Moral Heroes

Maximilian Kolbe

Franz Jaeggerstaetter

In these times of bullying, terrorism, and hate crimes, it is hard to find moral heroes anymore. In the first few centuries, Christians were willing to endure terrible deaths rather than deny their faith. In the Middle Ages, there were many examples of  people being martyred by cruel governments and enemies. There are still people who face death for their beliefs in other parts of the world, but we do not often hear about them.

Two moral heroes who were put to death during World War II were Franz Jaeggerstaetter and Maximilian Kolbe. Jaeggerstaetter, an Austrian farmer, was a conscientious objector who was beheaded in 1943; Kolbe was a Polish priest, who as an Auschwitz prisoner, offered to die in place of a stranger.

Many people thought Jaeggerstaetter was insane or stupid for refusing to serve in the German army. His friends and his own pastor tried to talk him out of it. But following his conscience was so important to him he never wavered in his resolve to be a conscientious objector. He believed fighting in an unjust war was wrong and found the inner strength to accept death rather than be conscripted.

Kolbe was a captive in Auschwitz when another prisoner escaped and the Germans selected 10 men to die as an example for the other prisoners. When one cried out for his children, Kolbe offered to take his place. The ten men were condemned to die by starvation and the priest ministered to the others as they slowly died a horrible death.

When I think of moral heroes, these two men immediately come to my mind. They selflessly laid  down their lives for others. They were able to uphold their beliefs in the face of a cruel death. They remind me of Jesus dying so that the human race might be saved, even those who put him to death. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." We need more moral heroes, people with integrity and spiritual strength who are willing to die for what they believe in.