Pastor Niemoller Arrives In New Zealand

Chronicle (Levin), 22 October 1949, Page 5

Pastor Niemoller Arrives In New Zealand

AUCKLAND, Oct. 21. A man who has become a legend in his own lifetime arrived in Auckland today — the man who was once a symbol and rallying point of religious freedom in Nazi Germany. He is Pastor Martin Niemoller, for eight years Hitler's prisoner in Saehsenhausen concentration camp and now president of a large section of the German Evangelical Chureh. Pastor Niemoller has been touring Australia at the invitation of the Open Air Campaigners, an interdenominational group of evangeiists, and is now about to begin a similar tour of New Zealand lasting ten days. He is aeeornpanied by his wife, Mr. L. U. Werry, secretary of the Open Air Campaigners, and Mr. J. Duffecy/ senior evangelist, and his song leader. At 57 Pastor Niemoller is lined and weary, a legacy from his years of incareeration, but when he speaks of his work and the task facing the Church in Europe he becomes transformed. His eyes light up, his long sensitive hands constantly emphasise his words, and he moves restlesly in his chair as tliougli consumed with nervoup energy. He has a soft pleasant voice and speaks good English although with a noticeabie accent. At times when he becomes excited his sentences take on some of the long complex characters of typieal German grammatie construction, but he always makes his meaning perfectly clear. Interviewed after his arrival by flyingboat Pastor Niemoller said he took every opportunity offered him to travel about the world and tell people aboux the German Chureh under Hitler and the role it must play in rebuilding Europe.