wear a star. Some begin to flee the city. Some Jews ask the Ten Boom’s to hide their valuables for them. Corrie learns that Willem is helping to hide Jews and she, Betsie, and Casper decide that they want to help too. Chapter 6 Corrie's nephew is imprisoned for playing the Dutch national anthem. Nollie hides several Jews for Willem. Corrie and the family begin to hide some Jews at the Beje. Pickwick sends men to construct a hiding place in Corrie's room.

Chapters 7-8: Summary Chapter 7 Chapter 8 The Germans raid many of the safe houses and it becomes difficult to find places to hide Jews. Rolf, a Dutch policeman, seeks Corrie's help in hiding someone. Many of the people who hide at the Beje are people who cannot be placed elsewhere. Corrie develops a code for telephone conversation to hide when they are discussing hiding Jews. Chapter 8 Nollie is arrested and she refuses to lie to the Germans about the girl that she hides. Corrie and the others live in fear that they will be discovered too. Otto visits the Beje, trying to get information, but Corrie makes it seem like she is having an affair with a German soldier. The chief of police summons Corrie and asks her to have a German spy killed. Corrie refuses.

Corrie receives a letter from Nollie telling her that Casper has died. Chapters 9-10: Summary Chapter 9 The authorities raid the Beje. The authorities beat Corrie and Betsie, hoping to get information. Corrie and the other family members are taken to a facility to be processed for prison. Chapter 10 Buses take the family to The Hague. The men and women are separated, they are questioned, and all valuables are taken from the prisoners. Corrie becomes ill and is taken to the hospital. A nurse gets her some Gospel books and soap. Corrie is placed in solitary confinement because of her illness. Betsie and Corrie are able to pass a message to each other while the guards celebrate Hitler's birthday. Corrie receives a letter from Nollie telling her that Casper has died.

Chapters 11-12: Summary Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Corrie has her hearing. She shares with Lieutenant Rehms her faith. Lieutenant Rehms wants to know more about Corrie's faith. Lieutenant Rehms arranges for Corrie to see Betsie. He also brings all of the Ten Boom siblings together for the reading of Casper's will, even though it is very simple. Chapter 12 Corrie and Betsie are taken from The Hague to another prison. Betsie vows to minister to the people in the prison. The sisters hold nightly prayer meetings. As the date nears that Corrie thinks they will be released, they hear bombing. The Germans kill all of the male prisoners and put the female prisoners on a train.

Chapters 13-14: Summary Chapter 13 Chapter 14 The women arrive in Germany at a camp named Ravensbruck. The conditions at the camp are poor. Corrie and Betsie unload heavy carts as their work at the camp. The sisters continue their prayer and Bible reading meetings. Betsie becomes ill and is taken to the infirmary. Chapter 14 Corrie is able to visit Betsie in the hospital and a few days later, Betsie returns to the barracks. Betsie wants to open a rehabilitation home for survivors of the concentration camps. Betsie also wants to rehabilitate the guards. Corrie fails a physical exam so that she will be allowed to stay with Betsie. Betsie becomes ill again and this time she dies.

Chapters 15-16: Summary Corrie is released from the camp in late 1944. She stays at a hospital in Holland for a short while before making her way to Willem's house. Pickwick arranges to get Corrie back to Haarlem. Mrs. Bierens offers her home as a rehabilitation center, fulfilling Betsie's dream. Corrie tries to forgive those in her past who hurt her. She also helps turn a concentration camp into a home for the needy in Germany.

Objects and Places The Beje Germany Holland Naval Clock This is the home of the Ten Booms in Haarlem. Germany This represents a place of hopelessness. During their early incarceration, the women fear a transfer to here, assuming that would mean their deaths. Even after the war, this is a place of little opportunity and much destruction. Holland In the First World War, this place remained neutral, and many had hoped that the second war would be the same. Naval Clock For many years, this represents a reliable constant. However, progress soon makes it obsolete.

Objects and Places Bartjeljurisstraat Gorte Market The Underground Other shops, including another watch shop, line this street, with homes above the shops. Gorte Market This is a central place of trade for Haarlem. Corrie sees a vision of her family leaving town on a cart through here. The Underground This is an elaborate network of various workers, seeking to not only help the Jews, but also resist the German occupation. Many members of this help Corrie minister to the Jews. All the members go by the name "Mr. Smit." Ration Cards A family cannot afford to take someone in without this. They are hard to fake because the occupying government reissues them every month.

Objects and Places The Hiding Place Alpina Sign Blue Sweater Bible Six people are here when authorities raid the Beje, and none are discovered. Alpina Sign To show that it is safe to enter the Beje for help, the Ten Boom place this in the kitchen window. If it is not safe, it remains hidden. Blue Sweater When Nollie is first imprisoned, she asks Corrie to send her this. Then, during Corrie's solitary confinement, Nollie sends this to Corrie. Bible Nollie smuggles this to Corrie when they meet in Rehms' office. It brings hope to Corrie and Betsie, and they go to much trouble to keep it during their entire imprisonment.

The Ten Boom’s Home

Corrie’s Message… After her release from Ravensbrück Concentration Camp (age 53) Corrie travelled all around the world to tell everyone that "there no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still" and that "God will give us the love to be able to forgive our enemies. In more than 30 years, Corrie visited over 60 countries to testify to God's love an to encourage people with the message that "Jesus is Victor.” On April 15th, 1983, on her 91st birthday, this remarkable woman died in Orange, California. Her legacy lives on, more than 30 years after her death.