Between war and hope: Friedrich Christian Grieser

His name may not be familiar to everyone, yet he left a lasting impression on the lives of many people. Friedrich Christian Grieser—known to everyone as Christian—was born on November 16, 1887, in Oberohrn near Öhringen. He grew up in an Adventist family, which was quite remarkable at the time, given that the Adventist Church was still in its infancy in Germany. After several years as a shoemaker (1901–1908), he began his ministry as a book evangelist. In 1911, he followed his brother Johann Friedrich Grieser (known as Fritz, born July 22, 1879) to Friedensau, where he attended the preacher's seminary from 1911 to 1913. This makes the Grieser brothers part of an illustrious line of Adventist pioneers who received their training in Friedensau: Christian Grieser was even ordained into the preaching ministry in 1922 by L. R. Conradi and G. W. Schubert themselves. His future wife Johanna (née Lender, November 25, 1891) also came from a family deeply rooted in faith: her mother Luise (née Mauerhan, August 28, 1858) was one of the first Adventists in Reutlingen, and several of her children followed in her footsteps. His brother Fritz found employment and his wife in Switzerland.

As a preacher, Christian's career took him all over Germany: Stuttgart, Heilbronn, Reutlingen, Tuttlingen, Freiburg, Konstanz, Rothenburg o. T., Augsburg, Neustadt/Pfalz, Ludwigshafen, Pforzheim, and Offenburg. Everywhere he went, he strove to strengthen communities, win people over to the faith, and enable new beginnings.

The war years presented him with particular challenges. Drafted as a soldier during World War I, he witnessed the complete destruction of Pforzheim during World War II. On February 23, 1945, bombs fell on the city. He had already brought his family to safety, but he himself remained behind—out of a sense of responsibility for his mission. Buried in the basement of the preacher's apartment, surrounded by smoke and fire gases, he survived as if by a miracle. However, many members of the congregation died that night. For the preacher, this meant not only personal survival, but also the burden of carrying the grief and despair of so many people.

But Christian Grieser did not give up. With a handcart, he took the few belongings he had to Sprollenhaus in the Black Forest, 33 km away, where his family found shelter. And again, he immediately began preaching, giving Bible lessons, and encouraging people. Soon after, baptisms took place there – new life sprang up amid the ruins of war.

On December 28, 1962, Christian Grieser died in Reutlingen at the age of 75. His obituary (Adventbote, March 15, 1963, p. 95) speaks of a man who participated in all the activities of his congregation until the last day of his life. His life impressively demonstrates what it means to combine faithfulness with dedication and courage—even in the most difficult times. The fact that we can learn about this today is thanks to the efforts of his granddaughter Ursula Meichsner, who kindly provided the archive with documents from the family history.

As an archive, it is our heartfelt desire to keep such life stories alive. But we can only do this together. Do you perhaps have photos, letters, documents, or memories of preachers from that time (especially from the eastern regions of pre-war Germany)? If so, please contact us! Every detail, every story helps to complete the picture, especially from this period. Together we can ensure that the spiritual heritage of our church is not lost. Please write to us or call us: | 03921 916-155.

Bernd Müller, Ph.D., Director of the Historical Archives of the SDA in Europe