Michael Brooks
Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker who, along with her family, helped Jews escape the Holocaust during World War II. She was arrested and imprisoned in the Scheveningen prison and later sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. After her release, she travelled the world, preaching God's forgiveness and the need for reconciliation. While some sources describe her family as strict Catholics, others describe them as Protestants and Calvinists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Protestant, Dutch Reformed Church |
| Family | Strict Calvinists |
| Strict Catholics (according to one source) | |
| Occupation | Watchmaker |
| Missionary | |
| Evangelist | |
| Author | |
| Public speaker | |
| Awards and Recognitions | "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem |
| Knighthood by the Queen of Holland |
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What You'll Learn
Corrie ten Boom's family helped save nearly 800 Jews during the Holocaust
Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker who, along with her family, helped rescue hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust. The Ten Boom family lived above a watch shop in Haarlem, the Netherlands, which they also used as a meeting point for resistance members. The family's religious convictions motivated them to help rescue Jews, as they believed that the Jews were precious to God and that all people are created equal.
Corrie's brother Willem and his son Christiaan "Kik" ten Boom also worked in the resistance, helping Jews to contact people who could hide them. Corrie herself gathered stolen ration cards and harbored Jews in her home. She also joined the Dutch underground resistance network, overseeing a network of smuggling Jews to safe places.
In May 1942, a Jewish woman whose husband had been arrested and whose son had gone into hiding, came to the Ten Booms, as she had heard that they had helped their Jewish neighbors. Casper, Corrie's father, readily agreed that she could stay with them, saying, "In this household, God's people are always welcome." Corrie and her sister Betsie then opened their home to Jewish refugees and members of the resistance movement.
The Dutch Resistance helped the Ten Booms create a secret hiding place in Corrie's bedroom behind a false wall, which could fit up to six people. A ventilation system was installed, and a buzzer was used to warn the refugees to get into the room as quickly as possible during security sweeps.
On February 28, 1944, a Dutch informant told the Nazis about the Ten Booms' work, and the Gestapo raided their home. The entire family was arrested, and Casper died in prison ten days later. Corrie and Betsie were sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp, where Betsie perished just days before Corrie's release on December 31, 1944.
In total, it is estimated that Corrie ten Boom and her family helped save nearly 800 Jews during the Holocaust. Corrie went on to establish a post-war home for other camp survivors and traveled widely as a missionary, preaching God's forgiveness and the need for reconciliation.
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She was arrested and imprisoned for her resistance work
Corrie ten Boom was arrested and imprisoned for her resistance work during World War II. Ten Boom, a devout Protestant, was part of the Dutch resistance and helped rescue Jews in the German-occupied Netherlands. She oversaw a network of smuggling Jews to safe places and provided them with food, shelter, and money. She also gathered stolen ration cards, which were crucial for obtaining weekly food coupons.
On 28 February 1944, a Dutch informant, Jan Vogel, informed the Nazis about the Ten Booms' work. At around 12:30 p.m. that day, the Nazis arrested the entire Ten Boom family, including Corrie, her father, her brother Willem, her two sisters, and her nephew Peter van Woerden. Several resistance workers and family acquaintances who were in the family home were also arrested, totalling around 30 people. The Ten Booms were sent to Scheveningen Prison when Resistance materials and extra ration cards were found in their home.
Despite the arrest, the group of six people hidden by the Ten Booms, consisting of both Jews and resistance workers, remained undiscovered. The house was under constant surveillance, but police officers who were part of the resistance group coordinated the refugees' escape. While in prison, Ten Boom received a letter informing her that "All the watches in your cabinet are safe," indicating that the refugees had escaped.
After three months in prison, Ten Boom was taken to her first hearing. At her trial, she spoke about her work with people with mental disabilities, which was scoffed at by the Nazi lieutenant due to the Nazis' eugenics policies. Nonetheless, Ten Boom defended her work, stating that in God's eyes, a mentally disabled person might be more valuable "than a watchmaker."
Following her imprisonment in Scheveningen, Ten Boom was later transferred to the Herzogenbusch-Vught and Ravensbrück concentration camps. At Ravensbrück, she and her sister Betsie held worship services and taught others about Christianity, leading to the conversion of many prisoners. Betsie passed away in the camp on 16 December 1944, and Corrie was released twelve days later on 28 December 1944. It was later revealed that her release was due to a clerical error, and she narrowly escaped the fate of being sent to the gas chambers.
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Ten Boom was sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
Corrie ten Boom was a devout Christian who, along with her family, helped rescue hundreds of Jews during World War II. The Ten Boom family home became a refuge for Jews, with a secret room built into Corrie's bedroom, which could hold up to six people at a time. Despite the constant surveillance on their house, the group of six Jews and resistance workers hidden by the Ten Booms remained undiscovered.
However, on 24 February 1944, a Dutch informant tipped off the Nazis about the Ten Boom family's actions, leading the Gestapo to raid their home. Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsie were arrested for concealing Jews in their home during the Nazi occupation of Holland. They were imprisoned in the Scheveningen prison, also known as Oranjehotel. While their father Casper, who was also arrested, died in prison ten days later.
Corrie and Betsie remained in the Scheveningen prison until June 1944, after which they were transferred to the Herzogenbusch-Vught concentration camp in the Netherlands. In September 1944, the sisters were deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany, a women's labor camp. Despite the harsh conditions, they held worship services and provided spiritual support to their fellow prisoners. Through their teachings and examples of charity, many prisoners converted to Christianity. Unfortunately, Betsie's health continued to deteriorate, and she died on 16 December 1944, just days before Corrie's release on 24 December 1944.
After her release, Corrie ten Boom returned to the Netherlands and established a rehabilitation center for survivors of concentration camps. She also travelled the world as a missionary, preaching God's forgiveness and the need for reconciliation. Corrie ten Boom's courageous actions during World War II and her inspiring life story have made her a revered figure among Christians, particularly evangelicals.
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She established a post-war home for camp survivors
Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker, Christian writer, and public speaker. She was raised in a strict Calvinist family in the Dutch Reformed Church. Ten Boom worked with her father, Casper ten Boom, her sister Betsie ten Boom, and other family members to help many Jewish people escape from the Nazis during World War II by hiding them in her home. They were caught, and she was arrested and sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp.
After her release, Ten Boom returned to the Netherlands and set up a rehabilitation center in Bloemendaal. The refuge housed concentration camp survivors and, until 1950, exclusively sheltered jobless Dutch who had collaborated with the Germans during the Occupation. After 1950, the rehabilitation centre accepted anyone in need of care.
Ten Boom's work with Holocaust survivors was inspired by her sister Betsie, who perished at Ravensbrück just days before Ten Boom's release. Betsie's example of selfless love and forgiveness amid extreme cruelty and persecution moved Ten Boom to continue her sister's legacy of helping others.
In addition to her work with camp survivors, Ten Boom also forgave and reconciled with two Germans who had been employed at Ravensbrück, one of whom had been particularly cruel to Betsie. Through her actions, Ten Boom embodied the principles of forgiveness and reconciliation that she preached as a missionary.
Ten Boom's story inspired a bestselling book, "The Hiding Place," which was later adapted into a film of the same name. She is remembered as a brave and inspiring woman who saved countless lives during World War II.
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Ten Boom travelled the world as a missionary and public speaker
Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker who, along with her family, helped save nearly 800 Jews amid the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. The Ten Boom family lived in the Beje house in Haarlem, above Casper's watch shop. The family members were strict Calvinists in the Dutch Reformed Church, and their faith inspired them to serve society by offering shelter, food, and money to those in need.
After the war, Ten Boom returned to the Netherlands and set up a rehabilitation center in Bloemendaal. The refuge housed concentration camp survivors and, until 1950, exclusively sheltered jobless Dutch who had collaborated with the Germans during the Occupation. She also returned to Germany in 1946 and forgave two Germans who had been employed at Ravensbrück concentration camp, one of whom had been particularly cruel to her sister, Betsie.
In 1946, Ten Boom created a worldwide ministry that took her to over 60 countries, where she shared her story of how God sustained her. She also wrote over 25 books, including her 1971 memoir, 'The Hiding Place'. Ten Boom has long been honored by evangelical Christians as an exemplar of Christian faith in action.
In her later years, Ten Boom suffered a series of strokes that left her paralyzed and unable to speak. She passed away on her 91st birthday in 1988.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Corrie ten Boom was not a Catholic. She was born into a devoutly religious Protestant family and was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Corrie ten Boom and her family helped Jews escape the Holocaust during World War II, saving nearly 800 lives. They provided refuge to those hunted by the Nazis, risking their lives in non-violent resistance.
Corrie ten Boom was imprisoned and sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp along with her sister, Betsie. Betsie died in the camp just days before Corrie's release on December 31, 1944. Corrie survived and later travelled the world as a missionary, preaching God's forgiveness.
