May 27, 1942
It has been two weeks since Peter was taken to prison. It is 7:55 p.m. and it's five minutes before our new curfew of 8:00. Father, Corrie, and I were seated around the dinner table. Father was replacing watches and I was doing needlework with our fat, black cat curled up in my lap.
We heard a knock on the alley door. Corrie went and glanced in the window mirror. She said that standing out in the bright spring sunlight was a woman. Corrie ran down the stairs and whipped the door open.
'' Can I come in?" She said sounded as though she was in fear.
''Of course!"
"My name is Kleermaker and I am a Jew."
''How are you?" I made a movement to relieve her of her small suitcase, but she grasped it tighter. "Would you like to come upstairs?" We went over to the staircase and went up and found Father and I. "Mrs. Kleermaker, I'd like you to meet my sister Betsie and my father."
"I was just about to make some tea", I said,"and you are just in time to join us."
Mrs. Kleermaker accepted the tea gratfully and told us about how her husband had been arrested months ago and also told us about her son going into hiding. Then, yesterday the political police came and told her that she would have to close her clothing store. She was to scared to return to the apartment above the store that she lived in.
Well, I think I should get to know Mrs. Kleermaker a little better so I'll be back tomorrow to tell you how it goes. Bye.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Peter has been taken!
May 13, 1942
It was a Wednesday morning and for the past few days we had all worried that Peter would be taken by the Gestapo. Everyday we would hear the police, Gestapo, and NSBers with there automobiles. They were the only ones to have automobiles these days. Two days after going to church we had decided that there we two possibilites. One being the fact that he was not reported to the Gestapo and the other being that they had more important things to focus their time on.
Just when we all started to calm ourselves down that morning Peter's little sister Cocky busts through the watch shop door! '' Tante Corrie! Tante Corrie! They took Peter away!" We all stared in disbelief.
"Where? When?" She was not sure though. Today we learned that he was taken to a federal prison in Amsterdam.
It was a Wednesday morning and for the past few days we had all worried that Peter would be taken by the Gestapo. Everyday we would hear the police, Gestapo, and NSBers with there automobiles. They were the only ones to have automobiles these days. Two days after going to church we had decided that there we two possibilites. One being the fact that he was not reported to the Gestapo and the other being that they had more important things to focus their time on.
Just when we all started to calm ourselves down that morning Peter's little sister Cocky busts through the watch shop door! '' Tante Corrie! Tante Corrie! They took Peter away!" We all stared in disbelief.
"Where? When?" She was not sure though. Today we learned that he was taken to a federal prison in Amsterdam.
Friday, August 28, 2009
My sister's favorite nephew
May 10, 1942
Today is Sunday. It is a beautiful spring day and the sun is shining so bright! In about an hour or so I will be leaving to go to our Dutch reformed church in Velson. Velson is a small town near Harlem. Peter was going to be there as well. Peter is Corrie's favorite nephew. He is an organist in the church. He is so fantastic on the organ that he won an organist competition. The most impressive part was that he won against forty older men who had more experience then he did.
We loved hearing him play the organ. It was like he was meant to play the organ. It made us all happy even though the churches were all packed now due to the soldiers instructions. Now church was the only thing that helped us to keep our faith during this time of misery.
Well, it's time for church so I will talk to you soon. Good bye.
Today is Sunday. It is a beautiful spring day and the sun is shining so bright! In about an hour or so I will be leaving to go to our Dutch reformed church in Velson. Velson is a small town near Harlem. Peter was going to be there as well. Peter is Corrie's favorite nephew. He is an organist in the church. He is so fantastic on the organ that he won an organist competition. The most impressive part was that he won against forty older men who had more experience then he did.
We loved hearing him play the organ. It was like he was meant to play the organ. It made us all happy even though the churches were all packed now due to the soldiers instructions. Now church was the only thing that helped us to keep our faith during this time of misery.
Well, it's time for church so I will talk to you soon. Good bye.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Mr. Weil
November 14, 1941
Today is drizzly morning in November 1941. It has been awhile since I last wrote, but today has not been the best day. A group of German soldiers were walking down the Barteljorisstraat and stopped in front of Weil's Furriers. Corrie and I looked out the window and saw Mr. Weil backing out of his shop. A gun was pressed against his stomach and the soldier led him a short distance from the shop and then went back inside the shop and shut the door. The next thing we heard was glass breaking and soldiers carrying out large loads of furs out the door. Next, the window above Mr. Weil's head opened and clothes poured out the window and onto the street. The man started to gather his clothes. Corrie and I ran across the street to help him.
Where is your wife, Mr. Weil? He did not answer. He only blinked at Corrie and I. We rushed him inside before the soldiers reappeared. When we got into the house we found Father at the dining room. He greeted Father calmly as a surprise to all of us. Later, Mr. Weil told us that his wife was not in town at the time. She was in Amsterdam visiting a sister of hers.
I felt for the man. I had to help in some way. I know God wanted me to help this man. We spoke about what we should do.
''I know! We can ask Willem. We could ask him where he would think a safe place is to hide. The only problem was that you couldn't really use the phone even if you had one because a soldier may be able to hear the conversation. I'll have to give it some thought and get back to you when I have made my descision. Bye.
Today is drizzly morning in November 1941. It has been awhile since I last wrote, but today has not been the best day. A group of German soldiers were walking down the Barteljorisstraat and stopped in front of Weil's Furriers. Corrie and I looked out the window and saw Mr. Weil backing out of his shop. A gun was pressed against his stomach and the soldier led him a short distance from the shop and then went back inside the shop and shut the door. The next thing we heard was glass breaking and soldiers carrying out large loads of furs out the door. Next, the window above Mr. Weil's head opened and clothes poured out the window and onto the street. The man started to gather his clothes. Corrie and I ran across the street to help him.
Where is your wife, Mr. Weil? He did not answer. He only blinked at Corrie and I. We rushed him inside before the soldiers reappeared. When we got into the house we found Father at the dining room. He greeted Father calmly as a surprise to all of us. Later, Mr. Weil told us that his wife was not in town at the time. She was in Amsterdam visiting a sister of hers.
I felt for the man. I had to help in some way. I know God wanted me to help this man. We spoke about what we should do.
''I know! We can ask Willem. We could ask him where he would think a safe place is to hide. The only problem was that you couldn't really use the phone even if you had one because a soldier may be able to hear the conversation. I'll have to give it some thought and get back to you when I have made my descision. Bye.
Friday, August 21, 2009
100th Anniversary of Watchshop
January 16,1937
Good evening! It's me again. Today is the 100th anniversary of my father's watchshop. My grandfather- as i said in my last blog- was the person who started this watchshop in 1837. He passed away in 1891 at the age of 75. After gandfather died my father took over the shop.
Today has been a very good day. This morning after having breakfast with the family Corrie and I heard the bell ring downstairs. We had both rushed down the stairs. When we opened the door a beautiful bouquet of flowers covered th man's face. A few minutes later more flowers arrived at the door. By the end of the morning flowers decorated the whole entire downstairs. Beautiful bouquets and their aromas filled the room.
Good evening! It's me again. Today is the 100th anniversary of my father's watchshop. My grandfather- as i said in my last blog- was the person who started this watchshop in 1837. He passed away in 1891 at the age of 75. After gandfather died my father took over the shop.
Today has been a very good day. This morning after having breakfast with the family Corrie and I heard the bell ring downstairs. We had both rushed down the stairs. When we opened the door a beautiful bouquet of flowers covered th man's face. A few minutes later more flowers arrived at the door. By the end of the morning flowers decorated the whole entire downstairs. Beautiful bouquets and their aromas filled the room.
Later the children of Harlem poured into the watchshop. They all gathered around father. Some sitting on his lap. Father is very popular in the city. Everyone knows him and loves him.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Where Betsie Ten Boom comes from
January 15, 1937
Hi.My name is Betsie Ten Boom. I live in the upstairs living space in a watch shop in Harlem. I live with my sister, Corrie and my father, Casper. My mother dosen't live with us because she had passed in 1921 at the age of 63. I have two other siblings: Willem and Nollie. Nollie is the oldest of the four. Willem is second oldest. I am third oldest and Corrie is the youngest.
Hi.My name is Betsie Ten Boom. I live in the upstairs living space in a watch shop in Harlem. I live with my sister, Corrie and my father, Casper. My mother dosen't live with us because she had passed in 1921 at the age of 63. I have two other siblings: Willem and Nollie. Nollie is the oldest of the four. Willem is second oldest. I am third oldest and Corrie is the youngest.
Corrie and I help our father downstairs in the watch shop. The watch shop repairs watches and is also a place for you to purchase watches. Corrie was the first liscensed woman watchmaker. She was very handy with her hands in order to become the first woman to accomplish such an honorable task.
Our grandfather Willem was the start of our family's watch shop. It is now celebrating it's 100th anniversary this year in 1937. It is exciting to have our family business last for one hundred years of repairing and selling watches!
During this long period, after grandfather Willem died Casper took over. The children in the city all loved him and thought of him as their own grandfather. Father always had that way about him that made everyone love him just as Corrie, Mama, Nollie, Willem, and I did. He was always welcoming and never turned anyone away. Everyone in the city liked him. He would even allow people in the city that needed a place to stay come and live in the upstairs with the rest of the family.
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