REFLECTIONS UPON A BLESSED AND HAPPY LIFE. NO 24 WW II

As mentioned before, the years of WWII matched almost exactly my years at Concordia Academy for grades 9-12.

I experienced WWII as an average American teen-ager, but also with a bit of a difference from many. I was a child in a “German Lutheran Church” (The Missouri Synod.)Within that context I spoke German before I learned English. When I was with my grandparents I was expected to speak German. Almost all our Lutheran church worship services were in the German language. I memorized Luther’s Small Catechism in German.

Thus there was an especially great interest in things German and what was happening in Germany. This intensified with the rise of Hitler. I vividly recall my father getting Adolph Hitler’s speeches over short-wave radio. Dad listened intently as Hitler raged and raved. Dad understood the words better than I. Dad heard enough to be very disturbed. He saw Hitler as a dangerous and evil man. Dad told me that Germany was in the wrong in its aggressive policies and unprovoked war. Thus, when war against Germany was officially declared there was no doubt that our allegiance was 100% pro-America.

As I have written earlier, many of the young people from my congregation enlisted. Others were drafted. For each one a star was duly embroidered on a large white cloth poster prominently displayed in the front of the church. Sadly, the white star was replaced with a gold star when one of the members had been killed in action.

Lutherans (including the very narrow Missouri Synod) supported the concept of military chaplains and many of the pastors served with distinction. At the same time the church supported its clergy as being exempt from military service and received approval for those of us “studying for the ministry” to receive a 4D deferred status in the military draft.

Prayers for peace and protection were in abundance at every worship service. Members were encouraged to do their part in conservation of products and in supporting the war effort via agricultural production, work in plants producing planes etc., and in buying war bonds and donating blood.

In the midst of this two very negative images still stick in my mind. The first has to do with Zion Lutheran Church in Walburg, Texas. Someone had written a hymn asking for God’s protection and an early end of the war. Most Missouri Synod churches chose to sing this hymn as the final song each Sunday. However at Zion there was a protest against singing an English song even though it was a prayer for peace, as part of the German worship service. I still recall how each Sunday a small group of men and women would walk out because of this.

The second image forever seared into my soul happened at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Austin. A young 1st Lieutenant in full uniform entered, walked about two-thirds of the way to the front of the sanctuary and took his seat in the pew. After a few\we minutes two ushers came and asked him to leave that seat and to come to the back of the church. That lieutenant was black and was not supposed to sit among the white worshippers.

Neither the Germans nor us Americans can claim pure holiness of motive or action.