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Show iff! Si POW Camp In t German Soldier Learns of Gospel By GERRY AVANT Church News Staff Writer A prison camp in France in the 1940s caused Joseph F. Beuchert, a young German prisoner of war, to suffer many years of physical deprivation and mental anguish That same camp now represents a gateway through which Brother Beuchert passed as he found a more abundant and fulfilling life. It was there that he discovered one of his greatest blessings: He learned of the gospel from a fellow prisoner of wai . Brother Beuchert, now the membership clerk of the Holladay 17th Ward, Salt Lake Olympus Stake, left his familys farm near Heidelberg, Germany when he was drafted into the German army. Shortly after he was the captured by an American unit in southern Thunderbird Division France in 1944, Brother Beuchert realized he was missing mere than just the physical presence of his family. He also lacked the faith his parents had in their religion. We were loaded into cattle cars and taken to a gathering camp, Brother Beuchert recalled. We were harrassed by the guards and the mobs along the way to Marseille. I saw some priests among the mobs throw rocks and bricks at us, I was shocked to see leaders from the same church to which I belonged throwing things at me. The American guards allowed the POWs to read the Bible. I was assigned to beip unload cargo cars during the day, Brother Beuchert said. When I had time, Id read the Bible. I was convinced that I was not a member of the true church and was determined to find the true one. I set out to investigate every Bible study group in the camp. I went to seven or eight, but none of them seemed to have the complete truth as taught in the Bible. POW camp The American-operate- d was dissolved when Brother Beuchert had been there for about H4 years. He was then transferred to two different POW camps operated by the French. When he got to tne second French camp, he looked at the other prisoners quite carefully. I tried to decide which ones 1 should get acquainted with, he said. I saw one German soldier who was quite healthy looking. I figured he had some connections with the kitchen, so I decided to make friends with him." Brother Beuchert soon discovered that his new friend was a Mormon elder, Walter Ruthenbcrg, who didnt have any special connections with the kitchen. He told me he had been living the Word of Wisdom as a young man and that that had helped preserve bis Brother Beuchert said. Of health, course, that didnt mean anything to me, so I asked him about about it. That was the first time Id heard anything about the church. Brother Beuchert saw his bunk mate, Hans Ruckdaschel. reading a book and asked to borrow it when he 12 CHURCH 9 WEEK ENDING was finished. Waiter had given Hans the book, "Voice of Warning, by Parley P, Pr3tt before Brother Beuchert had been assigned to the camp. I afaiieu she iuoK H'ld WHS convinced I had found the truth," Brother Beuchert said The three prisoners became close friends as they met together often to discuss the teachings of the gospel Hans and I wanted to be baptized but the guards wouldn't give us permission." Brother Beuchert said. They wouldnt let Walter baptize us and they wouldn't let any elders come into the camp, so we decided to escape. Brother Beuchert and Hans made elaborate escape plans, which failed. They had only a short period of freedom before they were captured and sent to another camp. They grieved at being separated from their teacher of the gospel but had some comfort in what Walter had told them shortly before their escape attempt, He told us we would be recaptured and that he had dreamed he would become so ill hed have to be transferred for an operation, Brother Beuchert said He said wed all be together again The two would-bescapees werent surprised to see Walter admitted to their camp. The three men spent man) hours telling other prisoners about the church e and sharing many character-buildin- Brother g and faith-promoti- experiences. Beuchert remembers one in particular. "There was one guard who always picked the three of us for the hardest details," Brother Beuchert said. We nearly starved to death in that camp. I went from 200 pounds to 104; there were mornings when I would be so weak that Id pass out when I stood up. This one guard w'as very abusive. We had been assigned to a detail. When wed stop to rest, this guard would hit us with his rifle butt. I hated him so much 1 wanted to kill him. Walter talked to me and said it wouldnt do any good to kill the guard. I said something had to be done because I couldnt take any more of his abusive treatment. Walter suggested that we fast and pray in the guards behalf. road-buildin- g Within three weeks, miraculous things began to happen. The guard started giving us breaks. Then he started bringing us sandwiches from home and he eventually arranged to have us work on the kitchen truck with him," Brother Beuchert explained. This was the most envied position in the camp "We went about the countryside gathering food for the prisoners On the way back to camp, the guard would stop at his house where his wife usually had snacks fixed for us. "Fve never seen anything manifest the power of Drayer as much as this to MAY 31, 1975 photo by Tom Smart Beuchert, a German soldier in World War i!f was Joseph captured by an American unit and sent to a French POW camp. F. make that guard change so much. By the time we left that camp, w e were the best of friends. Ive often wondered what happened to him I'd like to see him again. Brother Beuchert was released after four tars. I knew my family would disown me if I joined the church, he said I prayed for a personal testimony every night for about seven weeks 1 finally knew that this was right " , He had read an ad which had been placed in a newspaper by a church member in Freiburg; he bought a train ticket to visit the man W ueti I got to his apartment, the landlord told me Id missed him by about half an hour, Brother Beuchert said. "Accommodations were scarce because of the heavy bombings during the war so I decided Id go back home and write this man a letter to make an appointment to meet him I went back to the railroad station For some reason. I felt impressed to walk across the street As I did, an old man with white hair came up to me and asked if I were the young man who wanted to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints." The man was Karl Beehert. He took Brother Beuchert to the apartment to which he had gone earlier to talk about the church. I couldnt figure out how he knew who I was or that 1 was looking for Brother Beuchert said "We him, rented the pool at City Hall for one hour and I was baptized there. Brother Beuchert served as a missioin Germany and then immigrated to Canada with a missio- nary from 1949-5- 1 nary companion, Nephi Horn. I looked up the address of the meetinghouse in Edmonton and found out when the meetings were, Brother Beuchert aaid. When 1 got to the meetinghouse, I met the branch presiN. Eldon Tanner. He found me a dent place where I could have room and board and I became the branch clerk. Brother Beuchert met his wife, Fern Baker, while he was living in Canada. They moved to Utah In 19fi0. The Beucherts have three sons serving as missionaries at the present time. The eldest, Gregory, is a missionary in Germany and has had the opportunity of meeting some of his fathers family and talking with them about the church. Brent and Wayne, twins, are missionaries in California and Canada. Two other children, Carol and John, are still home with their pt rents Although the years he spent as a prisoner of war are among the darkest in his memory. Brother Beuchert feels he gained much from his experiences. He is looking forward to a reunion with Walter and Hans in the near future. Hans was also baptized into the church after his release as a prisoner of w'ar. |