Jan Verleun: The Priest Who Became a Nazi Killer
Faith Under Fire: Clergy in WWII [collection]
•
12m
Born into a devout Catholic family, Jan Verleun dreamed of becoming a priest. When Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands, his faith was tested by war. Wounded in battle, he vowed to dedicate his life to freeing his country from occupation.
Joining the underground resistance group CS-6, Verleun used forged identities, carried out sabotage, and targeted Nazi collaborators. Guided by conscience and courage, he turned from theology to armed struggle, fighting for justice in a nation under terror.
His story captures the inner conflict of a man who sought to serve God—yet found his destiny on the battlefield of freedom.
Up Next in Faith Under Fire: Clergy in WWII [collection]
-
From Pastor to Mass Murderer: The Sto...
He was once a man of faith — a Protestant pastor who preached the word of God.
But when the Nazis came to power, Ernst Biberstein traded his Bible for the black uniform of the SS.Appointed to lead Einsatzkommando 6, one of the Nazi mobile death squads, he personally oversaw the execution of tho...
-
Holy Collar, Dark Soul: The Traitor P...
He was a man of God — and a servant of evil.
During the German occupation of France, Catholic priest Robert Alesch preached in La Varenne–Saint-Hilaire near Paris, earning trust with his anti-Nazi sermons. But behind the pulpit, he secretly worked for the German Abwehr, infiltrating Resistance ne... -
Priest Who Risked His Life to Help Pr...
After Nazi Germany annexed Austria in March 1938, repression spread rapidly—and those who spoke out risked everything.
Otto Neururer, an Austrian Catholic priest, was among the few who openly rejected Nazi racial ideology and defended the dignity of all people. His stance led to his arrest and d...
