Chain Reading

This is a remarkable book written by a remarkable woman. Corrie ten Boom was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, the youngest child of a watchmaker. Her parents were not wealthy, but they were very generous. They took in three aunts who had no other family, even though their house was not only extremely old, but very small and crooked. Corrie’s mother and sister Betsie were not strong, but they were both very kind and helped many people who had no one else to care for them. The children were brought up to be very strong in their faith, and Willem, the only boy of the four, became a minister. Neither Corrie nor Betsie ever married, and they lived with their parents and aunts until 1944. Corrie was trained as a watchmaker and actually worked in her father’s shop for many years. She and her father were known as the best watchmakers in Haarlam. She lived a comfortable existence with her father and Betsie until 1940 when Holland was invaded by Germany. In 1942, when the arrests of Jews became more and more frequent, the Ten Booms decided that they had to do something. Relying on their vast network of acquaintances throughout the city, they built a secret room, a hiding place, high in their home, the Beje. For two years they hid Jews, those in trouble with the authorities, and young men who would have been forced to work for the Germans.
In 1944 they were arrested, along with the other members of their family. The men and women were separated. Corrie’s father died in the first prison they were taken to. Her sister Nollie and brother Willem were released almost immediately, but she and Betsie were taken to the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Corrie and Betsie were able to smuggle a Bible into the camp. They held prayer groups and Bible study classes while in the camp. These were attended by all denominations, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Eastern Orthodox. Betsie grew weaker and weaker. Corrie did all that she could for her, but she died in Ravensbruck. Corrie was eventually released because of a “mechanical error”. The day after she was released all of the women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers.
After the war Corrie worked for the survivors of the concentration camps. She set up a house for them. She went around giving speeches about her experience and the power of forgiveness. Eventually she met one of the Ravensbruck guards and had to test her own forgiveness. Corrie ten Boom died in 1983, but her message lives on in her many books. Hers is a story of sorrow, hope, love, and forgiveness.
The Hiding Place should be required reading. Corrie’s story shows us that not only is it right to forgive our enemies, it is possible to do so. She also shows us that in the face of evil people can still show that there is some decency left in the world. This story will make you smile and cry, and at the end of the book you will have been given hope.