Willem ten Boom Character Analysis

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.