Irmgard Ilse Ida Grese (7 October 1923 – 13 December 1945) was a Nazi concentration camp guard at Ravensbrück and Auschwitz, and served as warden of the women’s section of Bergen-Belsen.[1] She was a volunteer member of the SS.
Grese was convicted of crimes involving the ill-treatment and murder of prisoners committed at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps, and sentenced to death at the Belsen trial. Executed at 22 years of age, Grese was the youngest woman to die judicially under British law in the 20th century. Auschwitz inmates nicknamed her the “Hyena of Auschwitz” (taken from Internet)
Contrary to their social environment, her father was a Christian. He overly disciplined his children and demanded their complete compliance with his orders. Apparently, she rejected her Christian environment in favor of the anti-God Nazi regime.
This woman was hung for her crimes at the young age of twenty-two. It brings to mind the question of parental influence on their children. If the parents of even Hitler tried their best to raise the children in a God-fearing environment, what responsibility is laid at the feet of the parents? Do they have any liability in the crimes that this woman committed which are even worse than what is already been described in this article?
What about the Scripture that says to bring up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it? Even if the parents are good and kind people, does that mean a guarantee that their children will also be good and kind Christians? The answer is No. It must be remembered that there is a limit to what parents can do to influence their children. It must also be remembered that each of us have free will which could include choosing the dark side of life. In this woman’s case, she left her Christian environment and freely chose to be a Nazi and a murderer. Parents must do their best to raise their children in a godly fashion. However, that does not mean that the children will automatically be good people and Christian people.
Many parents have suffered emotionally and spiritually because of the behavior of their children. The consequences of the child’s behavior can be enormous. Each parent should take heart and run to God for comfort and guidance. Know that the Christian parents can only do so much. It ends when the child decides to be rebellious against God and turn away in free will to do bad things. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring peace to your heart if you are one of these parents. Lean on God and do not take guilt on yourself for what your children do. Your responsibility is to do the best you can. It ends there when the child goes off as an adult to live a godly life or conflict of the world evil.
Christian Writer 