Some heroes carried guns.
Others carried messages.
One seventeen-year-old girl made a choice
that rippled far beyond the canals of Amsterdam.
Inspired by the remarkable true stories of Dutch Resistance courier Hanneke Ippisch and the underground network led by Walraven van Hall that carried out the largest bank fraud of World War II to save thousands of lives.
What would you risk if doing nothing meant someone else might die?
What is the price of doing nothing?
The biggest bank fraud of World War II wasn’t committed for greed ...
It was committed to save thousands of lives.
This is the story of one ordinary sixteen-year-old girl who became part of the resistance that made it possible.
Hope Through History
A book-first newsletter for readers who love hidden heroes, WWII history, and stories of ordinary courage.
Subscribers receive the first chapters, behind-the-scenes research from the Netherlands, publishing journey updates, and occasional reflections on hope through history.
The Girl Who Rode in Secret
Historical Novel Society:
2026 First Chapters Competition, Children’s & Young Adult Short List
Writers’ League of Texas:
2025 Manuscript Contest Finalist, Young Adult Category
Nearly twenty years of research led to this story.
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Met Dutch Resistance courier Hanneke Ippisch, whose experiences inspired the novel.
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Interviewed Mary Anne van Hall, daughter of resistance leader Walraven van Hall.
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Studied archival photographs, maps, memoirs, and primary historical sources.
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Traveled to the places where these events unfolded to bring forgotten history to life.
Because some stories deserve to be remembered.
The biggest bank fraud of World War II wasn’t committed for greed ...
It was committed to save thousands of lives.
This is the story of one ordinary sixteen-year-old girl who became part of the resistance that made it possible.
Meet the Author
Debby Spitzer
Debby Spitzer is an award-recognized writer and lifelong educator whose passion for forgotten history has taken her from classrooms to archives in the Netherlands.
Over nearly twenty years of research, she met Dutch Resistance courier Hanneke Ippisch, interviewed Mary Anne van Hall, daughter of resistance leader Walraven van Hall, and explored the people and places behind one of World War II's most extraordinary untold stories.
As a national speaker, educational consultant, and founder of HOPEMakers365, Debby shares stories of courage, hope, and history that inspire readers to believe ordinary people can change the world.
Through her HOPEMakers365 movement, she encourages people of all ages to Help One Person Every Day, proving that even the smallest acts of kindness can create lasting ripples of hope.