Participants: John Bradshaw (Host), John Weidner
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001369A
00:06 It has stood the test of time.
00:10 God's book, the Bible. 00:16 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:21 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 ♪ [Stinger - Thoughtful]] ♪ 00:44 JB: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 00:47 Thanks for joining me. In 1994, the movie 00:51 "Schindler's List" won seven Academy Awards, 00:54 including the Oscar for Best Picture. 00:59 It told the story of a Czech German businessman named 01:02 Oskar Schindler, who employed Jews in 01:05 his factories so he could shield them from the horrors 01:09 of the Holocaust. It's said that, in total, 01:13 Oskar Schindler saved the lives of 1200 Jews 01:17 who would almost have certainly perished without his 01:20 direct intervention. Millions died in the Holocaust, 01:25 victims of the madness of Adolph Hitler's final solution. 01:30 Europe was paralyzed by Hitler's megalomania, but there were 01:34 some who dared to stand against Hitler and risk everything to 01:38 give others the gift of freedom. ♪ [Dark Brooding Underscore] ♪ 01:43 Here in Switzerland, during World War II, 01:45 one unlikely hero was personally responsible 01:48 for saving more than 800 Jews from the Nazis 01:52 as well as hundreds of others, including Allied servicemen. 01:56 And it was faith in God that drove this unlikely hero to risk 02:00 his life; to suffer torture and unspeakable abuse; 02:04 to be imprisoned; to live in constant danger. 02:08 Faith in God led this man to give all he had so that others 02:13 might be saved and not perish. ♪ [Pensive Melody] ♪ 02:18 Today, in Cologne, France, a village of 3,000 people just 02:23 outside Geneva, Switzerland, there's a monument recognizing 02:27 the heroism of this man of faith. 02:30 A simple monument paying tribute to an extraordinary life. 02:36 John Weidner was Dutch. He was raised largely in France 02:41 because his father taught at this Christian college. 02:45 And as Hitler's noose began to tighten around the collective 02:48 Jewish neck, he became aware of the desperate situation 02:52 facing many Dutch Jews. 02:57 His upbringing gave him a strong respect for liberty-- 03:00 religious and personal. Seeing Jews being herded into 03:05 detention camps affected him profoundly. 03:08 The simple thing would have been to look the other way as Nazi 03:11 aggression increased in the late 1930s. 03:14 That's what the majority did. After all, what could one person 03:19 possibly do in the face of the overwhelming force and power 03:23 of the Nazi regime? Especially when resistance often 03:28 meant persecution, imprisonment, torture, or death. 03:34 But doing nothing isn't the simple thing, when your heart 03:37 glows with love for God and compassion for others. 03:42 John Weidner couldn't just do nothing, even when choosing to 03:47 do something to help was tantamount to signing his own 03:51 death warrant. 03:53 This is not just another story about another brave man who 03:56 resisted Hitler's machine of war. 03:59 Now, even if it was, it would still be one of the most 04:02 remarkable stories that you'll ever hear. 04:04 But this is a story that has implications for us today, 04:08 because it's an account of someone who demonstrated true 04:12 self-sacrificing love, even as Jesus did 04:15 when He was on the Earth. And this is a story that shows 04:19 us that faith in God leads a believer to actions, 04:23 and not just words. ♪ [Dark Brooding Underscore] ♪ 04:25 Time's a funny thing, isn't it? World War II in Europe was one 04:30 of the most horrific times in all of history. 04:34 Yet today, you'd never know-- at least, not by appearances. 04:38 Geneva, Switzerland, is a beautiful, affluent city. 04:43 Across the border in France, life is a quiet, 04:46 go-about-your-business sort of affair. 04:49 But if we could go back in time not many decades, things would 04:53 be completely different. Not peace, but fear; 04:58 and jeopardy in the place of safety. 05:02 These very streets, these fields and these hills were the scenes 05:07 of incredible drama. In fact, it was these hills 05:10 which provided an escape route for many people fleeing Nazi 05:14 persecution. In 1939, there were 300,000 Jews 05:21 living in France. By 1940, thousands more Jews 05:26 were fleeing to France from Belgium and Holland. 05:29 France was a haven, but in June of 1940, 05:34 when the French army gave way, France was divided 05:37 into two sections. Northern France was occupied by 05:41 Germany, while the south of France, a so-called free zone, 05:46 was administered by a French government that cooperated 05:50 with the Nazis. Many Jews in southern France 05:54 were housed in camps, which before long made them easy 05:58 targets for the Nazis. As long as they were in camps 06:02 in France, the Gestapo could take 06:05 Jews from the camps for any reason at all, 06:09 and those people would usually never be heard from again. 06:14 ♪ [Gentle Melody] ♪ By 1941, Jewish refugees were 06:19 pouring out of Belgium and Holland and into France, 06:24 but it was becoming increasingly difficult for them 06:26 to get out of France. If they could get to Switzerland 06:29 or Spain or England, then they would be safe. 06:33 Now, initially John Weidner began working with 06:36 Dutch diplomats. But as diplomatic solutions to 06:39 this crisis became increasingly impossible to achieve, it became 06:43 obvious that an underground resistance movement was needed. 06:49 A key factor in helping so many escape was this mountain range, 06:54 the Saleve. Beyond is Mont Blanc, the 06:57 highest mountain in Europe. Because Weidner went to school 07:00 at the bottom of this mountain range, he knew it intimately. 07:04 His knowledge of the trails and the cliffs and the hiding places 07:07 of this rugged landscape made it an excellent escape route. 07:12 Ahead of time, God had prepared John Weidner so that at the 07:17 right time God could use him in incredible ways. 07:21 I'll tell you more in just a moment. 07:25 ♪ [Gentle Theme] ♪ >: Every Word is a one-minute 07:27 Bible-based daily devotional presented by 07:29 Pastor John Bradshaw and designed especially 07:32 for busy people like you. Look for Every Word on selected 07:36 networks, or watch it online every day on our website, 07:39 ItIsWritten.com. 07:41 ♪ [Rythmic Melody] ♪ 07:49 JB: During the Christmas season there's a lot of rushing in a 07:51 lot of lives, and a lot of plans being made and a lot of gifts 07:54 being given and a lot of food being consumed. 07:56 And very often, something gets lost. 08:00 Stillness. Jesus and His parents were in a 08:04 quiet place when Jesus was born. The shepherds were assembled on 08:08 the silent hillsides; the wise men traveled, 08:11 but not along busy freeways, and they didn't get 08:13 stuck in traffic even once. But get this: when Herod 08:17 the king heard these things, he was troubled, 08:19 and all Jerusalem with him. That's Matthew 2:3. 08:23 That first Christmas, the only one who was uptight was Herod, 08:26 and those he caused to be agitated. 08:28 If it's really about peace and goodwill and family and Jesus, 08:31 try to enjoy the peace of Jesus this Christmas. 08:33 Merry Christmas. 08:35 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 08:37 Let's live today by every word. [Pensive Melody] 08:44 JB: Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect of 08:46 Christian stewardship. For this reason, It Is Written 08:49 is pleased to offer free planned giving and estate services. 08:53 For information on how we can help you, please call 08:55 1 (800) 992-2219. Call today, 09:00 or visit our special website, www.HisLegacy.com. 09:08 ♪ [Pastoral Melody] ♪ JB: This is It Is Written. 09:12 I'm John Bradshaw. I'm glad you've joined me today, 09:15 and I want to wish you today a very merry Christmas. 09:18 The view from up here is breathtaking. 09:23 I'm not so sure how much notice escapees took of their view when 09:26 they were fleeing for their lives from the Nazis. 09:29 But standing here today, it's not easy to drink in 09:33 as much of the scenery as you'd like to. 09:36 Up here, we're in France. This was a dangerous place to be 09:39 if you were a Jew during World War II, because you were in 09:42 Nazi territory. Switzerland, 09:45 freedom for Jewish refugees, is just down there, 09:49 only a mile or so away. There's Lake Geneva, 09:53 with the beautiful, historic city of Geneva right there. 09:57 In John Weidner's day, Geneva was the home of 09:59 the League of Nations. Replaced in 1946 10:03 by the United Nations. Today, Geneva is the home of the 10:07 World Health Organization, a number of U.N. agencies, 10:12 the International Red Cross, the World Trade Organization, 10:17 as well as banks and watchmakers and a lot of very 10:21 wealthy people. ♪ [Music swells] ♪ 10:27 John Weidner spent years living here when his father taught at 10:30 the college at the foot of the Saleve. 10:33 So he knew this area like the back of his hand. 10:37 He personally accompanied individuals or groups of people, 10:40 young and old, fleeing for their lives across these mountains. 10:45 He was often chased by Nazi soldiers. 10:49 Many times he was shot at. Frequently he'd have to hide 10:53 among the rocks up here to save his life. 10:56 Weidner's mission wasn't for the faint of heart. 11:00 It was incredibly dangerous, and it wasn't only his own life 11:05 that was in danger. Weidner and others founded an 11:10 organization called Dutch Paris, named because a lot of their 11:15 work involved getting Jews out of the Netherlands, 11:18 through Paris and on to safety. 11:21 There were about 300 people involved. 11:24 Some hid Jews in their homes or in their businesses 11:27 or on their farms. Other people forged documents. 11:31 Some provided food, some money, some influence. 11:35 Church officials were involved. Government officials. 11:39 People who knew which parts of the border were electrified, 11:42 and which were not. People living down near the 11:45 border helped immensely. But out on the front lines 11:49 was John Weidner. He founded, coordinated and 11:54 worked in an organization that saved hundreds 11:57 and hundreds of lives. ♪ [Transitional Bright Melody] ♪ 12:07 Weidner ran a textile business in Lyon in France, which was the 12:11 home of the Resistance movement. He had run a business in Paris, 12:16 but he lost it to the Nazis. So he started another business. 12:20 The reason he felt like he needed to run a business was 12:22 because having a business would provide a legitimate opportunity 12:26 for him to travel in a time when people couldn't move about 12:29 freely. But operating his business 12:32 in Lyon, the home of the Resistance, 12:34 became too dangerous for him, so he abandoned the business 12:38 and walked away from it. So he came to Annecy, 12:41 also in France, about 25 miles away from Geneva. 12:45 And he opened another textile business here, 12:49 just across the street from beaut. 12:52 This would provide him with a couple of things he desperately 12:55 needed. Like his other businesses, 12:58 it would provide Weidner with money, which he could use 13:01 to save lives. This time, having a business 13:04 this close to the border would give him a good reason to be 13:08 close to the border. And that's where he needed 13:12 to be, if he was going to save people's lives. 13:16 ♪ [Suspensful Underscore] ♪ 13:20 It was a different world then. During the war, the border 13:24 between France and Switzerland was fortified and guarded 13:27 and defended. There was barbed wire and dogs 13:31 and fences and soldiers with guns. 13:34 A person had to have travel papers everywhere they went. 13:38 If you didn't have them, you could be arrested 13:40 and imprisoned. There was no such thing 13:43 as real freedom. You'd never know, would you, 13:47 what went on here, on these peaceful, idyllic streets 13:51 years ago. If only these streets 13:55 could speak. ♪ [Forboding Underscore] ♪ 13:58 John often took refugees to stay at his store here, in Annecy. 14:02 If there were too many of them for him to safely keep, 14:05 some would stay a couple of blocks away 14:07 in the back room of a gift shop run by a Swiss woman 14:11 committed to helping the Resistance. 14:14 She was eventually executed by the Nazis. 14:19 Fear and mistrust were everywhere. 14:21 It was impossible to know who was a spy or an informant. 14:25 In order to save lives, John had to contend 14:28 with police officials and border guards and soldiers. 14:32 In fact, once he got into Geneva by dropping from a bridge into 14:37 the coal car of a train. Things were going great until 14:42 soldiers stopped the train, looking for fugitives. 14:46 What would John do? Well, the driver of the train 14:48 was sympathetic to the Resistance, so he hid John 14:51 Weidner in a closet inside the locomotive. 14:55 Soldiers searched the locomotive and they came to within inches 15:01 of where John was. That's how dangerous 15:03 it could be. As a matter of fact, 15:05 it even got worse. ♪ [Suspenseful Underscore] ♪ 15:13 A young lady who was part of the Dutch Paris group one day 15:17 dropped a notebook. She had made the terrible 15:21 mistake of writing down names of people who were involved in 15:25 Dutch Paris in that notebook. That was a serious no-no. 15:30 The notebook was noticed; it was grabbed by the Gestapo, 15:34 who wanted to know what the names meant. 15:37 They arrested the young lady and demanded that she tell them 15:41 who these people were, where they lived, 15:44 and what they did. Of course, she flatly refused. 15:47 They took her away to a jail cell, 15:49 where they threatened to torture her and they threatened to 15:53 bother her family. At the same time, 15:55 they promised her that if she cooperated, 15:58 her father, who was in prison, 16:01 would be released from prison. She still would not cooperate. 16:07 So they took her to a room where they forced her to watch 16:10 prisoners being tortured. It was all just too much 16:14 for the young lady. She cracked. 16:16 She wanted to safeguard herself and her family, 16:20 so she named names, she gave addresses, 16:23 she divulged details. Well, her father was released 16:29 from prison, but he was rearrested the next day 16:32 and put back into prison. One hundred fifty members of 16:36 Dutch Paris were arrested. Forty of them were executed. 16:46 So what moves a person to do what John Weidner did? 16:50 Before he died in 1994 he said, "I didn't have a choice." 16:56 Clearly he wasn't motivated by personal gain. 16:58 Even though there was a lot of money to be made in getting 17:01 people across the border to safety, John Weidner 17:04 did everything he did as a labor of love. 17:08 He was never paid; he never took money 17:10 from anybody he saved. He did it all because God's 17:14 love had gripped his heart. And when God's love grips a 17:18 person's heart, it leads that person to say, what can I do to 17:22 demonstrate the love of God? What can I do 17:26 to make a difference? That's what moved Jesus, 17:30 when He came into this world to make a difference 17:34 for you and me. That was John Weidner's 17:37 experience. I'll have more in just a moment. 17:41 ♪ [gentle piano transition] ♪ 17:45 JB: There's a special gift I'd like to offer you today. 17:48 It's this study called "The Second Coming of Jesus," 17:52 and you can get it right now by calling 17:54 1 (800) 253-3000 or writing to us at 17:58 It Is Written, P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401. 18:04 When you call or write, we'll send you this study to your 18:07 address in North America. It's beautifully illustrated, 18:10 simple to follow, yet it's an in-depth study on a very 18:14 important Bible subject. I would like you to have this, 18:17 and we'll send it to your address in North America, 18:20 completely free of charge. So, call now, 1 (800) 253-3000. 18:25 That's 1 (800) 253-3000. If the line is busy, 18:30 please do call again. And let me say, 18:33 It Is Written is supported by people like you. 18:36 We would not be on the air if it were not for the 18:39 generosity of people who support the mission of It Is Written. 18:43 To contribute, you can call the number on your screen, 18:46 you can write to the address, or you can visit us online at 18:49 www.ItIsWritten.com. Your prayers and your financial 18:54 support are deeply appreciated. Again, call us, 18:58 1 (800) 253-3000, or write to us. 19:02 It Is Written, P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401. 19:11 ♪ [Foreboding Underscore] ♪ 19:20 JB: Probably the best known verse in the entire Bible 19:23 is John 3:16. It says, "For God so loved 19:28 the world that he gave his only begotten son, 19:32 that whosoever believes in him should not perish 19:35 but have everlasting life." The next verse, 19:38 John 3:17, is not quite so well known 19:42 but it's equally as powerful. It says, "For God did not send 19:45 his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the 19:49 world through him might be saved." 19:52 See, everything God did in the plan of salvation, 19:56 everything God does in the plan of salvation, 19:58 all God did in sending Jesus into this world was done 20:03 in order to save humanity. To lift up and save a people who 20:08 didn't deserve to be saved. John Weidner was someone 20:12 who gave. No, he didn't lose his life 20:16 doing what he did, but he came awfully close. 20:19 There were times he was shot at while swimming across a river 20:22 to safety. One time, in Lyon, he and an 20:25 accomplice were actually arrested and sentenced 20:28 to be executed, but just minutes before 20:31 the execution was scheduled to be carried out, 20:33 he managed somehow to escape out a prison window. 20:37 He and his accomplice dropped three floors onto the 20:40 cobblestone streets below and escaped to safety. 20:45 The Los Angeles Times reported after Weidner's death in 1994 20:50 that Weidner had been interrogated in Lyon by the 20:53 notorious war criminal Klaus Barbie. 20:55 The Butcher of Lyon. It has been estimated that 20:58 somewhere between 11,000 and 25,000 people were executed, 21:04 tortured or sent to concentration camps directly 21:08 by Barbie himself. But somehow Weidner managed to 21:11 escape Barbie's interrogations. He escaped only to come back 21:17 into the fray and put his life on the line again and again 21:21 and again. The Gestapo really wanted John 21:25 Weidner-- so much so that they offered a reward of 5 million 21:29 francs for his capture. Now, in 1945 that was about 21:33 $50,000.00. Just think of what it would be 21:36 worth today. They wanted Weidner. 21:40 They didn't get him, but they came close. 21:43 And they knew how to play dirty. The Anti-defamation League 21:48 honored Weidner posthumously in 2014. 21:53 The press release of that event had this to say: "Weidner was 21:57 high on the Gestapo's most-wanted list. 22:01 In an attempt to get Weidner to turn himself in, 22:04 the Gestapo arrested his sister, Gabrielle, in February of 1944, 22:10 while she was attending church in Paris. 22:15 In one of the more agonizing decisions of his life, 22:18 Weidner was forced to choose between continuing his 22:21 rescue work or surrendering himself in exchange for 22:26 Gabrielle's freedom. He chose to continue his work. 22:32 Gabrielle Weidner died in the Ravensbruck concentration camp 22:36 in February of 1945. 22:41 Can you imagine? Some people have given a lot, 22:43 haven't they? Interesting. 22:46 After World War II, Weidner went to the Netherlands and he 22:48 visited that young lady. The one whose carelessness cost 22:52 the lives of all those Dutch Paris members. 22:55 He visited her in her home, and he forgave her. 23:00 Now, if you think Weidner went through a lot-- and he did-- 23:03 don't make the mistake of forgetting about those who 23:06 paid the highest price. One censor says that when World 23:09 War II began there 139,717 Jews living in the Netherlands, more 23:16 than half of them in Amsterdam. By the time World War II was 23:21 over, only 35,000 of them were still alive. 23:25 Millions perished in the Holocaust. 23:28 Weidner lived during World War II 23:30 for one purpose, and that was to save others. 23:33 People he didn't know. People who weren't the same 23:36 religion as he was. People who were the targets 23:39 of a brutal regime. Now, he had the opportunity 23:42 to flee. To escape to England. 23:45 And England would have meant safety. 23:48 But Weidner didn't go. Instead, he chose to remain on 23:51 the continent, because going to England would have meant 23:55 that many people who would have been saved, 23:58 would not have been saved. Weidner couldn't face 24:01 that thought. He just had to do 24:05 what he had to do. He was honored by France, 24:10 Great Britain, Belgium, The Netherlands, and 24:13 the American Jewish Congress. The nation of Israel recognized 24:18 Weidner as a righteous Gentile. A tree with his name attached to 24:23 it was planted on the Hill of Remembrance, along the Avenue of 24:27 the Righteous, in Yad Vashem-- Israel's official memorial to 24:32 the victim's of the Holocaust. 24:38 He moved to the United States in the 1950s. 24:42 He married, he settled in California, and he ran a 24:45 successful business. He said this in a speech 24:49 honoring Holocaust victims: "During my father's lifetime, 24:55 he taught me, my family, his parishioners, 24:58 and the community that the most important quality 25:02 in a human being was to love, respect, and treat our fellow 25:06 man as we wished to be loved, respected, and treated. 25:12 I was a witness to the barbaric treatment of the Jews 25:15 by the Nazis. I personally observed the 25:18 killing of a jewish infant who was torn out of the arms 25:22 of his mother," he said. 25:24 "I was determined to heed the teachings and example of my 25:28 father, and I did everything that I could to save as many 25:33 lives as possible." 25:38 He saved a future Nobel Prize winner; he saved future 25:41 government officials; he met General Eisenhower; 25:45 he met the queen of The Netherlands. 25:47 But through it all, John Weidner remained simply a man who was 25:52 dedicated to serving and saving. The truth is, 25:57 he lived for others. And isn't that what Christmas 26:00 is about? The Christmas story tells us 26:03 about God sending Jesus into the world to save others. 26:06 At Christmastime, typically we ask "What are you going to 26:09 get for Christmas?" when perhaps the question we 26:12 should be asking is, "What are you going to give?" 26:16 This Christmas, my family and I are thankful for freedom. 26:20 We're thankful for John Weidner, and the forgotten heroes 26:23 like him. Freedom and love for others 26:25 ran through their veins. We're thankful that Jesus came 26:30 to this earth as a baby in a manager, 26:32 and that He's coming back soon, as a conquering King. 26:36 What a day that will be! We say with John, who wrote the 26:40 book of Revelation, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." 26:49 ♪ [Silent Night on Piano] ♪ Let's take a moment to 26:51 pray together. Our Father in heaven, this 26:53 Christmas we've been reminded about someone who lived to give. 26:59 We are grateful for people like John Weidner. 27:02 We're most grateful for Jesus, who lived entirely to give. 27:08 And to give the greatest of all gifts, everlasting life. 27:12 Don't let us be so distracted at Christmastime that we fail to 27:15 remember the true meaning of why Jesus came to this earth. 27:21 We thank You today. We love You 27:23 and want to love You more. And we pray in Jesus' name. 27:27 Amen. 27:30 [Music continues] 27:45 Thanks for joining me today. I look forward to seeing you 27:47 again next time. Until then, Merry Christmas. 27:51 And remember, it is written. Man shall not live by 27:55 bread alone, but by every word 27:58 that proceeds from the mouth of God. 28:06 ♪ [Silent Night continues] ♪ |
Revised 2015-12-06