Books

This powerful trilogy chronicles the extraordinary life of Heinrich, a man whose unwavering faith and resilience carried him through the darkest chapters of the 20th century. Set against the backdrop of Stalinist persecution, war-torn lands, and the oppressive grip of Soviet rule, the series is a testament to the unyielding strength of truth and the transformative power of conviction.

Volume I: The Truth Will Never Die
In the first book, we are introduced to Heinrich as a young man whose dreams and aspirations are shattered by the brutal realities of life under Stalin's regime. Through imprisonment, the loss of family members and the execution of his father, exile to Siberian labour camps, and the constant threat of death, his spirit remains unbroken. This volume vividly portrays his trials and triumphs, honouring the faith and fortitude that sustained him in a world determined to strip him of his humanity.

Volume II: The Truth Never Compromises (coming 2025)
As the narrative progresses, Heinrich’s story shifts from survival to the challenges of rebuilding. Returning to civil life, he confronts new trials from the regime and within his faith community. Amid the harsh realities of post-war Kazakhstan, he plants a church and fosters a clandestine community of believers. His uncompromising honesty and steadfast convictions serve as both a beacon of hope and a source of conflict as he navigates theological disputes and the unrelenting pressure to conform. This volume reveals the cost of standing firm in truth, even when it demands great personal sacrifice.

Volume III: The Truth Makes You Free (coming end of 2025)
The final book brings Heinrich’s journey full circle, focusing on his eventual eviction and his family from the USSR and finding asylum and freedom in West Germany. Here, the narrative explores the culmination of his lifelong battle for faith, dignity, and truth. This is a story of liberation—not just from physical oppression but from the fear and constraints that sought to silence him. Heinrich’s life becomes a testament to the goodness of God, liberating power of truth, inspiring generations to come.

Truth Journey: From Persecution to Freedom is more than a biography; it is a profound exploration of what it means to live with integrity in the face of tyranny. Through Heinrich’s story, readers are reminded that while truth may be tested by fire, it emerges unbroken, carrying the promise of freedom.

Here are a few accounts of growing up in the Soviet Union. Being the son of devout Christian parents and a church planter, I was well-acquainted with the difficulties of practicing one's spiritual faith in the former communist USSR. I share my journey as a young boy and then man, grappling with the conflicting ideologies of Christianity and Socialism. My aim is to provide readers with a glimpse into daily life in the USSR from 1964 to 1977. You will accompany me as I face persecution from Communist-sympathizing schoolteachers, see my father taken to a Soviet labour camp, and endure harassment from the KGB for our underground church. This is followed by two years of serving in the Soviet Army in Ukraine and, eventually, my family's escape to capitalist Germany and beyond. I want to communicate a tale of enduring optimism in the face of adversity and persecution. I would highly recommend it to readers interested in life behind the Iron Curtain of the former USSR!

Available on Amazon Books.

Available on https://beardandbeauty.bigcartel.com

This is a real, brief tale about my granddad who was daring enough to display a Christmas tree, sing carols, and recite from the Holy Bible. The authorities didn't accept freedom of speech and belief. Despite this, he spread happiness and optimism among the young ones. Regrettably, he and his loved ones had to endure severe consequences for their religious convictions.

Available on Amazon

Step into the heart of Ukraine’s tumultuous upheaval with Anna, a resilient soul born into a Mennonite farm family. Reforms following the 1917 socialist revolution shattered her once-peaceful countryside’s tranquillity, plunging the nation into chaos and lawlessness. In the ensuing battleground, the ideals of justice clash with violent revolutionaries and looting gangs, leaving devastation in their wake.
Fleeing the horrors, Anna’s family seeks refuge in Eastern Siberia, only to find themselves labelled again as “dangerous social elements” under the Soviet iron-fisted regime. In the shadow of the Gulag’s torture prisons and forced labour camps, Anna and her family confront the harsh reality of survival, a period often likened to ‘the other Holocaust.’ Most of her siblings and also her father and mother die from hunger, poverty, imprisonment and executions.

“To Me, You Are Good.” is a gripping narrative that illuminates the harrowing experiences of those who endured Stalin’s socialist terror. Beyond a tale of suffering, this book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and an unwavering faith in a benevolent God.
The saga unfolds over seventy years as Anna’s journey leads her from the USSR to West Germany, a quest for peace, freedom, and love. Against the backdrop of political conflicts, both societal and personal, the narrative weaves personal stories with historical nuances. This compelling book is a must-read for those intrigued by Ukrainian, Russian, Mennonite, and Christian history.

“To Me, You Are Good.” invites readers on a moving journey through the shadows of adversity, where the light of hope and enduring faith in God’s justice ultimately triumphs.

Available on Amazon