Facing the Lion

1. What is Facing the Lion: Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe by Simone Arnold Liebster about?

• Personal memoir of persecution: The book recounts Simone Arnold Liebster’s childhood as a Jehovah’s Witness in Nazi-occupied Alsace, detailing her family’s persecution, her father’s arrest, and her own struggles with Nazi indoctrination.
• Religious and political resistance: It highlights the spiritual resistance of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who refused to conform to Nazi demands such as the Hitler salute, military service, and allegiance oaths.
• Historical and personal narrative: The memoir combines historical context with vivid personal stories, offering a rare child’s perspective on the daily realities of living under National Socialist terror.

2. Why should I read Facing the Lion by Simone Arnold Liebster?

• Unique historical perspective: The memoir provides a firsthand account of the Nazi persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a group often overlooked in Holocaust literature.
• Inspiration through faith and resilience: Simone’s story is a testament to courage, faith, and moral conviction in the face of extreme adversity.
• Educational value: The book offers detailed insights into Nazi indoctrination, the psychological and physical abuse in Nazi institutions, and the power of spiritual resistance.

3. Who were Jehovah’s Witnesses and why were they persecuted in Nazi Europe according to Facing the Lion?

• Religious beliefs in conflict: Jehovah’s Witnesses publicly rejected Nazi racial laws, the oath of allegiance to Hitler, and military service, putting them in direct opposition to the regime.
• Scale of persecution: Nearly 10,000 Witnesses were imprisoned, with thousands sent to concentration camps and hundreds executed for their beliefs.
• Daily resistance: The book details the psychological intimidation, forced separation of children, and harsh reprisals faced by Witnesses for refusing to conform.

4. What were the main challenges Simone Arnold Liebster faced as a young Jehovah’s Witness under Nazi rule?

• Forced separation and institutionalization: At age 12, Simone was sent to a Nazi reeducation home, facing harsh discipline and isolation from her family.
• Pressure to conform: She was repeatedly pressured to participate in Nazi youth activities, salute Hitler, and abandon her faith, facing punishment and social ostracism for her resistance.
• Family persecution and loss: Her father was imprisoned in concentration camps, her mother was arrested, and her brother was executed for refusing military service.

5. How did Simone Arnold Liebster’s family life and faith evolve in Facing the Lion?

• Conversion and conflict: Simone’s mother converted to Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1938, followed by her father and Simone herself, leading to family opposition and economic hardship.
• Faith as strength: Despite persecution, their faith deepened, providing spiritual resilience and a sense of purpose.
• Survival through belief: The memoir details how religious education, prayer, and mutual support helped the family endure Nazi oppression.

6. What was the Wessenberg Institution for Juvenile Education, and what was Simone’s experience there?

• Nazi reeducation home: The Wessenberg Institution was a reform school for children deemed ideologically “misguided,” aiming to break their religious beliefs and enforce Nazi conformity.
• Harsh conditions: Simone describes severe punishments, forced labor, silence rules, and constant surveillance designed to crush individuality and faith.
• Spiritual resistance: Despite oppression, Simone maintained her faith through secret Bible reading, organizing plays, and forming quiet bonds with other girls.

7. How did Nazi ideology and education impact Simone Arnold Liebster and other children in Facing the Lion?

• Racial indoctrination: Nazi textbooks promoted Aryan supremacy and antisemitism, labeling Jews as “parasitic” and justifying persecution.
• Compulsory Nazi youth participation: Children were forced to join groups like the Hitler Youth and participate in Nazi rituals, with refusal leading to punishment.
• Suppression of religious beliefs: Jehovah’s Witnesses were banned, and their children targeted for “reeducation” to sever their religious upbringing.

8. How did Simone Arnold Liebster and her family resist Nazi oppression in Facing the Lion?

• Spiritual resistance: They refused to salute Hitler, join Nazi organizations, or take up arms, maintaining their religious convictions despite severe consequences.
• Underground activities: The family and their community engaged in secret Bible study meetings, clandestine literature distribution, and covert communication networks.
• Endurance under persecution: Arrests, imprisonment, and constant threats were met with prayer, mutual support, and hope for divine protection.

9. What role did Simone’s extended family and Jehovah’s Witness community play in her survival and resistance?

• Supportive relatives: Family members like Aunt Eugenie and Grandpa provided emotional and practical support, risking their own safety.
• Community solidarity: The local Jehovah’s Witness congregation formed a close-knit, supportive group that met secretly and shared resources.
• Opposition and isolation: The family also faced hostility and denunciation from other relatives and neighbors, highlighting the social cost of their faith.

10. What were the consequences for Simone Arnold Liebster and her family for refusing to conform to Nazi demands?

• Imprisonment and separation: Simone was sent to a Nazi reeducation home; her parents and brother were arrested and sent to concentration camps, with her brother executed for conscientious objection.
• Social ostracism and abuse: The family faced bullying, isolation, and material hardship, both in school and in their community.
• Long-term effects: Simone and her father suffered physical and emotional trauma, and the family’s postwar recovery was slow and difficult.

11. How did Simone Arnold Liebster’s life change after World War II according to her memoir?

• Family reunion and recovery: Simone was reunited with her parents, though her father was physically and emotionally affected by camp imprisonment.
• Education and career: She resumed art studies, became an art designer, and deepened her Bible teaching activities.
• Marriage and missionary work: Simone married Max Liebster, a fellow Holocaust survivor and Jehovah’s Witness, and became a full-time missionary.

12. What are the key takeaways and best quotes from Facing the Lion by Simone Arnold Liebster, and what do they mean?

• Courage and integrity: The memoir emphasizes standing firm in one’s beliefs despite external pressure, with faith and conscience providing strength in adversity.
• Hope and faith: Quotes like “Hope is the greatest treasure” and “Life is not in your hands but in God’s” reflect the sustaining power of hope and trust in divine providence.
• Warning against totalitarianism: The book reveals the devastating effects of Nazi ideology and serves as a warning against intolerance and the suppression of conscience.
• Memorable quotes: “Those who resisted... have earned a special place and a special admiration” and “My wish is that my story will help others triumph over whatever ‘Lions’ of the future may threaten the human spirit anywhere” encapsulate the book’s universal message of resilience.