10-27-09

Photo by Steven Moff

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The Rev. Hermann Scheipers spoke about his Holocaust experience in the German concentration camp of Dachau during a visit to Lycoming College Oct. 21. At 96 years old, Scheipers says, “God let me live this long so I could tell you my story.” His account, told completely in German and translated by Dr. Len Cagle, assistant professor of German at the College, covered the four and half years he was held captive in Dachau.

Throughout his speech, Scheipers, a Roman Catholic priest, wore a piece of the clothing he originally wore while in Dachau. It was blue and white striped cloth with the number 24255 sewn into it along with a large red triangle. Scheipers went on to explain that the red triangle had to be worn by all political prisoners of the camp. He was arrested for preaching mass to Polish refugees in Germany; when he refused to relinquish the priesthood, he was sent to the work camp of Dachau. Since his actions were considered radical, he was considered an enemy of the state and therefore a political prisoner. 

Scheipers, scheduled for the gas chamber along with 500 other priests, was spared because of the heroic acts of his twin sister Anna. Upon hearing news that her brother was going to the gas chamber, Anna travelled to Berlin with her father and entered the Reich security main center; the area in charge of all concentration camps. Once she was there, she firmly requested that her brother be removed from the list of people to be put to death. At this time, the killing of people with gas chambers was not public knowledge so the Nazi officers were surprised to hear this. In order to avoid a public uproar, they saved Scheipers as well as roughly 500 other priests. “A thousand guardian angels had been sent to me by God,” says Scheipers. In recognition of her bravery, Anna Scheipers received a reward for merit from the Pope in 1987.

Scheipers managed to escape from Dachau during a death march before American liberation of the camp. He ran past a sleeping Nazi guard and into the bushes; a nearby priest offered him shelter until he could return home safely. Scheipers says, “God gave me the power to make it through Dachau.” 

:: See More Lyco News :: See More Events ::