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cpalisa's review against another edition
4.0
This was a tough one to rate. The story is essentially a biography of Henry Gerecke, a Lutheran minister who volunteers for service as a chaplain and is ultimately sent to Nuremberg to minister to the Nazi war criminals on trial. Wow! As you would expect, the story is amazing and Gerecke is just an amazing person. That he is somehow able to separate the men from their horrible crimes and seek to bring them to Christ was incredible. He was tireless in his work, whether it be with the soldiers, the citizens, the criminals or their families, he just didn't cease in his work to spread the gospel. 5 stars for him doesn't even begin to do justice. I didn't, however, love the way the book presented the story. It shot off on tangents that were often just confusing. I wished that it was a little more linear. Parts of it were terribly dry, which is a shame when the subject was so very fascinating. 3 stars for the layout of the book. So glad I read about this man, though!
adamschoenmaker's review against another edition
5.0
Two of my most-read topics are pastoral ministry and WW2, so I've been looking forward to reading this for a while. It didn't disappoint. Fascinating insight into some of the men who committed unfathomable evil, including their upbringings and their backgrounds, and how one man managed to minister to them in their hour of judgement. I honestly don't know if I could have done what Henry Gerecke did; I really was inspired by his example. I also enjoyed the theological reflection interspersed throughout, without necessarily agreeing with the author's conclusions. Loved it.
vabonnett's review against another edition
5.0
The book focuses on Henry Gerecke, the US Army chaplain for the Nuremberg Trials. This book was so well written. I knew a bit about the trials, but getting information about the behind the scenes from the chaplains who ministered to the Nazis really brought a different perspective to this most important moment in history. Gerecke was an amazing man and I really enjoyed reading about his life and major role in World War II. One of my all time favorite books I've ever read.
jhadler's review against another edition
5.0
I had no idea a Lutheran pastor was the chaplain to willingly minister to the Nazi criminals at Nuremberg. Pastor Gerecke was truly used by God in a mighty way. Very inspiring!
jamie_o's review against another edition
4.0
This book is an interesting look at the Nuremberg trials from the perspective of military chaplain Henry Gerecke, whose time at Nuremberg is described as "a historic experiment in how good confronts radical evil."
Not solely about Gerecke and his time in Germany, the book covers the history of the chaplaincy, the German cities/regions in which Gerecke is involved, and a brief history of each major character introduced. This mostly worked, as it gave good context for the time period, but there were so many characters that it was easy to forget who a certain person was, especially listening to the audiobook where it's not easy to go back and reread.
Townsend provided what felt like a fair and balanced view of Henry Gerecke, showing his faults and positive traits. He sounded like the type of person every Christian should aspire to: down to earth, faithful, and compassionate. I like how his preaching was described as non-pretentious, and everyone felt like Gerecke was speaking directly to him/herself. Before Nuremberg, he was a pastor, then missionary in his hometown of St. Louis, where he had a heart for the downtrodden and needy of every ethnicity.
People wondered how Gerecke could minister to such evil monsters (including Hermann Goering) at Nuremberg, but he said that he just had to remind himself that they were once children too, and as in need of a savior as anyone.
Not solely about Gerecke and his time in Germany, the book covers the history of the chaplaincy, the German cities/regions in which Gerecke is involved, and a brief history of each major character introduced. This mostly worked, as it gave good context for the time period, but there were so many characters that it was easy to forget who a certain person was, especially listening to the audiobook where it's not easy to go back and reread.
Townsend provided what felt like a fair and balanced view of Henry Gerecke, showing his faults and positive traits. He sounded like the type of person every Christian should aspire to: down to earth, faithful, and compassionate. I like how his preaching was described as non-pretentious, and everyone felt like Gerecke was speaking directly to him/herself. Before Nuremberg, he was a pastor, then missionary in his hometown of St. Louis, where he had a heart for the downtrodden and needy of every ethnicity.
People wondered how Gerecke could minister to such evil monsters (including Hermann Goering) at Nuremberg, but he said that he just had to remind himself that they were once children too, and as in need of a savior as anyone.
holtfan's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
If you want a shorthand for the ultimate embodiment of evil, you usually mention the Nazis. Their crimes against humanity were so great that the world held an international tribunal to sentence and condemn the leaders. Imagine being charged with their spiritual needs.
Yet that's exactly what happened to Henry Gereck--a middle aged, Midwest Lutheran pastor.
This is the fascinating biography of the man who served as chaplain to the Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg trials. It runs rather dry, especially initially, but tells a truly inspiring story. The best parts are the occasional glimpses of family life that clearly come from the direct interviews done with Gereck's sons. Or maybe even better, the glimpses we get of Gereck's inner turmoil as he tries to show the love of God to men who oversaw atrocious acts of genocide.
Besides quotes from Gereck and some of the unique pressures he faced, this book delves into the backstory of the leaders of the Third Reich, the arguments for and against the Nuremberg trials, and even the Christian's response to evil and suffering. I am not entirely sure I understood or agreed with this author's portrayal of Christian doctrine, but it certainly adds an interesting dimension.
Definitely recommend.
If you want a shorthand for the ultimate embodiment of evil, you usually mention the Nazis. Their crimes against humanity were so great that the world held an international tribunal to sentence and condemn the leaders. Imagine being charged with their spiritual needs.
Yet that's exactly what happened to Henry Gereck--a middle aged, Midwest Lutheran pastor.
This is the fascinating biography of the man who served as chaplain to the Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg trials. It runs rather dry, especially initially, but tells a truly inspiring story. The best parts are the occasional glimpses of family life that clearly come from the direct interviews done with Gereck's sons. Or maybe even better, the glimpses we get of Gereck's inner turmoil as he tries to show the love of God to men who oversaw atrocious acts of genocide.
Besides quotes from Gereck and some of the unique pressures he faced, this book delves into the backstory of the leaders of the Third Reich, the arguments for and against the Nuremberg trials, and even the Christian's response to evil and suffering. I am not entirely sure I understood or agreed with this author's portrayal of Christian doctrine, but it certainly adds an interesting dimension.
Definitely recommend.
gretlulu's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a powerful Christian witness of a humble pastor. A moving story about a man who firmly believed his vocation was to return sinners to God fearing men. Beware the descriptions of the Third Reich.
danielmcgregor76's review against another edition
4.0
This book raises important questions of evil and forgiveness. It also shows and describes a man who faithfully executed his responsibility a chaplian to some of the evilest men in all of world history. There is plenty for pastors to chew on and think about as the result of this book. Is there anyone beyond God's forgiveness? How do we love those who do evil? There are sections that are a bit long in the tooth and are tangental to the story which is the only reason this book is getting 4 not 5 stars.
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