We’re thrilled to share some exciting news: our introductory guide to Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place is now available. This bestselling memoir is a moving and heartwarming account of the Ten Booms’ work hiding Jews during World War II. These Christians were willing to face death in the concentration camp rather than allow their fellow humans to be killed in the Holocaust.
Researching this book was an immense task, as we wanted to do justice to the cultural and historical background. Our guide covers a great variety of topics and themes, from the history of the Jews in Holland to the ethics of lying to the Nazis, to the horrors of the concentration camps. This is an important literary guide, as there are few survivors left alive and young people increasingly don’t know the details of what happened.
In doing extensive research, the stories we came across were often inspirational. For instance, we read quite a few interviews with imprisoned ministers. Some had been tortured. Others were let go after lengthy interrogations. Many of them struggled with the question of whether they should lie or tell the truth. Whatever they decided, all found ways to share the gospel. Here is an excerpt from an interview with the Dutch Minister J. W. Fase, who was imprisoned in 1944. When he was arrested, he took a moment to ask one of his captors how he could defend his actions:
While Wolters went to the village to get a car, I asked Sipma, who guarded us in the room, how as a Christian he could do this. After all kinds of weak explanations, he explained that when he took catechism classes as a young man, he already had a dislike of ministers. They were all so incredibly boring, instead of saying things in an engaging manner! The events in the Bible were lively enough. There you could find examples and parables! I ask: “Do you know a parable?” “Yes . . . the Parable of the Good Samaritan, for example!” Then I say (for how can he mention precisely that one?): “Wonderful, may I tell that one just this once? Look, there were many people between Warsaw and the North Sea who fell into the hands of robbers and murderers. They cried out for help—but many, including Christians and humanists—passed by in fear or indifference.Some, however, took them lovingly into their home and hid them from violence, sparing no expense. Here you see two of these persecuted with their helpers in dire need. And in 1944 the parable continues: ‘There was a certain kind of Christian in the service of the robbers and murderers, who hunted down the poor victims and the good Samaritans and delivered them into the hands of people who betrayed Christ’s law of love.’ Don’t you find that exciting? And lively?” Then he said timidly, “Is that how you explain the parable?” “Yes, can you think of any other way?” Then the car arrived.
In our guide, we wanted students to engage with such primary materials, and so we included the entire interview. It’s by interacting with powerful stories of courage and faith that young people today can train themselves for times of crisis. Heroism is not typically a skill you can develop overnight. It’s the habits we form growing up that allow us to love the neighbour and be a Good Samaritan to someone in need.
We hope you enjoy our guide!
Image credit: photo of a train car by Antoinette Zeinstra, via Pixabay.