For Labor Day: “I Walked to the Gallows with Nazi Chiefs”

In 1946 Pastor Henry Gerecke of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Army Chaplain was given a difficult assignment: Protestant Chaplain at the military prison in Nuremberg ministering to the Protestants among the Nazi war criminals, such as Goering, Speer, von Ribbentrop etc. Five years after that, per army orders, the Pastor was allowed to write about his ministry to the Nazis, “I Walked to the Gallows with Nazi Chiefs”. You will learn or be reminded about the importance of the Catechism, true pastoral ministry, true repentance and through it all, the power of the Gospel.

You will also read in Pastor Gerecke’s account the true story of a vocation: a pastor. As another Lutheran lay theologian, Gene Edward Veith, has suggested that Labor Day is also Vocation Day. The paths to a vocation are sometimes quite a journey as a young man tries this job, and it fails or does not fit, tries another, yet another and then finally finds his vocation (literally, a calling). This is important to remember on Labor Day that also within a vocation, as Pastor Gerecke’s calling led him to become a military chaplain…then one day being assigned to offer spiritual and pastoral guidance to the most notorious and evil men who have walked on earth. He was taken aback by this responsibility as he did not think this would ever happen. You don’t know where the Lord will lead but He is faithful in His calling to you.

Pastor Gerecke’s account is must read and can be found here:

“I Walked to the Gallows with Nazi Chiefs”