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Priestblock 25487: a Memoir of Dachau
In May 1941, Fr. Jean Bernard was arrested for denouncing the Nazis and imprisoned in Dachau's "Priest Block," a barracks that housed more than 3,000 clergy (the vast majority Roman Catholic priests).
Priestblock 25487 tells the gripping true story of one remarkable priest's survival amid the inhuman brutality and torture of a Nazi concentration camp.
In 2004, this important book was made into the award-winning film The Ninth Day . Introduction by Robert Royal. Preface by Cardinal O'Malley of Boston. Praise for Priestblock 25487
''Stunning... Casts light into dark and previously neglected corners of the horror that was the Third Reich.''
–Richard John Neuhaus
''Fr. Jean Bernard's portrait of survival in a German concentration camp is simple, forceful and vivid and therefore impossible to put down or forget. Priestblock 25487 is a diary of Catholic discipleship under extreme conditions that ranks with the great 20th Century personal testimonies against totalitarian violence.''
–Archbishop Chaput
''Many hundreds of books have been written about German concentration and extermination camps. Of these, Priestblock 25487 is among the very best. Every scholar and student of that dreadful chapter of 20th-century history ought to read and ponder its contents.''
–John Lukacs , author The Hitler of History ; and Five Days in May 1940
''From the opening scene in a Nazi interrogation room, Priestblock 25487 moves with page-turning urgency as it brings to life a side of history that is too often forgotten. I highly recommend this powerful and inspiring book.''
–Thomas E. Woods , author How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization
''In its understated power, this brief book is unforgettable.''
–Michael Novak
''Important... luminous... Moves the reader to compassion and insight.''
–Rachelle Linner , Catholic News Service
''Deeply moving... The suffering of these priests for the sake of the loving God is one of the modern age's glorious mysteries.''
–Fr. George Rutler
''I found this compelling book hard to stop reading.''
–Tim Johnson , Today's Catholic
''Riveting... an important primary source for historians.''
–John Burger , National Catholic Register
''Absorbing... Beautifully written.''
–Erin Ryan , National Catholic Reporter
''A gripping story of heroism and horror that must never be forgotten.''
– First Things
''Should be treated as a meditation, even something to be read again and again... So profound it deserves a wide readership.''
–Barbara Stinson Lee , Intermountain Catholic
''A must-read for Catholics. Provides fresh anecdotal insight into the Vatican's battle against the Nazis... As this first-hand account shows in riveting detail, the mere rumor of clerical opposition on the outside sufficed to intensify suffering on the inside.''
–Daniel Cole , The Wanderer
''A gripping testimony of the brutal treatment Catholic clergy received at the hands of the Nazis.''
–William Donohue , President, Catholic League
''It is dramatic. It is brutally honest. I loved the book and could not put it down.''
–Teresa Tomeo , Ave Maria Radio
''I began reading this book on Friday night and finished the 175 pages in three hours. It was a book I could not put down or stop reading.''
–Rev. Steve Wood , St. John's Evangelical Church
Priestblock 25487 tells the gripping true story of one remarkable priest's survival amid the inhuman brutality and torture of a Nazi concentration camp.
In 2004, this important book was made into the award-winning film The Ninth Day . Introduction by Robert Royal. Preface by Cardinal O'Malley of Boston. Praise for Priestblock 25487
''Stunning... Casts light into dark and previously neglected corners of the horror that was the Third Reich.''
–Richard John Neuhaus
''Fr. Jean Bernard's portrait of survival in a German concentration camp is simple, forceful and vivid and therefore impossible to put down or forget. Priestblock 25487 is a diary of Catholic discipleship under extreme conditions that ranks with the great 20th Century personal testimonies against totalitarian violence.''
–Archbishop Chaput
''Many hundreds of books have been written about German concentration and extermination camps. Of these, Priestblock 25487 is among the very best. Every scholar and student of that dreadful chapter of 20th-century history ought to read and ponder its contents.''
–John Lukacs , author The Hitler of History ; and Five Days in May 1940
''From the opening scene in a Nazi interrogation room, Priestblock 25487 moves with page-turning urgency as it brings to life a side of history that is too often forgotten. I highly recommend this powerful and inspiring book.''
–Thomas E. Woods , author How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization
''In its understated power, this brief book is unforgettable.''
–Michael Novak
''Important... luminous... Moves the reader to compassion and insight.''
–Rachelle Linner , Catholic News Service
''Deeply moving... The suffering of these priests for the sake of the loving God is one of the modern age's glorious mysteries.''
–Fr. George Rutler
''I found this compelling book hard to stop reading.''
–Tim Johnson , Today's Catholic
''Riveting... an important primary source for historians.''
–John Burger , National Catholic Register
''Absorbing... Beautifully written.''
–Erin Ryan , National Catholic Reporter
''A gripping story of heroism and horror that must never be forgotten.''
– First Things
''Should be treated as a meditation, even something to be read again and again... So profound it deserves a wide readership.''
–Barbara Stinson Lee , Intermountain Catholic
''A must-read for Catholics. Provides fresh anecdotal insight into the Vatican's battle against the Nazis... As this first-hand account shows in riveting detail, the mere rumor of clerical opposition on the outside sufficed to intensify suffering on the inside.''
–Daniel Cole , The Wanderer
''A gripping testimony of the brutal treatment Catholic clergy received at the hands of the Nazis.''
–William Donohue , President, Catholic League
''It is dramatic. It is brutally honest. I loved the book and could not put it down.''
–Teresa Tomeo , Ave Maria Radio
''I began reading this book on Friday night and finished the 175 pages in three hours. It was a book I could not put down or stop reading.''
–Rev. Steve Wood , St. John's Evangelical Church
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1962
43 people are currently reading
897 people want to read
About the author
Jean Bernard
85 booksFather Jean Bernard was a Catholic priest from Luxembourg who was imprisoned from May 1941 to August 1942 in the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau. He was released for nine days in February 1942 and allowed to return to Luxembourg, an episode which he later wrote about in his memoirs of the camp and which was turned into a film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
May 7, 2017
I have never read of the experiences of Catholic priests under Nazi rule, so I thought this book would be interesting. There is a raging debate on whether the Church supported the Nazis, looked the other way, or actively spoke out against them, depending on whom you ask. The stance of staunch Catholics is that the commies spread rumours against the CC. Regardless of what the intent of the Church was during the Holocaust, it is undeniable that things like the Holocaust happened partly because of the Catholic / Christian stance for thousands of years.
Father Jean Bernard was a priest in Luxembourg, and was arrested. He claims he does not know why (as if the Nazis needed a reason!), but it is possible that because of his standing in the catholic community, he made a good target. He was transported to Dachau and kept separated from the common folk, offered wine and extra bread, according to an agreement the Pope made with the Nazis. However, Bernard thought this was to manipulate the rest of the people into hating the priests. In keeping with this narrative, Bernard also continuously claims that the rest of the prisoners laughed every time he received a slap. This seemed rather incongruous to me. I have never read of any other account (and I've read a fair few Holocaust memoirs) where others voluntarily laugh at a fellow prisoner's mistreatment. Maybe the good father was trying to emphasise how Catholics are discriminated against even inside a concentration camp.
But all was not really moonlight and roses. Though things were bearable at first, they quickly deteriorated as Bernard's physical fitness gradually eroded for lack of nutrition and rest. At first, the priests were not required to work, but soon that too was made a requirement, and Bernard had to brave the wind and the rain and the cold. At the same time, food was scarce and beatings were plentiful. The situation in the Infirmary was the worst. There is no doubt that Bernard suffered hugely and saw many of his friends and colleagues die in the camp. It was a terrible experience for him, and I do not doubt that.
But the tone of the book was quite distasteful for me, as Bernard tries to one-up all non-Catholics and claims he wins every argument about god and religion.
Once I had a guard who had obviously received some education, and I managed to get the better of him completely. I explained to him how, if God has created man with free will, He has to leave a back door open for unbelief despite all His revelations of Himself. For if He showed Himself to us too clearly, He would force us to believe and thus, having given us freedom with one hand, take it away with the other.
Another time I did something most unwise. After we had spoken for a whole morning about religious matters, the capo said, “I’m not changing my mind—I still don’t believe in God!” Unable to resist the temptation, I responded, “Why do you talk about Him so much then?”
That put an abrupt end to our theological conversations.
Excuse me for not believing this.
Another time, they visit a prominent socialist.
Word reaches us that our compatriot Franz Clément has arrived, a prominent socialist politician and writer. We agree to risk a visit to the newcomers’ barrack on the following Sunday afternoon. ... A week later we go back: Esch, Brachmond, and I. Clément walked straight up to Esch, gripped his broad shoulders and embraced him.
“Let’s forget what happened in the past! I was wrong. It turns out that the ones who hold out and behave best are you padres...”
I am not sure why this need to keep emphasising he won a losing argument. It just comes off as extremely annoying, and I had to keep reminding myself he was the victim, not a jerk. Instead of talking about his own spiritual growth and how he survived the ordeal, Bernard comes across as smug whenever the question of religion arises.
Another problem with this memoir is that it is disjointed. Often, Bernard just says things and then moves forward without explaining. One thing that specifically comes to mind is that he claims that his mother died because the Gestapo created a scene. Then he says that she died to save his life. But there is no elaboration, and I think this would be a relevant part of his narrative. A lot of important things got lost in this.
There don't seem to be a lot of memoirs about the Catholic experience during this time, so I think this is an important book. But take the religious bits with a pinch of salt.
Father Jean Bernard was a priest in Luxembourg, and was arrested. He claims he does not know why (as if the Nazis needed a reason!), but it is possible that because of his standing in the catholic community, he made a good target. He was transported to Dachau and kept separated from the common folk, offered wine and extra bread, according to an agreement the Pope made with the Nazis. However, Bernard thought this was to manipulate the rest of the people into hating the priests. In keeping with this narrative, Bernard also continuously claims that the rest of the prisoners laughed every time he received a slap. This seemed rather incongruous to me. I have never read of any other account (and I've read a fair few Holocaust memoirs) where others voluntarily laugh at a fellow prisoner's mistreatment. Maybe the good father was trying to emphasise how Catholics are discriminated against even inside a concentration camp.
But all was not really moonlight and roses. Though things were bearable at first, they quickly deteriorated as Bernard's physical fitness gradually eroded for lack of nutrition and rest. At first, the priests were not required to work, but soon that too was made a requirement, and Bernard had to brave the wind and the rain and the cold. At the same time, food was scarce and beatings were plentiful. The situation in the Infirmary was the worst. There is no doubt that Bernard suffered hugely and saw many of his friends and colleagues die in the camp. It was a terrible experience for him, and I do not doubt that.
But the tone of the book was quite distasteful for me, as Bernard tries to one-up all non-Catholics and claims he wins every argument about god and religion.
Once I had a guard who had obviously received some education, and I managed to get the better of him completely. I explained to him how, if God has created man with free will, He has to leave a back door open for unbelief despite all His revelations of Himself. For if He showed Himself to us too clearly, He would force us to believe and thus, having given us freedom with one hand, take it away with the other.
Another time I did something most unwise. After we had spoken for a whole morning about religious matters, the capo said, “I’m not changing my mind—I still don’t believe in God!” Unable to resist the temptation, I responded, “Why do you talk about Him so much then?”
That put an abrupt end to our theological conversations.
Excuse me for not believing this.
Another time, they visit a prominent socialist.
Word reaches us that our compatriot Franz Clément has arrived, a prominent socialist politician and writer. We agree to risk a visit to the newcomers’ barrack on the following Sunday afternoon. ... A week later we go back: Esch, Brachmond, and I. Clément walked straight up to Esch, gripped his broad shoulders and embraced him.
“Let’s forget what happened in the past! I was wrong. It turns out that the ones who hold out and behave best are you padres...”
I am not sure why this need to keep emphasising he won a losing argument. It just comes off as extremely annoying, and I had to keep reminding myself he was the victim, not a jerk. Instead of talking about his own spiritual growth and how he survived the ordeal, Bernard comes across as smug whenever the question of religion arises.
Another problem with this memoir is that it is disjointed. Often, Bernard just says things and then moves forward without explaining. One thing that specifically comes to mind is that he claims that his mother died because the Gestapo created a scene. Then he says that she died to save his life. But there is no elaboration, and I think this would be a relevant part of his narrative. A lot of important things got lost in this.
There don't seem to be a lot of memoirs about the Catholic experience during this time, so I think this is an important book. But take the religious bits with a pinch of salt.
October 10, 2017
This was a most moving and modest memoir. It relates, without self-pity, the harrowing time spent by Father Jean Bernard in the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau. We all know, or should know, about the horrifying treatment of the Jewish people in these camps. However, we hear less about those who tried to speak up for them and were then submitted to the same dreadful fate. The number of priests sent to Dachau was 2,720, 94.88% of these were Catholic. On any church feast day or festival the priests were singled out for ‘special’ treatment. The Nazis would contrive some particularly demeaning and physically traumatic task for them to carry out for the entire day. Father Bernard tells of the events in the camp that happened both to him and to his brother priests with such humility and never shows any hate. Pope Pius XII was in the position of trying to speak out about what was happening in these camps but also being well aware that every time he spoke against the regime the priests would again suffer.
I have read a great many fictional horror stories but they do not compare to the inhumane treatment and punishments that the Nazis were capable of inventing, I cannot imagine what sort of minds could come up with these kinds of tortures.
In the introduction to the book it says:
“Pope Pius XII quite probably saved more Jews from the Nazis than any other single person.” That is why Golda Meir, one of the founders and later Prime Minister of the newly created Jewish state of Israel, thanked the pope and honoured him among the righteous gentiles: “When fearful martyrdom came to our people in the decade of Nazi terror, the voice of the pope was raised for the victims.” Moshe Sharett, the second Prime Minister of Israel, remarked after meeting with Pius: “I told him that my first duty was to thank him, and through him the Catholic Church, on behalf of the Jewish public for all they had done in the various countries to rescue Jews. We are deeply grateful to the Catholic Church.”
In the 1960’s, following a play entitled The Deputy by the Communist-inspired revisionist, Rolf Hochuth, there has been a massive attempt to deny these facts and paint the church as all but a Nazi accomplice and Pius as “Hitler’s Pope”.
Father Bernard was not a German but from Luxembourg , the other priests came from all over Europe and were interned either because they had spoken out against Nazism or, as in Father Bernard’s case, simply on a trumped up charge, never knowing exactly what they had done.
This was a piece of history that was a real eye opener to me and I think it is well worth a read. We can still learn so much about the Holocaust. Of course there are literally millions and each one is as heart-breaking as the last.
I have read a great many fictional horror stories but they do not compare to the inhumane treatment and punishments that the Nazis were capable of inventing, I cannot imagine what sort of minds could come up with these kinds of tortures.
In the introduction to the book it says:
“Pope Pius XII quite probably saved more Jews from the Nazis than any other single person.” That is why Golda Meir, one of the founders and later Prime Minister of the newly created Jewish state of Israel, thanked the pope and honoured him among the righteous gentiles: “When fearful martyrdom came to our people in the decade of Nazi terror, the voice of the pope was raised for the victims.” Moshe Sharett, the second Prime Minister of Israel, remarked after meeting with Pius: “I told him that my first duty was to thank him, and through him the Catholic Church, on behalf of the Jewish public for all they had done in the various countries to rescue Jews. We are deeply grateful to the Catholic Church.”
In the 1960’s, following a play entitled The Deputy by the Communist-inspired revisionist, Rolf Hochuth, there has been a massive attempt to deny these facts and paint the church as all but a Nazi accomplice and Pius as “Hitler’s Pope”.
Father Bernard was not a German but from Luxembourg , the other priests came from all over Europe and were interned either because they had spoken out against Nazism or, as in Father Bernard’s case, simply on a trumped up charge, never knowing exactly what they had done.
This was a piece of history that was a real eye opener to me and I think it is well worth a read. We can still learn so much about the Holocaust. Of course there are literally millions and each one is as heart-breaking as the last.
September 17, 2025
I can’t say much about this book other than it’s just a raw piece of literature about a priest’s experience in a concentration camp and somehow he still found joy and consolation in our Lord. Pray for priests.
March 2, 2009
This is simply astounding. I had a hard time even reading this and this is after reading a few books on the Holocaust. This was the first book I'd read coming from a clergyman and I wanted a different aspect which this gave me.
There really isn't much I can say about this- it should be required reading I think- for everyone. I had the hardest time getting through some parts- the evil that is in some people is astounding. I can't begin to imagine going through the things that I had a difficult time only reading about.
There really isn't much I can say about this- it should be required reading I think- for everyone. I had the hardest time getting through some parts- the evil that is in some people is astounding. I can't begin to imagine going through the things that I had a difficult time only reading about.
May 21, 2009
"This was but a prelude; where books are burnt human-beings will be burnt in the end." ~~the German poet Heinrich Heine in 1820
Although I visited Dachau years ago and I've read many books--both fiction and non-fiction--dealing with life in concentration camps, I don't recall ever reading any individual accounts specifically about this particular camp, until I encountered this poignant diary by Father Jean Bernard from Luxembourg.
As I was reading Priestblock 25487 A Memoir of Dachau it was hard not to recall the eerie silence of Dachau's vast empty spaces marking off where derelict huts had once housed skeletons. But for the Grace of God, Father Bernard, too, would have joined the many souls who died there. His memoir is unique in several respects and worth reading, no matter how many books you may have read about the Holocaust.
First, it is about what happened to Christian, both Catholic and Protestant, clergy at the hands of the Nazis. For those who may have thought the Jewish nation alone suffered during those terrible times, they need look no further. In fact, there were punishments vindictive guards delighted in reserving just for priests on special feasts and other holy days.
And yet the strength of the story comes from the author’s intelligence, compassion for his fellows, and lack of self-pity or belaboring the horrors. The suffering endured by these men is beyond imagining; that is sufficient.
However, for me, it was Father Bernard’s unwavering faith in Christ through it all which speaks louder than anything and is the most important reason to read this book.
Worth reading and rereading—a reminder of how blessed we all are!
Although I visited Dachau years ago and I've read many books--both fiction and non-fiction--dealing with life in concentration camps, I don't recall ever reading any individual accounts specifically about this particular camp, until I encountered this poignant diary by Father Jean Bernard from Luxembourg.
As I was reading Priestblock 25487 A Memoir of Dachau it was hard not to recall the eerie silence of Dachau's vast empty spaces marking off where derelict huts had once housed skeletons. But for the Grace of God, Father Bernard, too, would have joined the many souls who died there. His memoir is unique in several respects and worth reading, no matter how many books you may have read about the Holocaust.
First, it is about what happened to Christian, both Catholic and Protestant, clergy at the hands of the Nazis. For those who may have thought the Jewish nation alone suffered during those terrible times, they need look no further. In fact, there were punishments vindictive guards delighted in reserving just for priests on special feasts and other holy days.
And yet the strength of the story comes from the author’s intelligence, compassion for his fellows, and lack of self-pity or belaboring the horrors. The suffering endured by these men is beyond imagining; that is sufficient.
However, for me, it was Father Bernard’s unwavering faith in Christ through it all which speaks louder than anything and is the most important reason to read this book.
Worth reading and rereading—a reminder of how blessed we all are!
March 15, 2011
My father was part of the Rainbow Division which liberated Dachau at the end of WWII. He did not actually visit the camp, since the commanders did not recommend it and one of his tentmates was so traumatized by it, he sat in the corner of the tent and didn't speak until the Division moved out. So I am extremely interested in memoirs concerning the camp.
I was very disappointed in this one. For most of the time Bernard was a resident, the priests were treated much better than the general population. Not too many Jews had been sent there yet; most of the others were political prisoners. Bernard never discovered why he was sent nor why he was released, so the book has a dislocated feeling about it.
Bernard is not a good storyteller. Toward the end, his story becomes better narrated. This is when he begins discussing what happens to the prisoners in the hospital ward that are never going to be able to work again. They are sent "on transports" and never seen again. Somehow, Bernard does manage to convey the chilling implications.
An interesting item is that the ill were bunked in 3 bed bunks. The highest level was for the least sick: those who could still climb that high. As they became sicker, they were moved down a bunk. Being on the bottom bunk could end up being reason for transport.
The book is short and that may be why it is not well written. Bernard lacks the narrating of small details that make many other memoirs, such as Primo Levi's, so fascinating and horrible.
I was very disappointed in this one. For most of the time Bernard was a resident, the priests were treated much better than the general population. Not too many Jews had been sent there yet; most of the others were political prisoners. Bernard never discovered why he was sent nor why he was released, so the book has a dislocated feeling about it.
Bernard is not a good storyteller. Toward the end, his story becomes better narrated. This is when he begins discussing what happens to the prisoners in the hospital ward that are never going to be able to work again. They are sent "on transports" and never seen again. Somehow, Bernard does manage to convey the chilling implications.
An interesting item is that the ill were bunked in 3 bed bunks. The highest level was for the least sick: those who could still climb that high. As they became sicker, they were moved down a bunk. Being on the bottom bunk could end up being reason for transport.
The book is short and that may be why it is not well written. Bernard lacks the narrating of small details that make many other memoirs, such as Primo Levi's, so fascinating and horrible.
December 19, 2022
Serie di piccoli scatti iniziali del e nel lager, che diventano racconto in divenire, come se il protagonista, con la progressione del linguaggio, riuscisse a prendere coscienza della sua stessa situazione, bloccata dal trauma della deportazione e di quel che comporta per un prete 'abituato' a predicare la bontà di dio, di cui noi uomini siamo immagine e somiglianza, vero?
Manca qualcosa. La tonaca nasconde, come al solito temo. O forse difende, in questo caso, l'intima essenza di un uomo, di questo 'prete a Dachau'.
Manca qualcosa. La tonaca nasconde, come al solito temo. O forse difende, in questo caso, l'intima essenza di un uomo, di questo 'prete a Dachau'.
June 6, 2008
I read this book in a couple of hours. As a teenager I visited Dachau which is now a monument. The overwhelming feeling of misery and death surrounded me while I was inside, and I cannot begin to imagine the horror of being imprisoned there. The human spirit, love for one another and hope and faith in God is unbelievable.
October 31, 2018
This might not be a five star book for everyone, but I found the experience of priests in Dachau to be fascinating, and of course, heart-wrenching like every other Holocaust survival story. Bonus points that the author, Father Jean Bernard is from Luxembourg, where some of my ancestors come from!
January 19, 2018
Harrowing story of the concentration camp in World War 2
April 12, 2009
In 1941 Father Jean Bernard was imprisoned in Dachau for denouncing the Nazis. He was placed in Dachau's "Priest Block", a barracks for clergymen. He was released in 1942, but his experiences in the concentration camp led to his memoirs here.
This is the first book of a clergyman's involvement in the camps that I have come across and was even startled to find there was such a barrack as "Priest Block", though I suppose I shouldn't find that so shocking. Bernard's descriptions of his experiences are not quite as vivid as some memoirs I have read (particularly after the amazing images found in Oskar Rosenfeld's notebooks I finished immediately before reading Bernard's memoir); however, many images were impressed upon my mind's eye despite the short amount of time spent in discussing them (the dandelion he and others watched and desired to steal from the field to eat in desperation from hunger, the feces running down one man's leg). Without meaning to sound like a callous jerk I felt Bernard's memoir was more superficial than others I have read - I do not mean that it was not well written or that he did not experience horror as other writers of their experiences, but I do mean that I felt Bernard did not delve below the surface as much as others. Still, I'm glad I read it and recommend it to anyone also interested in Holocaust literature.
This is the first book of a clergyman's involvement in the camps that I have come across and was even startled to find there was such a barrack as "Priest Block", though I suppose I shouldn't find that so shocking. Bernard's descriptions of his experiences are not quite as vivid as some memoirs I have read (particularly after the amazing images found in Oskar Rosenfeld's notebooks I finished immediately before reading Bernard's memoir); however, many images were impressed upon my mind's eye despite the short amount of time spent in discussing them (the dandelion he and others watched and desired to steal from the field to eat in desperation from hunger, the feces running down one man's leg). Without meaning to sound like a callous jerk I felt Bernard's memoir was more superficial than others I have read - I do not mean that it was not well written or that he did not experience horror as other writers of their experiences, but I do mean that I felt Bernard did not delve below the surface as much as others. Still, I'm glad I read it and recommend it to anyone also interested in Holocaust literature.
December 7, 2014
Amazingly, powerful book of a Catholic priest in the Concentration Camp at Dachau. Its a short read at only 177 pages, but I found it hard to put it down when I started to read it.
My uncle recommended this book when I raided his book cases at Thanksgiving and I am really, really glad that he did.
The story starts with him in prison and then transferring to Dachau and ends with him getting released from Dachau. Everything that happened to him during his imprisonment was horrifying. From staying in the priests barracks and having their extra wine and food at meals, to being a day labor at the SS Camp "plantation" as they called it. The immense pain that he went through both emotional and physical at the end of his stay was a horrible thing for anyone to go through.
My uncle recommended this book when I raided his book cases at Thanksgiving and I am really, really glad that he did.
The story starts with him in prison and then transferring to Dachau and ends with him getting released from Dachau. Everything that happened to him during his imprisonment was horrifying. From staying in the priests barracks and having their extra wine and food at meals, to being a day labor at the SS Camp "plantation" as they called it. The immense pain that he went through both emotional and physical at the end of his stay was a horrible thing for anyone to go through.
February 10, 2015
A must read
Moving and profound. Shocking as all Holocaust and concentration camp accounts are, but unique in that Fr. Bernard is a Roman Catholic priest and experiences a different treatment and brutality than his Jewish brothers and sisters. There were moments when I cried silent tears of sorrow for his treatment and his fellow priests especially in regards to their religious duties. I worried and was hopeful. Fr. Bernard endured so much and came out alive. As always with these memoirs I find that they shake me up. His life and those of his fellow priests should not be forgotten. I am grateful to know his story and so be able to tell it and share with others. Eternal rest grant unto him, O God.
Moving and profound. Shocking as all Holocaust and concentration camp accounts are, but unique in that Fr. Bernard is a Roman Catholic priest and experiences a different treatment and brutality than his Jewish brothers and sisters. There were moments when I cried silent tears of sorrow for his treatment and his fellow priests especially in regards to their religious duties. I worried and was hopeful. Fr. Bernard endured so much and came out alive. As always with these memoirs I find that they shake me up. His life and those of his fellow priests should not be forgotten. I am grateful to know his story and so be able to tell it and share with others. Eternal rest grant unto him, O God.
January 26, 2008
During WWII the Nazis sent priests and other clergy to concentration camps if they denounced the teaching of the party. This book is the memoir of Fr. Jean Bernard, a priest from Luxembourg. Fr. Bernard was released from Dachau for ten days during his "stay" there, but he returned because if he didn't, his fellow Luxembourger priests would've suffered for it. As I read and cried my way through this book, I wondered if my own faith would remain were I to be subjected to this kind of cruelty.
June 3, 2012
A must-read for better understanding the senselessness that occurred at Dachau. This book was written in the interesting and unusual perspective of a priest and I am glad I read it as I will be visiting Dachau this month and wanted to put a human and individual face for better understanding and empathy of that tragic time in our world's history.
March 22, 2008
This book is a fast paced and sobering account of the depth to which man's inhumanity can sink, and also of the strength which man can gain from faith and uniting his suffering to that of Christ.
March 31, 2013
Interesting but brief with very little on priestly activity.
October 30, 2022
What can I say about this very readable account from a priest from Luxembourg who spent 1 1/2 years in Dachau?
Jean Bernard was one of hundreds of clerics who were rounded up and sent off to selected concentration camps by the German government. Readers should understand that this interment was a prison sentence, not a death sentence. Fr. Bernard and his companions - Belgian, Polish, German, Dutch, Austrian, French, et. al. were NOT expected to necessarily die while imprisoned. These prisoners were treated much differently from Jews, Sinti, Roma and POWs.
Fr. Bernard's lamentations are a bit much, actually. At one point, he complains that the daily ration of wine has been withheld for three days; on the fourth day, all the priests are expected to consume approximately two liters of wine - a typical torment for them arranged by their German captors. These prisoners had monetary resources - commissary accounts arranged by friends, family and colleagues on the outside. They had personal belongings and lockers to store them. They sent and received mail. They received packages of much-needed items on a regular basis. They received three meals (albeit lean and sadistically served) daily. They had an actual infirmary. They had straw mattresses and bedding. The worst punishment for Fr. Bernard seems to have been the withholding of religious activities, although he and his fellow prisoners WERE permitted to celebrate mass from time to time, and the camp marked religious holidays for Christian prisoners.
Certainly, the priests were subjected to punishments and many died from a variety of causes. The incarceration was cruel and horrifying in many ways. The fireplace/stoves in the barracks rarely had sufficient fuel - but they HAD fuel, unlike the non-religious prisoners. And, ultimately, these inmates who did not die were released. (And their property was returned to them before leaving the camp.)
I suspect this memoir was produced to offset well-publicized episodes of Catholic (and, let us be fair, Lutheran) collaboration with the Nazi regime and facilitation of Nazi policies with regard to the elimination of 'undesirables.' Fr. Bernard was a specialist in Catholic messaging through films and other media opportunities. He understood the importance of propaganda and publicity. He is most certainly NOT bearing witness to the suffering of his neighbors.
This memoir, while providing an account of a terrible episode in this priest's life, ultimately bears witness to his survival, precisely because of his religious affiliation.
Jean Bernard was one of hundreds of clerics who were rounded up and sent off to selected concentration camps by the German government. Readers should understand that this interment was a prison sentence, not a death sentence. Fr. Bernard and his companions - Belgian, Polish, German, Dutch, Austrian, French, et. al. were NOT expected to necessarily die while imprisoned. These prisoners were treated much differently from Jews, Sinti, Roma and POWs.
Fr. Bernard's lamentations are a bit much, actually. At one point, he complains that the daily ration of wine has been withheld for three days; on the fourth day, all the priests are expected to consume approximately two liters of wine - a typical torment for them arranged by their German captors. These prisoners had monetary resources - commissary accounts arranged by friends, family and colleagues on the outside. They had personal belongings and lockers to store them. They sent and received mail. They received packages of much-needed items on a regular basis. They received three meals (albeit lean and sadistically served) daily. They had an actual infirmary. They had straw mattresses and bedding. The worst punishment for Fr. Bernard seems to have been the withholding of religious activities, although he and his fellow prisoners WERE permitted to celebrate mass from time to time, and the camp marked religious holidays for Christian prisoners.
Certainly, the priests were subjected to punishments and many died from a variety of causes. The incarceration was cruel and horrifying in many ways. The fireplace/stoves in the barracks rarely had sufficient fuel - but they HAD fuel, unlike the non-religious prisoners. And, ultimately, these inmates who did not die were released. (And their property was returned to them before leaving the camp.)
I suspect this memoir was produced to offset well-publicized episodes of Catholic (and, let us be fair, Lutheran) collaboration with the Nazi regime and facilitation of Nazi policies with regard to the elimination of 'undesirables.' Fr. Bernard was a specialist in Catholic messaging through films and other media opportunities. He understood the importance of propaganda and publicity. He is most certainly NOT bearing witness to the suffering of his neighbors.
This memoir, while providing an account of a terrible episode in this priest's life, ultimately bears witness to his survival, precisely because of his religious affiliation.
June 18, 2017
I had thought this would be a hard read but it was actually a very easy read. I found the description of Dachau and how priests were treated to be very interesting. I had known that some priests and Christians had opposed Hitler. But, this book describes a large number of priests who were sent to this concentration camp. I am thankful that some people tried to stand up against Hitler and the Nazis. The preface by Sean Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, states "Over 2,000 Catholic priests became prisoners of one of Hitler's earliest concentration camps, Dachau in Bavaria, Germany."
While in this camp, the priests starved yet shared some of their stolen food with others. They did what they could to help each other survive in horrible circumstances. May we all help others and stand up against evil like these priests did.
While in this camp, the priests starved yet shared some of their stolen food with others. They did what they could to help each other survive in horrible circumstances. May we all help others and stand up against evil like these priests did.
December 9, 2018
Horror of Dachau
This is one of the very few books I’ve read about a prisoner in a Concentration Camp during WWII who was not Jewish.
As horrific as this Priest’s story was, I kept thinking that even at its very worst moments, it could not compare with the Jewish Holocaust experiences I’ve been reading.
I know that the Nazis tortured and murdered many non-Jewish people. But, in the Jewish stories I have read, one’s whole family are taken prisoner or killed. There is never a hope of being released from the camp as happened with Fr. Bernard, no short term release because a family member has died, etc.
I sympathize with this man and all he went through and I’m not making his suffering seem light.
I am happy Fr. Bernard survived and lived a long life.
This is one of the very few books I’ve read about a prisoner in a Concentration Camp during WWII who was not Jewish.
As horrific as this Priest’s story was, I kept thinking that even at its very worst moments, it could not compare with the Jewish Holocaust experiences I’ve been reading.
I know that the Nazis tortured and murdered many non-Jewish people. But, in the Jewish stories I have read, one’s whole family are taken prisoner or killed. There is never a hope of being released from the camp as happened with Fr. Bernard, no short term release because a family member has died, etc.
I sympathize with this man and all he went through and I’m not making his suffering seem light.
I am happy Fr. Bernard survived and lived a long life.
March 10, 2019
When reading a book on Nazi concentration camps, or any form of unjust internment, particularly when written by a victim, it’s hard not to bow to the author’s vulnerability in sharing. Priestblock is not a riveting page turner, but a nuanced and occasionally difficult-to-accept account of conditions on the inside of Dachau. And I say difficult-to-accept not because it’s unbelievable, but because I still can’t fathom the levels of diabolical evil and, on the other side, the levels of intentional, general apathy among standing witnesses that exist within so many members of the human race.
March 25, 2018
Important memoir because it is from a priest and shows how priests were treated. As with all survivors of concentration camps I am always astonished by the perseverance, will to live, help from others, and just pure luck it took to make it through alive. This memoir is no different. Must read especially if you are Catholic.
January 13, 2021
This is a bare bones account of a priest’s experience in a concentration camp. It plainly shows how he and other prisoners were forced to live and is extremely moving while hard to read at times. I only gave it 4 stars because the words don’t necessarily flow but would recommend it to everyone to read for the historical importance.
March 11, 2022
This was a teen book club pick and it was suggested parents read it as well. It was not my first book of this kind and so it unfortunately was up against truly moving books in my mind. It wasn’t written for kids but has that quality - he understates everything which sometimes makes him sound coarse, which I get, ok, but can be disconcerting too.
April 12, 2023
Heart wrenching account of Fr Bernard and his imprisonment in Dachau. Relying on his faith in God and his fellow man, he survives to tell the horrors he and other prisoners endured. I'm not a fan of books told in a diary format, but it works so effectively in this book to feel like you are experiencing life in Dachau from one moment to the next -- no fluff, no unnecessary narrative.
August 25, 2019
How Priests Helped Each Other Survive Dachau.
Increases your love for the Eucharist and the Mass. I recommend this book to those who who are interested in the reality of how priests were treated in countries occupied by Germany during WWII.
Increases your love for the Eucharist and the Mass. I recommend this book to those who who are interested in the reality of how priests were treated in countries occupied by Germany during WWII.
January 17, 2021
A gripping read. May Fr. Bernard and his fellow priests rest in God's peace and may such horrors never occur again -- to anyone. May the perpetrators have repentance and conversion so God may have mery on them.
April 6, 2022
Though the subject matter is heavy, the book is palatable mainly due to Bernard’s hope. The book drips with hope and it is evident that his entire life was always founded around this virtue. Absolutely stunning book.
November 8, 2025
Les mémoires du père Jean Bernard sur son temps incarcéré au camp de Dachau sont choquantes, viscérales même, mais en même temps démontrent vivement la véritable liberté d'âme que l'on vit lorsque nous remettons notre vie au Seigneur.
November 9, 2018
Honest easy read. He makes his suffering seem like less than others without false modesty.
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