Peace Podcast: The Nonviolent Life of Franz Jagerstatter

In this podcast John Dear speaks to the journey to Fascism today with the true life story of Austrian Franz Jagerstatter, a farmer who refused to join the Nazi army in 1943 to fight on the Russian front knowing he would die if he refused. Franz was arrested and beheaded by the Nazis. He was Beatified in 2007 by the Roman Catholic Church. He may be elevated to sainthood. John tells how Franz would not give up his spiritual beliefs to participate in killing. As a young priest John visited Austria and met Franziska, Jagerstatter's wife. He tells how he considers Franziska a saint as well as a Franz. He tells how Franz went to the church and asked what he should do when being told to join the Nazi army and how church bishops and priests all told him he should do as they say. But Franz's faith was stronger and he refused. The recent movie production "A Hidden Life" tells the story of a man most people have never heard of before. Hear about Franz's dream and vision about the train that took the men from his town to join the Nazis and how he heard the words "Get off that train to Hell." John ends his podcast with a warning to us as we face the path to Fascism and gives us strength to pursue nonviolence with noncooperation just like Franz Jagerstatter did. This is a fascinating tale for all to hear and take note.

This month John Dear shares a story of resistance and following the inner voice to do what is right. Franz Jagerstatter stood up to the incoming Nazi forces and refused to join the army, leading to his arrest and death. Franz, who may become a saint, has changed what it means to stand for Jesus by giving his life to stand against modern warfare, genocide, and fascism.

John goes on to recall his visit to Austria where he spent time with Franziska, Jagerstatter's wife. Both Franz and Franziska embodied saints, as John has often seen to be true, with seriousness and with buoyant laughter. In Franz’s steps, John encourages all of us not only to hope, but to join as a community to move our cultures towards peace and justice. Though these stories took place in Nazi Germany, the lessons are applicable to our current situation as we learn to engage in noncooperation with a corrupt state to create a more just and nonviolent society.

The Peace Podcast is available on our website here. There you can also find the previous episodes where John discusses Thomas Merton, Jesus’s campaign of nonviolence, Psalms of Peace, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and more. The podcast is also available on iTunes where you can subscribe and listen as soon as it’s released. Don’t forget to share this podcast with others to continue to build a mainstream culture of nonviolence.