Total Madness: General Selected Writings by Various Authors.
Excerpts from THE SECRET ROOM. The Story of Corrie ten Boom
[Today many have observed certain parallels between Nazi Germany and The United States War on Terrorism. Many writers mentioned in this blog expose, clarify, and describe the conditions and elements which identify the unbalanced, criminal, ill-use of power and authority represented in murder, greed and ultimately the private aggenda of a despotic leader and his cabal. Once this powerful machine begins it continues on its diabolical pathway to destruction. Therefore, those who cherish freedom, who continue to exercise the intellect and will, will inevitably establish a rational foundation for sound, stable decision, and proper action. Read this site, and my God be with you in your passionate struggle to preserve your heart, mind and soul. - Wildfeather]
“This story has inspired many people. This is a short version (6500 words) in easy English, of the true story of a brave Dutch woman. The full story is told by Corrie in her book The Hiding Place, (ISBN 0340208457) which was also made into a film of the same name (by Worldwide Films). It went on general release and is still available in video shops. Corrie was able to rescue many Jews from certain death at the hands of the Nazi SS during the Holocaust. Her rescue work can be compared with Oskar Schindler, in the film Schindler's List (taken from Thomas Keneally's book Schindler's Ark). It also helps us to understand the background to The Diary of Anne Frank which took place in Holland too.” [editor of site mentioned above]
The War Starts
"You need not fear," said the Dutch Prime Minister over the radio. "We shall not be attacked by any of the countries fighting in this war. They have promised this."
Father ten Boom suddenly turned off the radio. His two daughters, Corrie and Betsie, looked up in surprise.
"The Prime Minister is wrong," said the old watchmaker. "There will be war. Germany will attack us and we shall be defeated."
That night Corrie and Betsie woke up to the sound of explosions. Hitler had suddenly attacked the peace-loving country of Holland without warning. The Dutch army fought bravely for five days, but they had no chance against Hitler's army and air force.
Gradually life changed for the old watchmaker and his family. The streets of Haarlem, the Dutch town where they lived, were filled with German soldiers. No one could buy food unless they had a ration card. Dutch newspapers were stopped. All radio sets had to be given up (although the ten Boom family secretly kept one). Then there was the "curfew", which meant that no one was allowed on the streets after a certain time. At first this was fairly late, but gradually it became earlier and earlier, until at last curfew was at six o'clock in the evening.
This meant that Corrie had to close down all her girls' clubs, which she had run for nearly twenty years. These had been started for girls of 12-18 years, and included activities like gymnastics, music, walking and camping. But in the midst of all the fun, Corrie had taken time to teach the girls that God loved them, and that they could always turn to Him in prayer. She also ran a club for mentally-handicapped young people, and she found that many of them really understood when she told them of God's love.
Now all this had to end. Corrie was glad she had taught the girls more than how to enjoy themselves. During the terrible years that followed, many of them found real strength from the faith in God that they had learned from Corrie.
The Star of David
German Soldiers confiscating radio sets
(Still from The Hiding Place)
Soon worse things happened. One Sunday afternoon, all the young men out on the streets were rounded up by German soldiers and sent to Germany as slave factory-workers. Some were never seen again. From that time onwards, young Dutchmen had to go about secretly or stay in hiding.
The German soldiers also began to smash the windows of shops owned by Jewish people and steal the goods inside. Sometimes the Jewish shopkeepers and their families disappeared as well. At the time, no one knew what happened to them. Now we know that Hitler and the Nazis murdered over six million Jews in Europe.
“This story has inspired many people. This is a short version (6500 words) in easy English, of the true story of a brave Dutch woman. The full story is told by Corrie in her book The Hiding Place, (ISBN 0340208457) which was also made into a film of the same name (by Worldwide Films). It went on general release and is still available in video shops. Corrie was able to rescue many Jews from certain death at the hands of the Nazi SS during the Holocaust. Her rescue work can be compared with Oskar Schindler, in the film Schindler's List (taken from Thomas Keneally's book Schindler's Ark). It also helps us to understand the background to The Diary of Anne Frank which took place in Holland too.” [editor of site mentioned above]
The War Starts
"You need not fear," said the Dutch Prime Minister over the radio. "We shall not be attacked by any of the countries fighting in this war. They have promised this."
Father ten Boom suddenly turned off the radio. His two daughters, Corrie and Betsie, looked up in surprise.
"The Prime Minister is wrong," said the old watchmaker. "There will be war. Germany will attack us and we shall be defeated."
That night Corrie and Betsie woke up to the sound of explosions. Hitler had suddenly attacked the peace-loving country of Holland without warning. The Dutch army fought bravely for five days, but they had no chance against Hitler's army and air force.
Gradually life changed for the old watchmaker and his family. The streets of Haarlem, the Dutch town where they lived, were filled with German soldiers. No one could buy food unless they had a ration card. Dutch newspapers were stopped. All radio sets had to be given up (although the ten Boom family secretly kept one). Then there was the "curfew", which meant that no one was allowed on the streets after a certain time. At first this was fairly late, but gradually it became earlier and earlier, until at last curfew was at six o'clock in the evening.
This meant that Corrie had to close down all her girls' clubs, which she had run for nearly twenty years. These had been started for girls of 12-18 years, and included activities like gymnastics, music, walking and camping. But in the midst of all the fun, Corrie had taken time to teach the girls that God loved them, and that they could always turn to Him in prayer. She also ran a club for mentally-handicapped young people, and she found that many of them really understood when she told them of God's love.
Now all this had to end. Corrie was glad she had taught the girls more than how to enjoy themselves. During the terrible years that followed, many of them found real strength from the faith in God that they had learned from Corrie.
The Star of David
German Soldiers confiscating radio sets
(Still from The Hiding Place)
Soon worse things happened. One Sunday afternoon, all the young men out on the streets were rounded up by German soldiers and sent to Germany as slave factory-workers. Some were never seen again. From that time onwards, young Dutchmen had to go about secretly or stay in hiding.
The German soldiers also began to smash the windows of shops owned by Jewish people and steal the goods inside. Sometimes the Jewish shopkeepers and their families disappeared as well. At the time, no one knew what happened to them. Now we know that Hitler and the Nazis murdered over six million Jews in Europe.
posted by Jeseppi Trade Wildfeather at 12:38 AM
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