Betsie ten Boom

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Betsie ten Boom
Birth name	Elisabeth ten Boom
Born	19 August 1885
Origin	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died	16 December 1944
Occupation(s)	Homemaker, Bookkeeper
Website	Corrie ten Boom website

Elisabeth ten Boom (1885-1944) was one of the leading characters in The Hiding Place, a book written by her sister Corrie ten Boom about the family's experiences during World War Two. Nicknamed Betsie, she suffered with pernicious anemia from her birth. The oldest of five ten Boom children, she did not leave the family and marry, but remained at home until World War Two.

Contents 1 Juvenile Pernicious Anemia 2 Career and Education 3 1940-1944 4 Faith 5 Translation

[edit] Juvenile Pernicious Anemia

Betsie suffered with a special case of Pernicious anemia that starts in childhood, called juvenile Pernicious anemia (JPA). This case is (said to be) caused by a malfunction of the gastric juices of intrinsic factor during the 9 weeks before birth. Betsie's illness prevented her from bearing children, so she chose, at a young age, not to marry.

[edit] Career and Education

Betsie worked side-by-side in the watchshop with her father Casper as a bookkeeper. Corrie later took over that role when Betsie caught the flu. Betsie was educated in the local primary and secondary school until the age of 16. She then remained home to work with her father and occasionally cook. After Corrie took over, Betsie began in housekeeping and continued to do so until 1944.

[edit] 1940-1944

During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the family hid Jews in their home. The family was arrested for this. Betsie died in the Ravensbrück concentration camp on December 16, 1944, at the age of 59.

[edit] Faith

Her strong faith in God kept her from becoming depressed in the camps. Betsie, a Calvinist by birth and choice, believed very strongly in comforting and helping others before herself. She helped Corrie to see the best in everything, no matter what the circumstance.

[edit] Translation

Betsie's name, according to the Dutch translations, means 'My Oath Is To God At The Tree' Elisabeth=My Oath is to God and Ten=At/To the and Boom=Tree