THE WATCHMAKER'S DAUGHTER

A fresh account of anti-Nazi resistance.

During World War II, Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) became a national hero in the Netherlands for her actions, which saved the lives of hundreds of Jews. Arrested late in the war, she and her family suffered terribly in concentration camps, and several of her relatives died. A devoted Christian whose faith never flagged, she combined charity work with her profession as a watchmaker before the war and continued her good works until her death. Unlike many survivors, she publicly forgave her oppressors, even the worst of the concentration camp guards. After the war, she set up rehabilitation centers that supported survivors but also welcomed countrymen who were unemployable due to their support of the Nazis during the occupation. Ten Boom’s bestselling 1971 memoir, The Hiding Place, was made into a 1975 film, and her many Christian-themed books, as well as biographies by other writers, are still in print. Loftis, bestselling author of nonfiction spy thrillers, wondered if there was anything he could add. Fortunately for readers, he turns up diaries and letters from others in ten Boom’s circle as well as a trove of photographs that enable him to tell a detailed, moving story. Despite the heroism of the Dutch resistance, three-quarters of Holland’s Jews were killed, a higher percentage than in Belgium and France. Reports of genuine heroes like ten Boom are not in short supply, but they are nonetheless inspiring stories about a small minority whose sacrifices, although worthy of acclaim, played a marginal role in the Allied victory or in mitigating the Holocaust. This is a solid addition to the literature about these heroes. The author also includes an informative section at the end titled “The Rest of the Story,” which chronicles “the accomplishments of those not necessarily connected to the ten Booms, but central to the overall Dutch World War II story.”

A story of unbelievable suffering and courage that deserves to be told.