(Deutsche Welle-Germany) Christoph Strack - Pastor Julius von Jan, 41, chose not to look away in silence when a wave of pogroms across Germany left hundreds of Jews dead on November 9, 1938 - Kristallnacht. The first concentration camps were in operation and the persecution of the Jews was systematic. Eight days after the pogroms, the Protestant pastor in Oberlenningen delivered a sermon saying that "temples that were holy have been burned down with impunity, strangers' property robbed or destroyed, men who loyally served our German nation and faithfully did their duty have been thrown into concentration camps just because they were members of another race!" Now, 82 years on from those words, Israel is honoring Julius von Jan as "Righteous Among the Nations" - one of the few non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews from Nazi persecution. His son, Richard von Jan, 86, accepted the honor on behalf of his father. The Protestant Church, which did not stand behind him in his resistance to persecution, did prevent him from being sent to a concentration camp. But von Jan was removed from his post as a pastor and was no longer allowed to show his face in Oberlenningen. He was beaten up and thrown into prison before later being sent to the Eastern Front, but survived the war and returned to again serve as pastor in the town.
2020-10-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive