Things were quiet and simple for Corrie ten Boom: repairing watches, working with special needs children, and listen to her father’s evening Bible readings with her sister Bestie. Then the Nazis invade, and everything changes. Seeing the anti-Jewish sentiment grow, the little watch-shop becomes a hub for smuggling Jews to safety. Corrie sees the power of God, bringing them resources that helped them saved 800 Jews. But after a betrayal, the Gestapo arrest the ten Boom family, but they are not done seeing the power of God as they enter the Nazi prison system. |
Theme: How should Christians respond to evil?
Some Christians resist, doing what they can to help the allies or show their distain for the Germans.
The ten Booms decide they must do what they can to protect God’s people and welcome Jews into their home. Corrie lies to protect her refugees. Break-ins are staged to steal ration cards. At one point, the police chief knows one of his men is a nazi spy and asks Corrie if she knows someone who could ‘take care’ of the problem. She refuses; “We can’t murder!” and the chief agrees.
Corrie’s in-laws always speak the truth, even when questioned by nazis. Interestedly, both times she give vital information to Nazis, the situations turns out positively: the first time, they don’t believe her, and the second time, the captured prisoner escapes a fortnight later. “God rewards the truth!” She says.
Other Christians do nothing out of fear. When a Jewish mother and new baby come for help, a pastor happens to be visiting the watch shop, but he refuses to take them.
Religious/spiritual content
The ten Boom’s trust in Jesus is at the heart of this story and is incorporated into their daily lives. Often, Corrie calls out to Jesus when a new challenge or overwhelming situation hit her.
At different points in the story, family members seem to have prophetic insights or visions into the future. Several times, Corrie is surprised by her own answers when meeting with officials. She credits this phenomenon to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Corrie gleans wisdom from her father: God carries burdens too heavy for us or God gives us what we need just when we need it.
After Corrie and Bestie are sent to the concentration camp, she wonders, “Is the gospel message for all places, even Ravensbruck?” The short answer is, yes. The sisters begin nightly worship and Bible readings in their barrack. Bestie tells everyone she meets about Jesus. While their external life becomes more horrible, their live with God grows better.
Bestie longs to save their guards and pitted the condition of their hearts. She wants to open a home for them to heal and learn to love.
When they first arrive at Ravensbruck, our two ladies read in the Bible to “give thinks for all things.” Bestie thanks God for the flees in their barrack, which is too much for Corrie. Later, they discover the guards won’t enter the barracks because of the flees, allowing the sisters to have free reign with their Bible Study.
When Corrie learns the man’s name who betrayed their family, she is outraged, but later repents: “He murdered with his actions, but I murdered him in my heart…we both need God’s forgiveness.”
Many faith-truths sprinkled the entire story.
Sexual/romantic content
Corrie, as a child, reads about a boy without ‘s*x-sin.’ When she asks her father, he tell her it is too heavy for her to carry.
As a young lady, Corrie builds a friendship with a young man, but his family expects him to marry into wealth, a fact he keeps hidden from her. He does indeed marry a girl from a rich family, breaking Corrie’s heart.
Bestie assumes that ‘unmarried’ also means ‘childless.’
The female prisoners are often required to strip n*ked for inspections.
Violent
A prisoner’s head is covered in bruises and dried blood stains his facial hair. Other prisoners are kicked and beaten. One is struck with a whip, leaving a red mark sticky with blood.
Sounds of blows and screams eminent from the punishment barracks.
Language
Guards shot at the prisoners, either as ‘curses’ or with insults: “Loafer, lazy swine!”
Corrie describes the punishment barracks as the sounds of ‘h*ll itself.’
“Jew!” Is often used in a derogatory way.
Other negative content
The account describes the horrors of Nazi’s prison system. Hygiene is non-existent: straw beds black with mold or crawling with lice. Flee- infected barracks. Overflowing latrines. No one to bring bedpans for hospital patients. Patients cough up blood.
Death also reigns in the camps: A newborn baby only lives for hours. Corrie sees a corpse so thin, that the ribs and teeth are visible through the skin.
A Jew, fearing what will become of his beloved dogs if he is arrested, poisons his pets.
Corrie learns to play cards in prison, but she started to see winning or losing as omens. She stops playing.
Germany has been destroyed by the war: “fire blackened woods and the gaunt ribs of a church.”
Men smoke cigars.
Final Thoughts
If YOU haven’t read this book, I would encourage you to. The gospel-truths, lived out in evil of the Nazi empire, should inspire us all to cling to Jesus and live for Him always. Once your child is old enough to handle the darker topics, the Hiding Place is a must-read.
Some Christians resist, doing what they can to help the allies or show their distain for the Germans.
The ten Booms decide they must do what they can to protect God’s people and welcome Jews into their home. Corrie lies to protect her refugees. Break-ins are staged to steal ration cards. At one point, the police chief knows one of his men is a nazi spy and asks Corrie if she knows someone who could ‘take care’ of the problem. She refuses; “We can’t murder!” and the chief agrees.
Corrie’s in-laws always speak the truth, even when questioned by nazis. Interestedly, both times she give vital information to Nazis, the situations turns out positively: the first time, they don’t believe her, and the second time, the captured prisoner escapes a fortnight later. “God rewards the truth!” She says.
Other Christians do nothing out of fear. When a Jewish mother and new baby come for help, a pastor happens to be visiting the watch shop, but he refuses to take them.
Religious/spiritual content
The ten Boom’s trust in Jesus is at the heart of this story and is incorporated into their daily lives. Often, Corrie calls out to Jesus when a new challenge or overwhelming situation hit her.
At different points in the story, family members seem to have prophetic insights or visions into the future. Several times, Corrie is surprised by her own answers when meeting with officials. She credits this phenomenon to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Corrie gleans wisdom from her father: God carries burdens too heavy for us or God gives us what we need just when we need it.
After Corrie and Bestie are sent to the concentration camp, she wonders, “Is the gospel message for all places, even Ravensbruck?” The short answer is, yes. The sisters begin nightly worship and Bible readings in their barrack. Bestie tells everyone she meets about Jesus. While their external life becomes more horrible, their live with God grows better.
Bestie longs to save their guards and pitted the condition of their hearts. She wants to open a home for them to heal and learn to love.
When they first arrive at Ravensbruck, our two ladies read in the Bible to “give thinks for all things.” Bestie thanks God for the flees in their barrack, which is too much for Corrie. Later, they discover the guards won’t enter the barracks because of the flees, allowing the sisters to have free reign with their Bible Study.
When Corrie learns the man’s name who betrayed their family, she is outraged, but later repents: “He murdered with his actions, but I murdered him in my heart…we both need God’s forgiveness.”
Many faith-truths sprinkled the entire story.
Sexual/romantic content
Corrie, as a child, reads about a boy without ‘s*x-sin.’ When she asks her father, he tell her it is too heavy for her to carry.
As a young lady, Corrie builds a friendship with a young man, but his family expects him to marry into wealth, a fact he keeps hidden from her. He does indeed marry a girl from a rich family, breaking Corrie’s heart.
Bestie assumes that ‘unmarried’ also means ‘childless.’
The female prisoners are often required to strip n*ked for inspections.
Violent
A prisoner’s head is covered in bruises and dried blood stains his facial hair. Other prisoners are kicked and beaten. One is struck with a whip, leaving a red mark sticky with blood.
Sounds of blows and screams eminent from the punishment barracks.
Language
Guards shot at the prisoners, either as ‘curses’ or with insults: “Loafer, lazy swine!”
Corrie describes the punishment barracks as the sounds of ‘h*ll itself.’
“Jew!” Is often used in a derogatory way.
Other negative content
The account describes the horrors of Nazi’s prison system. Hygiene is non-existent: straw beds black with mold or crawling with lice. Flee- infected barracks. Overflowing latrines. No one to bring bedpans for hospital patients. Patients cough up blood.
Death also reigns in the camps: A newborn baby only lives for hours. Corrie sees a corpse so thin, that the ribs and teeth are visible through the skin.
A Jew, fearing what will become of his beloved dogs if he is arrested, poisons his pets.
Corrie learns to play cards in prison, but she started to see winning or losing as omens. She stops playing.
Germany has been destroyed by the war: “fire blackened woods and the gaunt ribs of a church.”
Men smoke cigars.
Final Thoughts
If YOU haven’t read this book, I would encourage you to. The gospel-truths, lived out in evil of the Nazi empire, should inspire us all to cling to Jesus and live for Him always. Once your child is old enough to handle the darker topics, the Hiding Place is a must-read.