Back in 1837, Willem ten Boom opened his Clock Shop at Haarlem, the Netherlands. His residence, in the open floor was always open for those in need, based on his Christian upbringing.
A few years later, Willem launched a weekly prayer for the Jews and peace in Jerusalem. This tradition was strictly followed by his son, Casper.
A hundred years later, in 1944, this praying tradition was still in place but cut short by the Nazi invaders who arrested the Casper family for granting shelter to Jews. During WWII, the ten Boom family turned their own home into a shelter for Jews and members of the Dutch resistance. During those years, there were usually 7 refugees living under their roof. Others found relief for a few hours or days until other safe houses secured for them. Corrie ten Boom became the leader of the Haarlem ring and in that capacity, she looked for courageous Dutch families for the persecuted ones.
Corrie and her friends have thus saved some 800 people. On February 28, 1944, the ten Boom family was betrayed and the Gestapo broke into their home. All in all, together with the ten Boom family members, some 20 people had been arrested. Despite the Gestapo’s efforts, they were not able to find 4 Jews and two members of the resistance who were hiding behind a fake wall.
Some of them had managed to survive the war. Casper ten Boom died 10 days after being apprehended by the Nazis.
Corrie and Betsie Ten Boom spend 10 months in various Nazi prisons and concentration camps.
Betsie died in the camp but Corrie survived. After the war, Corrie was honored by the Queen of the Netherlands as a war hero and in 1967, she and her family were recognized as Righteous among the Nations. Corrie passed away in 1983.
In a joint statement, Eduardo Eurnekian and Baruch Tenembaum – chairman and founder respectively of the IRWF said: “Corrie ten Boom and her family epitomized the courage of the rescuers. We should all be thankful to these brave people and recognize their goodness. The ten Boom residence will be soon be proclaimed a House of Life, the first of many more to come in the Netherlands”.
