At one time Corrie ten Boom would have laughed at the idea that there would ever be a story to tell. For the first fifty years of her life nothing at all out of the ordinary had happened to her. She was an old-maid watchmaker living contentedly with her spinster sister and their elderly father in the tiny Dutch house over their shop. Their uneventful days, as regulated as their own watches, revolved around their abiding love for each other.
However, with the Nazi invasion and occupation of Holland, a story did ensue. Corrie ten Boom and her family became leaders in the Dutch Underground, hiding Jewish people in their home in a specially built room and aiding their escape from the Nazis. For their help, all but Corrie found death in a concentration camp. The Hiding Place is their story.
Loved
- Their faith. "In darkness, God's truth shines more clearly." There are many horrors in this story relative to the Holocaust, but the faith of the ten Boom family through the atrocities they experienced is astounding and inspiring. Over and over again this faithful family decides to trust and worship God, rather than choose bitterness and hatred toward people who had hurt them so severely. It is jaw-dropping to see how, with every fresh horror they experienced, this family not only puts their faith in God, but thanks Him for the opportunity to spread hope and peace. Even down to the revolting fleas, these sisters see everything as a chance to praise God and thank Him.
- The love. Not only does this family exhibit unshaken faith, they also love unconditionally and give their lives to help strangers. When the opportunity comes to shelter Jews from the Nazis, the ten Boom family does not hesitate or falter one moment- they immediately take in hundreds of destitute people and risk their lives to give them shelter, food, and hope. Once they are captured, Betsie and Corrie continue to love- not only fellow prisoners, but the very persecutors responsible for their suffering. "If they can be taught to hate, they can also be taught to love." From Betsie praying for those beating her to Corrie forgiving one of her Nazi guards years later, the theme of love and forgiveness and the hope they bring shines beautifully throughout this story.
- The intensity. I remember reading this many times growing up, but I had forgotten that the story is very intense and engaging. I was riveted throughout the whole book at every detail of the Underground, every glance from a Nazi officer, and every new Jew that needed sheltering. Every moment of the story is illuminated with the constant dread of suspense, knowing the ten Booms will eventually get caught and arrested (*not a spoiler- it's on the back cover ;).
- The history. While the history in this story is hard to read because it is atrocious, it's also fascinating to have a true account of the circumstances during WWII. Corrie's perspective of the German Occupation, the suspense of every moment running the Underground, the dread of waking up to bombs in the night, and the unimaginable suffering in Ravensbruck is so vivid and poignant because she actually lived it. I really enjoy WWII fiction, but it is also very valuable and eye-opening to read a true account of someone who actually lived through these events. No fiction in the world could create the kind of love, hope and forgiveness Corrie and Betsie exhibit in this story.
Didn't Love
- Obviously I wish I could change all the circumstances in this history, but I wouldn't change a thing about Corrie's beautiful account.
Content
Content
- Language:
- Not present.
- Sexual content:
- Women have to stand naked in front of male guards.
- Violence:
- For a WWII story, there is a fairly small amount of violence. However, every act of violence is very disturbing because it's true.
- A young German man physically abuses an older Jewish man before the war begins- pushes his face into a wall, trips him, etc.
- During the German occupation, there are frequent mentions of people disappearing and being taken or killed. Many people forced into custody and taken away in the back of trucks.
- Many mentions of Jews being beaten, shot, or exterminated in the streets and in camps.
- Corrie and her family members are beaten badly when taken into custody. Betsie is beaten at Ravensbruck.
- Corrie witnesses much violence while imprisoned. She hears shots everyday knowing they are prisoners being killed. She sees frequent beatings- many times the beatings are fatal.
- Other themes:
- Many disturbing scenes involving starvation, depravation, and death.
- Those in Ravensbruck described as starving, with bloated bellies, knobbly knees, and sunken faces.
- Many prisoners fight over small things in prison and become depraved and cruel at times.
- Prisoners in Ravensbruck are exposed to the cold and many die from the exposure.
- Corrie finds twelve corpses of women who died in the infirmary. Descriptions of the corpses.
- Corrie spends time in a hospital right outside Ravensbruck and experiences terrible things. She sees women who have been mutilated from bombings, women who roll off the top bunk and die from the fall, and women who are hostile and throw their infected bandages at anyone who comes near.
- The entire book has a dread and suspense about when Corrie and her family will be captured. Much suspense related to Germans and sheltering the Jews.
- Obviously with WWII, the theme of Anti-Semitism is extreme, shocking, and sickening. Constant mentions of Jews being beaten, robbed, starved, exploited, shot, and exterminated.
- Not present.
- Women have to stand naked in front of male guards.
- For a WWII story, there is a fairly small amount of violence. However, every act of violence is very disturbing because it's true.
- A young German man physically abuses an older Jewish man before the war begins- pushes his face into a wall, trips him, etc.
- During the German occupation, there are frequent mentions of people disappearing and being taken or killed. Many people forced into custody and taken away in the back of trucks.
- Many mentions of Jews being beaten, shot, or exterminated in the streets and in camps.
- Corrie and her family members are beaten badly when taken into custody. Betsie is beaten at Ravensbruck.
- Corrie witnesses much violence while imprisoned. She hears shots everyday knowing they are prisoners being killed. She sees frequent beatings- many times the beatings are fatal.
- Many disturbing scenes involving starvation, depravation, and death.
- Those in Ravensbruck described as starving, with bloated bellies, knobbly knees, and sunken faces.
- Many prisoners fight over small things in prison and become depraved and cruel at times.
- Prisoners in Ravensbruck are exposed to the cold and many die from the exposure.
- Corrie finds twelve corpses of women who died in the infirmary. Descriptions of the corpses.
- Corrie spends time in a hospital right outside Ravensbruck and experiences terrible things. She sees women who have been mutilated from bombings, women who roll off the top bunk and die from the fall, and women who are hostile and throw their infected bandages at anyone who comes near.
- The entire book has a dread and suspense about when Corrie and her family will be captured. Much suspense related to Germans and sheltering the Jews.
- Obviously with WWII, the theme of Anti-Semitism is extreme, shocking, and sickening. Constant mentions of Jews being beaten, robbed, starved, exploited, shot, and exterminated.
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