FORTY years ago on January 8, 1941, my husband, Johannes Harms, was executed by the Nazis. Why? Because his conscience would not permit him to share in war, slaughtering his fellowmen on the other side of the Nazi battle line. He had steadfastly refused to “heil” Hitler. Johannes was not afraid to maintain such Christian neutrality even at the cost of his own life.

I will never forget the touching letter that he sent to his father, Martin, just before being executed. My husband wrote:

“Now I, too, have been given an opportunity to prove my faithfulness to the Lord unto death, yes, in faithfulness not only up unto death, but even into death. My death sentence has already been announced and I am chained both day and night​—the marks (on the paper) are from the handcuffs—​but I still have not conquered to the full. Remaining faithful is not made easy for one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I still have an opportunity to save my earthly life, but only thereby to lose the real life. Yes, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is given an opportunity to break his covenant even when in view of the gallows. Therefore, I am still in the midst of the fight and I still have many victories to win before I can say that ‘I have fought the fine fight, I have observed the faith; there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness which God, the righteous judge, will give me.’ The fight is doubtless difficult, but I am wholeheartedly grateful to the Lord that he not only has given me the necessary strength to stand up until now in the face of death but has given me a joy I would like to share with all my loved ones.

“My dear father, you are still a prisoner, too, and whether this letter will ever reach you, I do not know. If you should ever go free, however, then remain just as faithful as you are now, for you know that whoever has laid his hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of the kingdom of God. . . .

“When you, dear father, are at home again, then be sure to take particular care of my dear Lieschen, for it will be particularly difficult for her, knowing that her dear one will not return. I know that you will do this and I thank you ahead of time. My dear father, in spirit I call to you, remain faithful, as I have attempted to remain faithful, and then we will see each other again. I will be thinking of you up until the very last.”

Perhaps you are wondering what happened to Johannes’ father and me after his execution. Have we endured, remaining faithful to Jehovah, as Johannes encouraged us to do?

Well, Johannes’ father, Martin, was in the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen when Johannes was executed, and he remained there until the end of the war.

ARREST AND EXECUTION

Johannes was arrested on September 3, 1940. This was already his second imprisonment after our marriage. My sister and I were able to visit him every three or four weeks. During our second visit we learned that he had been sentenced to death. So it did not come as a complete surprise to me when he was beheaded on January 8, 1941, although it was still a shock, of course. It hit me very hard.

But I knew that Johannes had not died as a criminal. I also knew that the officials had repeatedly tried by various means to make him compromise. I knew the difficult times he had gone through. There was little I could do to help him. So when I was notified that he had been executed, I was relieved to know it was over. For the moment, I forgot about myself, just thinking: “Now they cannot make him compromise. There is no danger any longer of his being unfaithful. He has endured faithful unto death.”

[Picture on page 28]

Johannes Harms and his death notice received from the Nazi authorities