Page 7 - Aerotech News and Review, December 4, 2020

High Desert Hangar Stories
A veteran’s Christmas

lesson of conquering

despair and cultivating hope

by Bob Alvis he had known imprisonment, flogging,
special to Aerotech News shipwreck, starvation and more, but he
then launched into a written celebra-
David Read spent a couple of tion of the Incarnation that still echoes
Christmases in a German POW camp in hearts and minds, even today.
in Bavaria during World War II. Read recalled that even though
As the camp’s pastor, he had a the conditions at the camp were de-
tough job with morale and keeping plorable, they were at the time not
hope alive amongst the prisoners. In in any special danger or deprivation
1944, conditions were about as bad that Christmas. When he wrote that Courtesy photograph
as they had ever been and the hope- opening to his poem, he was thinking American POWs in Germany; “It’s not hard to understand the love you have
ful talk of “Home by Christmas” was of a fellow prisoner named Dietrich for another kriegie (prisoner of war) when you were one yourself.”
being replaced with the discouraging Bonhoeffer who, after months of trials
words of “Let’s not celebrate Christ- and threats to his life, was in the hands gathered on that 1944 Christmas Eve life. His message of salvation to those
mas this year.” of the Gestapo awaiting the scaffold — and no poem was necessary. that came to hear him tell the Christ-
While looking through a drawer which was being prepared for him. May Christmas joy be real and radi- mas story carried a special feeling,
some years later, Read found a torn Read was inspired by the idea that he ant for all of us — no matter what our as he was qualified more than most,
and crumpled piece of paper, where Courtesy photograph could not imagine Bonhoeffer writ- circumstance is! thanks to his war experience, to speak
he had written the opening lines to David Read was a Presbyterian ing one letter from his prison, telling David Read was part of the great- to the real gift of salvation, the true
a poem at that camp in the winter of minister and camp chaplain at a his readers that this was no time for est generation, and his story of caring meaning of Christmas, and the prom-
1944. As he read the words, it took German POW camp in Bavaria during Christmas celebrations. His letters for the souls of men shows just how ise of men of faith holding on to hope
him right back to those desperate World War II. breathed a total confidence in his amazing that generation was. When when times were bleak.
days when the men were desperately Savior. this story was playing out, he was With that, I will just wish you all a
short of food and increasingly aware Read felt that the conditions in the on his second Christmas in a POW heartfelt “Merry Christmas” and the
(though they never spoke about it) that concocted unbelievable imaginary camp and the despair of all the prison- camp. He did not know at the time hopes for a Happy New Year, as we
they were in the hands of an unpre- Christmas puddings and feasts, Da- ers should not be the thing that defined that he still had months remaining as face our own challenges here in 2020.
dictable madman who was unlikely to vid’s poem in response never got past them. He pushed back, saying that the a “guest” of the German army. Years I just want to add that generations be-
let them go home in peace, whether at the second line. He wrote: Gospel is no less true when circum- later, when he would see a “come fore faced greater challenges then we
Christmas or any other time. And even stances are most terrible. He affirmed home for Christmas” church invita- have today and came out on the other
though the sounds of Allied aircraft “Let’s not celebrate that if the men would soak themselves tion, he would always rejoice in the side with a new and fresh outlook on
gave them hope for deliverance, they Christmas this year”? in that truth, they would never make deeper meaning that can sustain us life. We only need to look to them for
wondered if the pilots knew the dif- God, what a yelp excuses for their lack of desire to “even in the very worst of circum- our inspiration today and never for-
ference between a Nazi headquarters from Christian men! celebrate or accept any excuses their stances.” get it was their faith that carried them
and a POW camp, and if they would fellow prisoners could come up with. As a pastor, his experience on that through.
become victims of friendly fire. The point of the poem was simple David’s words to his fellow prisoners cold Christmas in 1944 set him up for
The cynics in the camps were doing and worth dwelling on, no matter what
their best to spread the despair. Read the circumstances. David Read got to were short and to the point when they all the Christmases for the rest of his Until next time, Bob out …
had his work cut out for him to find a thinking about Peter and Paul and the
holiday message that would encour- other apostles, writing of their con-
age the men to carry on. The opening fidence in the Gospel of Christ, but
lines of his unfinished poem had been suggesting that there were occasions
the start of trying to find that message when they should just give in to de-
of hope. spair. Can we imagine any writer of an
As the men’s new slogan of “Let’s epistle to these first Christians saying
not celebrate Christmas this year” cast “I know you are going through a very
the pall of a holiday with no carols, rough time — so why not forget about
no pageants, not even thoughts of celebrating “The Incarnation?” Paul
astonishing recipes with which they reminded his friends at Philippi that

Courtesy photograph
When the journey came to an end and the despair was replaced with a new hope: The liberation of a German POW
camp March 1945 and smiles replaced the pain.

“Let’s not celebrate Christmas this year?
Courtesy photograph
A scene from the movie Stalag 17 of a Christmas celebration in one of “The
Huts.” God what a yelp from Christian men!”

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