Corrie Ten Boom: A Brief Biography

Corrie ten Boom was a simple watchmaker until she and her family were invaded by Nazi soldiers and put in a concentration camp. Corrie and her family were treated horribly in the camp because they were helping innocent Jews. Even though they suffered, Corrie and her family relied on God the whole way through. Corrie ten Boom was a very influential christian who impacted many lives by helping hundreds of Jews by hiding them from the Nazis, spreading the Gospels while being held captive in concentration camp, and forgiving some of the most undeserving people. It all started on April 15, 1892, in Haarlem, Netherlands, when Corrie was born. Corrie was named Cornelia Arnolda Johanna ten Boom after her mother Cornelia. She lived with both her parents, Cornelia and Casper ten Boom, and was the youngest of four children. Corrie had two sisters, Betsie and Nollie, and one brother named Willem. The ten Boom family lived in an apartment above the watch shop, that Casper ten Boom owned. Corrie and her siblings were very well raised by Christian parents who loved them very much. Several years later, after Corrie’s mother had passed away, the watch shop was passed down to Corrie. This made Corrie the first female licensed watchmaker in all of Holland. A few years later the Jews of Holland became endangered by the advancement of

Despite the risks, Corrie hid Jewish refugees who were in danger and spread the Gospels continuously to her fellow prisoners in the concentration camp. Corrie also forgave a Ravensbruck Guard who persecuted her sister, Betsie ten Boom. Corrie persevered through many hardships, but she always relied on God for her strength. One of the most admirable things about Corrie is that she never lost faith, even if she could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. As Corrie said herself “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known