A fascinating story about a soldier and his family, who were not afraid to remain faithful to God in Hitler's Germany

Franz Hasel, an opponent of war and violence, at the age of forty was drafted into Hitler's army and assigned to the 699th Engineering -a construction company whose soldiers built bridges on the front line. The commanders did not like Franz because of his religious beliefs. In the first days of his service, his colleagues awarded him the nicknames Bible Reader and Carrot Eater, but in the end he managed to win them over. Before heading to Russia to the front, where only seven of their entire company would survive, Franz, a sharp shooter, secretly threw away his pistol, deliberately depriving himself of the opportunity to use the weapon. Already in Russia, he faced another problem: how to warn local Jews before the SS captured them? At home in Germany, Franz's wife Helen and their four children faced persecution and pressure. Refusing to join the Nazi Party despite intimidation and threats to take away her children, Helen boldly declared: “I belong to the party of Jesus Christ.” Another time, she was not afraid to hide a Jewish boy in her home, despite the fact that the Gestapo severely punished such actions. During this dramatic period of life, the Hasel family was repeatedly exposed to mortal danger. While thousands of people around fell victims of the war, the Hasels were literally saved on the wings of angels. Franz Hasel's youngest daughter, Susie Hasel Mundy, taught German and psychology for a long time. She has been a practicing marriage, family and parenting counselor for ten years. Currently, she works as a secretary at the South Pacific Union College, USA. Mailan Shurkh serves as a pastor in Bothell (USA), author and co-author of a number of books.

The publishing house expresses special gratitude to Merilov Maritsa and all students of the “ Bachelor of Religion" from the Zaoksk Theological Academy, who took part in the translation of the book.