Freiburg (Germany): A German Catholic priest, Fr. Max Josef Metzger, was honored for his peace mission and ultimate sacrifice during the Nazi era. Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, presided over a commemorative liturgy held this past Sunday at the Freiburg Cathedral in Germany. The Cardinal praised Fr. Max’s efforts for peace and Christian unity, describing them as truly commendable.
Fr. Max was born in 1887 in Schopfheim, located in the Black Forest region of Germany, and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1911. He began his ministry in the Archdiocese of Freiburg and played a key role in founding the German Catholics Peace Association. In 1920, Pope Benedict XV commissioned him to advocate for disarmament in Europe. Due to his unwavering commitment to peace, Fr. Max earned the title of "German Pacifist."
During World War I, Fr. Max served as an army chaplain. Witnessing the brutal realities of war, he became a devoted advocate for peace and reconciliation among nations. As the Nazi regime rose to power, he intensified his efforts in ecumenical activities. In 1938, he initiated the Una Sancta Ecumenical Fellowship, a movement aimed at promoting unity between Catholic and Lutheran Christians.
However, Fr. Max's advocacy for peace and his public criticisms of war put him at odds with the Nazi regime, who saw his actions as acts of treason. He was arrested multiple times, subjected to trials, and endured severe torture. On October 14, 1943, he was sentenced to death by the People's Court. Six months later, on April 17, 1944, he was executed by guillotine at Brandenburg-Gorden Prison.
Nazi Persecution
The Nazi regime considered Metzger's peace efforts and outspoken criticism of the war to be acts of treason against their ideology. As a result, he was arrested several times. On October 14, 1943, the People’s Court sentenced him to death, and he was executed by guillotine on April 17, 1944, at Brandenburg-Görden Prison.
Prison chaplain Peter Buchholz later recounted that the executioner remarked, "I have never seen anyone face death with such radiant eyes as this Catholic priest."
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