The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is a powerful and inspiring story of courage, faith and survival. This remarkable true story follows the events of the life of a family in Holland during World War II. Corrie Ten Boom was the leader of the Dutch resistance in the small town of Haarlem.
The Ten Boom family consisted of four members – Corrie, her father Casper, her older sister Betsy, and her younger brother Willem. The family ran a small watchmaker’s shop and were known for their strong Christian faith. Corrie and her family were willing to take extraordinary risks in order to help Jewish neighbors who were facing persecution. They realized that if the Nazis walked through their door, their lives would be in danger.
To dramatically reduce the risk of detection, the Ten Booms constructed a secret room in their house. This became known as the ‘hiding place’, and it was here that Jewish refugees, political dissidents and anyone needing shelter were able to hide during the Nazi occupation. In little more than two years, the Ten Booms helped more than 800 people to escape.
The story of the Ten Booms and their hiding place was nearly forgotten until Corrie wrote a memoir in 1971. In it, she recalled the years of courage and faith that sustained her family through seemingly impossible odds. Corrie’s words are both a commemoration of her family’s inspiring strength, and a warning of the consequences that can result of unchecked prejudice and hatred.
The Hiding Place chronicles the true story of a family’s courage and dedication to the task of saving lives. Corrie’s powerful voice, both in her written words and in her public speaking, speaks for all those who were persecuted and for all of those who had the courage to stand up and make a difference. The lessons offered by this book are nonetheless relevant and essential today.
Whilst The Hiding Place documents the inspiring true story of a family overcoming seemingly impossible odds, it also serves as a warning – that we must remain ever vigilant against hatred and persecution. The themes explored in this book are timely, yet timeless and the story offers hope for a better tomorrow. The Ten Booms were a remarkable family, and their courage and dedication in the face of oppressive regimes will live on.
