Christianity Today recently reported that Pastor Uwe Holmer, 94, died on Sept. 25, 2023.

Though a virtual unknown in North America, Uwe Holmer gained considerable fame in Germany where he pastored because of an incredible act of forgiveness.

When the communist government in East Germany collapsed in 1990, its despotic dictator Erich Honecker was thrown out of office.

He and his wife were also evicted from their home which was provided by the communist party after it was seized by the government. After ending up briefly in the hospital, Honecker was thrown out into the streets with nowhere to live.

Now fearing for his life from angry East Germans, Honecker who had persecuted the Christian church while in office did a strange thing, he turned to the church for help.

In an unbelievable act of forgiveness, Holmer who pastored a small rural church made the decision to allow Honecker and his wife Margot to live in Holmer’s home for 10 weeks.

Christianity Today provides more details:

“Jesus says to love your enemies,” he [Holmer] explained to his neighbors at the time. “When we pray, Vergib uns unsere Schuld, wie wir vergeben unseren Schuldigern”—forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us—“we must take these commands seriously.”

The evangelical minister accepted the deposed dictator into his home in January 1990 and cared for him and his wife Margot for two and a half months. The action shocked Germans, East and West. The 40-year division of the country had just collapsed, and as the Cold War came to a surprising end, the German people didn’t know what was going to happen next or how they should treat those on the other side.

This unknown pastor became a household name in both East and West Germany as the media camped outside his home looking for photos and quotes. Protestors also showed up to show their disdain for Honecker.

Holmer became known as “the man who Honecker lived with.”

Holmer added that though his family provided a place for Honecker to live and protection from the angry crowds, the former East German dictator showed little interest in the Gospel.

After leaving Holmer’s home, Honecker fled to the Soviet Union. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992, Honecker was extradited back to Germany to stand trial for his crimes.

However, he was freed and allowed to join his family who had moved to Chile after it was discovered Honecker was dying of liver cancer.

Holmer’s life quickly returned to normal after Honecker left. He became involved in an addiction center in a small town for those with drug and alcohol abuse and continued ministering in rural churches throughout East Germany.

READ: Died: Uwe Holmer, Pastor Who Forgave a Communist Dictator