Commentary
A German pastor created a charcoal drawing of the Madonna and child during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942 to mark the festive season, but his artwork was suppressed by the Nazis.
In the summer of 1942, during the fourth year of World War II, the Wehrmacht High Command launched an offensive towards the oilfields south of the Caucasus and the city of Stalingrad in the Soviet Union.
The intense battle that ensued saw the German forces initially making progress but eventually becoming surrounded by the encircling Soviet units, leading to a dire situation for the trapped Sixth Army.
Despite pleas from his generals, Adolf Hitler refused to allow the trapped forces to break out, leading to a desperate situation as winter set in and supplies dwindled.
No nation cherishes Christmas as much as Germany, even under Nazi rule. The soldiers trapped in Stalingrad during December 1942 found solace in the holiday season amid the harsh realities of war.
Amidst the grim conditions inside the besieged city, Pastor Kurt Reuber created a charcoal drawing of the Madonna and Child on a Russian military map to uplift the spirits of his fellow troops during Christmas.
Despite being captured by the Soviets, Reuber’s artwork, known as the Stalingrad Madonna, survived and is now displayed in Berlin’s Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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