Willem ten Boom Character Analysis in The Hiding Place

Corrie’s older brother. The only one of her siblings to receive a university education, he attends seminary and becomes a pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church. He marries Tine, a family acquaintance, and has four children including Kik, who becomes an integral helper in Corrie’s underground network. As part of his ministry, Willem is assigned to proselytize to Haarlem’s Jews, but instead of worrying about conversions he founds a nursing home for elderly Jews. In this capacity, he’s the first family member to become aware of Germany’s persecution of its Jews; he’s also the first to start hiding Dutch Jews in his house, and provides Corrie with necessary contacts and advice when she starts sheltering fugitives as well. Arrested at the same time as Corrie, Willem is not sent to a concentration camp but released after several months; however, his health declines so much in prison that he dies months after the end of World War II.

Willem ten Boom Quotes in The Hiding Place

The The Hiding Place quotes below are all either spoken by Willem ten Boom or refer to Willem ten Boom. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Chosen Books edition of The Hiding Place published in 1974.

Willem shook his head. “It’s very deliberate,” he said. “It’s because Christoffels is old. The old have no value to the State. They’re also harder to train in new ways of thinking. Germany is systematically teaching disrespect for old age.”

Related Characters: (speaker), , ,

Page Number and Citation: 75

Explanation and Analysis:

Willem ten Boom Character Timeline in The Hiding Place

The timeline below shows where the character Willem ten Boom appears in The Hiding Place. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...at every meal, but now only Father, Corrie, and Betsie use it. Her older siblings, Willem and Nollie, have married and left home, and Mama and her aunts are dead. Father... (full context)

Still, Corrie wonders when Willem will arrive. Although they’re both grown up now, Corrie feels “a great deal of little-sister... (full context)

Willem is a preacher of the Dutch Reformed Church, and his job is to reach out... (full context)

Just then, Willem arrives, along with his wife Tine and their four children. He’s also leading a young... (full context)

...teenager, Corrie is attending one of Mama’s impromptu parties when she meets Karel, one of Willem’s friends from seminary. She takes one look at him and falls in love. She’s content... (full context)

Two years later, Corrie and Nollie travel to Willem’s university to visit. His friends soon arrive at his apartment, Karel among them. Corrie is... (full context)

...help of the doctor’s sister and nurse, Tine. While she gets used to this task, Willem returns home from university; his presence cheers everyone, as does his pleasant voice as he... (full context)

Two months after Willem’s ordination, he and Tine get married. Corrie is especially excited because she knows Karel will... (full context)

Four months after Tante Jans’s death, the family travels to watch Willem’s first sermon—a huge milestone and point of pride in the Dutch Reformed Church. Friends and... (full context)

One morning, Willem corners Corrie and gently tells her that if Karel has implied that he’s serious about... (full context)

...the 1920s, the ten Booms take in a series of foster children. Meanwhile, Nollie and Willem are having their own children, so the Beje is full of young people. Nollie’s son... (full context)

...hears about it on the radio, but it’s hard to take the threat seriously. Only Willem, with his connections to the Jewish community, is steadily preoccupied. (full context)

...seniority, but Otto never lets him go by first or helps him with his tools. Willem explains that Nazi Germany encourages people to disrespect the old, who “have no value to... (full context)

...an old cart roll across the square. She herself is inside it, alongside Father, Betsie, Willem, Peter, and family friends like Pickwick and Toos. She feels that they should get off... (full context)

...Betsie, and Corrie begin to discuss what they can do to help Jewish friends. Already Willem is finding hiding places for the young Jews living at his house. She has to... (full context)

Corrie hurries out to Willem’s house, where she finds Tine and their adult son Kik and gives them the Amsterdam... (full context)

Corrie visits Willem to ask for advice. He seems stressed and tired, and his beard is turning white.... (full context)

Corrie asks Willem if he can help her get three ration cards, but he says he’s already being... (full context)

One night the doorbell rings and Corrie runs downstairs, expecting another refugee. Instead, it’s Willem’s son Kik; he tells her to get her bicycle and come with him, even though... (full context)

Willem frequently visits Haarlem. His own work is making him stressed and almost desperate. He’s been... (full context)

Unsteadily, Corrie gets dressed and goes downstairs. In the front rooms people are gathering for Willem’s service. Nollie is passing around makeshift coffee and Peter is playing the piano. At the... (full context)

...or come outside. He orders everyone to get their coats. Corrie is saddened to see Willem, Nollie, and Peter emerge from another room, caught up in the raid as well. Father... (full context)

...her. Eventually, she finds that while Betsie is still in prison, Nollie, Toos, Peter, Pickwick, Willem, and everyone else from the raid has been released. Only about Father is there no... (full context)

...family members must be present. Stunned, Corrie walks into his office to be embraced by Willem, Nollie, and Betsie for the first time in months. Willem says that Kik has been... (full context)

Willem quietly relays the information that Rolf and another underground police officer helped the Jews escape... (full context)

After some minutes, the Lieutenant curtails the reunion. Before leaving, Willem leads the group in prayer, thanking God for bringing them together and for the influence... (full context)

...arranges for Corrie to get a ride south on a food truck. She arrives at Willem’s house at dawn, to be enveloped in embraces by her brother, Tine, and their children.... (full context)

Corrie spends several days in Willem’s house, which is full of elderly people and young men hiding from conscription. Still, she’s... (full context)