Paul Schneider: The Pastor of Buchenwald

On a January morning in 1939 in the concentration camp of Buchenwald, two beleaguered prisoners who had attempted to escape were brought into the parade grounds of the camp.  There they were mercilessly executed.  As the bodies of the two prisoners went limp, a voice rang out across the camp from the window of the punishment cell.
 

“In the name of Jesus Christ, I witness against the murder of these prisoners!”

The person who condemned these executions was the German Pastor, Paul Schneider.  No other prisoner had ever dared to speak out against the Nazi atrocities like Pastor Schneider.

Paul Schneider served Germany for three years during World War I, went to seminary, married, had six children, and became the Pastor of a German Reformed church in Dickenschied.  He was disturbed by the political movements of the 1930’s and was sickened especially by the Hitler Youth movement.  Sunday School classes were turned into nationalistic meetings where prayers were made not to God but to the Fatherland.  He refused to get swept along in this tide of nationalism.  He recognized National Socialism and Nazism for what they really were – Satan’s attempt for domination.  Pastor Schneider refused to salute the Swastika, he re-introduced church discipline to his little church to those who preached the Nazi gospel, and he spoke out against the Nazi regime.  It should be no surprise then that Pastor Schneider was arrested on May 31, 1937, and eventually sent to the infamous Buchenwald.

Inset in the front gate of Buchenwald were the words “Jedem das Seine” which idiomatically mean “everyone gets what he deserves”.  Though not technically an extermination camp, Buchenwald was a brutal camp comprising of starvation, medical experimentation, hard labour and cruel punishments.  The camp commandant and guards were brutal sadists who became completely desensitized and devoid of any notion of mercy.  In essence, Buchenwald was human depravity brazenly unmasked and on display.

Though Pastor Schneider’s heavily censored letters assured his wife, family and congregation that he was in good health and doing fine, in reality, Pastor Schneider was in a lot of trouble early on in his imprisonment at Buchenwald.  His trouble began when he refused to take off his hat and salute the Swastika.  He told the German guards that to salute to the Swastika would be akin to idolatry.  It was from that point that he was taken to the punishment cells and kept in solitary confinement.  

His cell did have a window, from where he proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone in earshot.  He also used the window as a platform of protest and condemnation.  He denounced his captors and torturers as followers and captives of Satan.  He preached Christ and proclaimed scripture even when his guards came in to make him stop.

Every form of torture was thrown against Pastor Schneider.  The Nazi guards tried to break him down physically, and conversely tried to show kindness with hope that he would follow Buchenwald rules.  They said he could go free – go back to his family and church – if he signed a paper that said he would never speak out against the government again.  He refused, and held fast.  By 1939, his body was permanently bent from the torture, which caused constant pain.   On Easter morning, thousands of prisoners were assembled on the parade ground for roll call.  He managed to stand up by the window, despite his crippling pain.  He called out the window in a strong voice "Comrades, hear me. Here speaks Pastor Schneider. Here is tortured and murdered. So speaks the Lord: I am the resurrection and the life!"  The guards rushed in his cell to silence Pastor Schneider.  The prisoner’s heard the message, and knew that it was spoken from the Pastor of Buchenwald.

 

Though the punishment cells were only meant for short periods, Pastor Schneider never left his cell.  The guards were afraid of Pastor Schneider – afraid of the influence he wielded, afraid of his moral courage, and afraid of his leader, the Lion of Judah.  Just as Mary Queen of Scots feared John Knox above all the armies of England, so too was the fear towards Pastor Schneider.  They knew that there was something different about this prisoner.  They could see that he was not afraid of them and their means of torture.  The Nazis’ were infuriated with his boldness and condemnation, but were powerless to stop it.  Pastor Schneider would simply not bend his knee before them.

Shortly after the Easter of 1939, Pastor Paul Schneider was put to death by lethal injection.  His faith and courage emboldened many fellow believers to stand against the Nazi tyranny.  His suffering and death pointed their eyes heavenward.

“If we lose our life here from him, he will keep it unto everlasting life.  He will let us see his glory here and there.  Then through suffering we shall find our way to glory, through the cross to the throne.  We shall believe that, according to his word, we shall trust his promise and, therefore, we shall give thanks to him with joy.”  Paul Schneider

 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Psalm 20:7

An Easter Story

Barabbas shared the dark, musty cell with two other criminals. This was the end for all three – this was death row. They were to be brought out of the city that evening – to the place of the skull – and crucified. Barabbas felt his stomach lurch at the thought. His arms and legs were both chained to the wall so that Barabbas would not be able to end his life prematurely. Barabbas looked at the other two criminals. Their heads were hanging down, and they looked miserable and broken. Barabbas didn’t feel sorry for them though – they were thieves who stole from the Romans and from the Jews for their own gain.

Barabbas thought back to his own crimes. He had been the leader of a pack of rebels. They had only one goal and that was to get rid of the Romans. They did anything to achieve that goal – even if that meant stealing from their own countrymen, or murdering them. Barabbas had done some horrible things, he knew, but it was all for the cause. Many had accused Barabbas of only looking out for himself and his band of men. A lot of Jews were scared of Barabbas because he took what he wanted. The Jewish leadership didn’t like Barabbas either and Barabbas despised them in return. Barabbas spit on the floor as he thought about those power hungry Pharisees. In his mind, the Pharisees were no different than the Romans.

His crimes had finally caught up with him. He had caused too much trouble and the Romans, with the help of the Jewish leadership, moved in to crush him and his band of men. One night, his location had been betrayed. He wasn’t surprised – the Jews didn’t like it when he hid out in one their villages. The Romans moved in with overwhelming force. There was a desperate fight and many of his men fought to the death. Barabbas was taken, and dragged to Jerusalem in chains. There was a quick trial, and an even quicker sentencing by Pontius Pilate. Crucifixion.

Barabbas’s thoughts were disturbed by a commotion outside the prison walls. Barabbas could hear that a lot of people were gathering by Pilate’s portico. Were they here to watch the procession to Golgotha and the crucifixion? Was everyone turning on him? Didn’t they realize that he was trying to help them?

“What is happening?” one of the thieves said.

Barabbas strained to hear what was going on. Then he heard his name being chanted.

“Barabbas! Barabbas!”

Why were they chanting his name? What did they want?

The chanting died down but soon began again. This time the crowd was shouting something different.

“Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Barabbas began to sweat as his stomach heaved at the sounds of the blood thirsty crowd and the thought of going to Golgotha.

At the far end of the hallway, a heavy gate groaned open, and marching was heard coming towards the cell.

“They’re coming for us!” cried the one prisoner. He frantically pulled at his chains.

The footsteps of the Roman soldiers came closer. There was no doubt that they were coming for Barabbas and the other two prisoners.

“Open that door!” exclaimed one of the soldiers. A key sounded in the lock, and the door was pulled open. Light from a torch flooded into the room revealing the three desperate criminals.

“Stand up, Barabbas. The gods have smiled upon you!” One of the soldiers said gruffly.

“Take off his chains!” commanded the captain of the guard.

One of the guards moved quickly to loosen Barabbas’s chains. The chains fell to the floor.

Barabbas couldn’t understand what was happening.

“Where are you taking me?” Barabbas said as they led him out of the cell.

“You are free Barabbas.” said the captain.

“But I heard the crowds chanting ‘Crucify him!’ Why would I be free?”

“Someone has taken your place – they didn’t want you to be crucified – they wanted that man Jesus.”

Barabbas and the soldiers made their way out of the prison to Pilate’s portico overlooking the crowd. The sunlight blinded Barabbas who had spent a couple of weeks in a black cell. When his eyes adjusted, he saw a man to his right. He was badly beaten, and large thorns had been twisted on his head. In front of him was Pontius Pilate who appeared to be washing his hands in front of the crowd. The guards released Barabbas and lifted Jesus to his feet.

Barabbas stared at Jesus. What had this man done? Barabbas had heard about Jesus and the miracles he had done, but did not understand why Jesus did not speak out against the Romans.

Then Jesus looked at Barabbas. Barabbas felt as if Jesus was looking into his very soul – such piercing eyes. Barabbas’s cellmates were brought out and each had a large wooden beam put on their backs. Jesus was unable to carry the large beam, so a man was pulled out of the crowd. The prisoners and the crowd left the portico and headed for the city gates.

Barabbas still did not understand what was happening but felt compelled to follow.
Finally the crowd and the prisoners made their way to Golgotha. Barabbas looked away as the nails were driven through the palms of the three men. Barabbas seethed inside as he watched a Roman soldier put a sign on top of Jesus’ cross that read “King of the Jews”.

“What had this man done to deserve this?” Barabbas thought. As the crosses were raised into place, another thought entered Barabbas’s mind. “I should be up there hanging on that cross – not him. I am the murderer and thief, and I’ve broken every commandment and law.

Barabbas moved closer to the cross just in time to hear Jesus say “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“Forgive them?” Barabbas was ruled by hate and couldn’t comprehend how this innocent man could show love to his enemies.

The hours passed, and the crowd became silent. The mocking had all but stopped as the crowd strained to hear what Jesus would say.

One of the thieves turned his head to Jesus. “Jesus,” he said in a halting voice “remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Barabbas looked at Jesus and heard him say “today you will be with me in paradise.”
More time passed, and the sky became as black as ink. The quiet and stillness of the crowd was broken by a loud cry from Jesus. Then the earth began to shake, and thunder and lightning erupted. Some of the people in the crowd fell down to their knees and cried to Jesus.

Barabbas saw the Captain of the guard who had released him approaching. He turned to Barabbas. “This man,” he said pointing to Jesus “was innocent. Truly, he was the son of God.”

Barabbas left Golgotha deeply moved by all that had happened. “I am alive,” he thought, “Because he took my place. He cleared my debt. He took my spot on that horrible cross. This morning, I was chained to a wall in a dark cell sentenced to die on the cross. Now, thanks to Jesus, I am free.”

________________________________
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
- Charles Wesley