Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Shadow of His Wings by Gereon Goldmann Gereon Goldmann. Gereon Karl Goldmann , OFM (25 – 26 July 2003) was a German Franciscan priest, a World War II veteran of the and Waffen SS, and a member of the German Resistance against . [1] Contents. Early life [ edit | edit source ] Gereon Karl Goldmann was born on 25 October 1916 in Ziegenhain (now part of , ) as one of seven children of Karl Goldmann, a veterinarian, and his wife, Margarethe. After his wife's death in 1924, Karl Goldmann remarried, and the family moved to . There, Gereon Goldmann joined the Bund Neudeutschland , a Catholic youth association run by the Jesuits. This group spent time doing charitable works in the city and countryside. Often they were engaged in vicious street battles against the group. Goldmann entered a Franciscan seminary on 10 October 1935. [ citation needed ] Military career [ edit | edit source ] This article does not contain any citations or references. Please improve this article by adding a reference. For information about how to add references, see Template:Citation. |date= >> Goldmann was drafted into the Wehrmacht following the completion of his seminary education in philosophy, and was commissioned as a lieutenant. When World War II began, he was transferred to a Waffen SS training unit in Occupied Poland. In his memoirs, he vividly describes the Anti-Christianity rampant in the Waffen SS and the brutal hazing wreaked on his fellow Catholic recruits. Goldmann sent a protest directly to SS chief , and in early 1942, he was transferred back to the Wehrmacht in disgrace. He spoke openly of his hatred for , and September 1942 he was charged with high . He was court martialed at , but was acquitted, escaping the death penalty. He was then transferred to the Eastern front. Goldmann was soon arrested again and spent the winter of 1943 in prison; he was then sent to Occupied France, and later to . The German Resistance [ edit | edit source ] On a home leave in , he was approached by , a career diplomat and member of the Kreisau Circle. To Goldmann's horror, von Trott zu Solz identified himself as a member of a secret organization formed to assassinate Hitler and dismantle . In a deliberate attempt to recruit him, von Trott zu Solz told Goldmann, "You can help us to save Germany from its disgrace." The jurist informed Goldmann that his acquittal by the court-martial was due to the influence of the German Resistance. [ citation needed ] Goldmann responded that he had taken the soldier's oath and could not, as a Christian, go back on his word. Von Trott zu Solz responded, "I am also a Christian, as are those who are with me. We have prayed before the crucifix and have agreed that since we are Christians, we cannot violate the allegiance we owe God. We must therefore break our word given to him who has broken so many agreements and still is doing it. If only you knew what I know, Goldmann! There is no other way! Since we are Germans and Christians we must act, and if not soon, then it will be too late. Think it over till tonight." [2] The next day, Goldmann informed von Trott zu Solz that his terms were acceptable. He then joined the 20 July Plot as a carrier of secret dispatches. One such assignment led him to Rome in January 1944. Baron Ernst von Weizsäcker, the German Ambassador to the Vatican, was sympathetic to the Resistance, and arranged an audience for Goldmann with Pope Pius XII. The Pope granted Goldmann special dispensation to be ordained to the priesthood without the customary three years of theology studies. [ citation needed ] Prisoner of war [ edit | edit source ] This article does not contain any citations or references. Please improve this article by adding a reference. For information about how to add references, see Template:Citation. |date= >> Goldmann was captured by the following the , and sent to a POW camp in , and then later in . On 24 June 1944, he was ordained a priest in the church of Notre Dame de Rivet, near the POW camp in Algeria. From August 1944 until the end of 1945, he served as chaplain in a camp at Ksar es Souk, Morocco. According to Goldmann's memoirs, many of the inmates at Ksar es Souk remained convinced Nazis and therefore regarded their chaplain as a traitor. They falsely accused him of being the former commandant of Dachau concentration camp, alleging that he had attempted to escape prosecution by becoming a priest. The French authorities believed this accusation, and arrested Goldmann at the end of 1945. At Meknes he was court-martialed by the French Army, and sentenced to death by firing squad. In February 1946, just before the scheduled execution, Pope Pius XII and several others interceded on Goldmann's behalf, declaring that the charges were false. As a result, Goldmann's execution was delayed and eventually his conviction was overturned altogether. Post-war life [ edit | edit source ] After his release in 1947 he returned to . He was again investigated for war crimes by the , but the charges were dropped after he revealed his involvement in the 20 July Plot. He studied theology for a year before turning to work with youth. [ citation needed ] Missionary [ edit | edit source ] This article does not contain any citations or references. Please improve this article by adding a reference. For information about how to add references, see Template:Citation. |date= >> In early 1954, Goldmann went to to head the parish of St Elizabeth in the poverty-ridden Itabashi district of . Between 1954 and 1961, he turned to rag-picking to sustain his parish, but eventually collected enough money to establish a foundation for education. He built two churches, numerous houses, hospitals, a vacation center for families, and a community center. For his efforts, in 1965 he was honored by Emperor and business executive Tadashi Adachi with the Order of Good Deeds, the highest award bestowed by the state for social work. He continued his charitable works in Japan, but eventually extended these to as well. Later life and death [ edit | edit source ] In poor health, precipitated by a chronic heart condition, Goldmann returned to Germany in 1994, where he remained until his death. Fr. Goldmann died on 26 July 2003 at the Franciscan monastery in Fulda, aged 86. [ citation needed ] LibrisNotes. Detailed plot summaries and critiques of books and movies. Pages. Home Historical Fiction Picture Books Movies and Documentaries Highly Recommended About this blog. Thursday, February 11, 2010. The Shadow of His Wings by Fr. Gereon Goldmann OFM. This book is the wartime story of Gereon Goldmann, a German who eventually became a Franciscan. Fr. Gereon grew up in Fulda, a city renowned for being very Catholic. Although his mother died when he was a young boy, Gereon grew up in a large Catholic family. His father married his mother's younger sister and together they had 5 more children. Gereon's story is about coming of age in a desperate time, when Nazism gripped Germany. When Adolf Hitler came to power, Gereon had to confront Nazi ideologies head on. His strong Catholic faith was his weapon, along with a deep, intense prayer life. But Gereon was not above physical confrontation with Nazi youth groups and he often debated zealous Nazi teachers. He was also arrested and punished for his opposition to Nazism. Despite the growing persecution by the Nazi's, Gereon was able to secretly enter the Franciscan novitiate in Gorheim-Sigmarinen in 1936. He finished his studies in philosophy in 1939 at the age of 22 but was then drafted into the German army. Gereon soon found himself one of 200 young student theologians who became part of the Wehrmacht. His story is one of God's immense providence in protecting Gereon through the grueling training and the intense persecution by Nazi officers. In 1940, Heinrich Himmler, impressed by Gereon's courage granted him and the other theologians permission to carry out their religious duties without further interference from the anti-Christian officers of the SS. However, when the SS attempted to force Gereon and the other theologians to repudiate their faith, Gereon was expelled from the SS. None of his fellow Catholics signed Gereon's written rejection of Nazism. He was expelled and eventually sent to Russia and to Italy. Gereon was able to meet Pope Pius XII and was also granted permission to function as a priest despite never having studied theology. Fr. Gereon writes with wit and directness. His deep faith is evident throughout. Book Details: The Shadow of His Wings. The true story of Fr. Gereon Goldmann OFM Translated by Benedict Leutenegger Ignatius Press 2000 345pp. The Shadow of His Wings : The True Story of Fr. Gereon Goldmann. We had to do it. We had to reprint this book. Rarely has a book had such an impact on so many of us here at Ignatius Press. It is one of the most powerful and moving books we have come across. If you can only buy one book this season, this must be the one. Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler's dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war. How it all came to pass will astound you. Father Goldmann tells of his own incredible experiences of the trials of war, his many escapes from almost certain death, and the diabolical persecution that he and his fellow Catholic soldiers encountered on account of their faith. What emerges is an extraordinary witness to the workings of Divine Providence and the undying power of love, prayer, faith, and sacrifice. Illustrated. Отзывы - Написать отзыв. Unforgettable story. The extraordinary, riveting and true story of an amazing young man's experience in Nazi Germany. A biography you can hardly put down, told by Fr. Gereon Goldmann himself. Wonderful! Читать весь отзыв. LibraryThing Review. This is one of the most heartening books I have ever read. It unequivocally and powerfully gives testimony to God's reliability and faithfulness. It especially demonstrates God’s intervening goodness . Читать весь отзыв. ISBN 13: 9780898707748. The Shadow of His Wings: The True Story of Fr. Gereon Goldmann, OFM. Goldmann, Gereron. This specific ISBN edition is currently not available. We had to do it. We had to reprint this book. Rarely has a book had such an impact on so many of us here at Ignatius Press. It is one of the most powerful and moving books we have come across. If you can only buy one book this season, this must be the one. Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler's dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war. How it all came to pass will astound you. Father Goldmann tells of his own incredible experiences of the trials of war, his many escapes from almost certain death, and the diabolical persecution that he and his fellow Catholic soldiers encountered on account of their faith. What emerges is an extraordinary witness to the workings of Divine Providence and the undying power of love, prayer, faith, and sacrifice. Illustrated. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title. Text: English (translation) Original Language: German. "An incredible and gripping account of survival by Divine Providence alone. This book proves again the insanity of war and the way that God is able to bring good out of evil if one has faith. This book gives you a lot to think about." -- Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR , Author, Arise from Darkness. "The Shadow of His Wings is truly an amazing book. From the first line to the last, the reader will be captivated. This book is a must." -- Alice von Hildebrand , Author, By Love Refined. The Shadow of His Wings. We had to do it. We had to reprint this book. Rarely has a book had such an impact on so many of us here at Ignatius Press. It is one of the most powerful and moving books we have come across. If you can only buy one book this season, this must be the one. Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler's dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war. How it all came to pass will astound you. Father Goldmann tells of his own incredible experiences of the trials of war, his many escapes from almost certain death, and the diabolical persecution that he and his fellow Catholic soldiers encountered on account of their faith. What emerges is an extraordinary witness to the workings of Divine Providence and the undying power of love, prayer, faith, and sacrifice. Illustrated. Отзывы - Написать отзыв. Unforgettable story. The extraordinary, riveting and true story of an amazing young man's experience in Nazi Germany. A biography you can hardly put down, told by Fr. Gereon Goldmann himself. Wonderful! Читать весь отзыв. LibraryThing Review. This is one of the most heartening books I have ever read. It unequivocally and powerfully gives testimony to God's reliability and faithfulness. It especially demonstrates God’s intervening goodness . Читать весь отзыв.