Holocaust Survivor Werner Simonson’s Journey to Christian Ministry

Werner Simonson, a Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany, eventually became a Church of England vicar after a life marked by profound hardship and spiritual transformation. A decorated World War I veteran who served as a high court judge, Simonson was dismissed from his position by the Nazis due to his Jewish heritage. During this period of intense persecution, he suffered the loss of his mother and sister in concentration camps.

Simonson describes finding hope while attending a Lutheran church service during a time of personal despair. He recounts that, amidst the darkness of his circumstances, he opened his heart to Christ and experienced a new sense of light. Following his escape to England with the assistance of Bishop George Bell, Simonson was interned on the Isle of Man, where he says he led fellow Jewish refugees to faith in Christ. He eventually reunited with his wife and son after the war, dedicating his later years to ministry within the Church of England.