Stitches Thru Time: Meet Pia Hertz, Midwife and Resistance Member

Welcome to Sit-Down Saturday! Today’s guest is midwife Pia Hertz from Linda Shenton Matchett’s latest release Love’s Belief. Grab a “cuppa” of your favorite beverage and listen in to the chat she and Linda had recently…

Linda: Guten Tag, Pia. I’m so glad we have time to sit down together. Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?

Pia: I was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, and my mother and I still live there where we are midwives. I love what we do. It is such a blessing to bring babies into the world. When we aren’t working, Mutti and I take advantage of the museums, art galleries, and theaters in the city.

Linda: Can you tell us a bit about the Nuremburg Laws and how they’ve impacted your practice?

Pia: The laws were enacted back in 1935, but in the last several months the authorities have begun to enforce them more consistently. In addition, Nonna Conti is the head of the Midwives Association, and she holds strong anti-Semitic feelings which have influenced many of the policies she has put in place. Mutti and I are required to report any Jewish births, so the children can be removed from the household. We have chosen to disobey the mandate. We can lose our license…or worse if we’re caught.

Linda: How about that hunky Dieter Fertig? What has it been like getting to know him?

Pia: (blushing) We bumped into each other at the Rossenstrasse protest, and nothing happened at the time, but I remember thinking that he was very good looking. It wasn’t until several weeks later that I happened to go into his shop. He was so charming and helpful to all his customers, especially the elderly ladies. He’s kind and gentle, but has great strength of character. He’s been very brave getting involved with…well, never mind. I shouldn’t say anything.

Linda: What is the Rossenstrasses protest? Were you frightened to get caught in that?

Pia: The protest was not violent. At least not on the side of the protestors. The soldiers periodically threatened to shoot them, but it never happened. Previously exempt from the laws, their Jewish husbands had been rounded up for transport to labor camps. The women gathered in front of the building and were generally silent. Sometimes, they chanted “Give us back our husbands.” After a couple of weeks, the government released the men.

Linda: What is your daily like in Berlin?

Pia: Frankly, it is difficult. Food and many other goods are heavily rationed, and fresh vegetables and fruits are scarce. The government tries to keep up our spirits, but with blackouts and bombing, and more and more young men being called into the Army it is a sad time. There are many Germans who don’t agree with Hitler’s ideas, but it is hard to know who to trust. Neighbors have turned against neighbors, and family against family. Mutti and I live in constant fear of being reported.

Linda: Despite your fear, you continue to help save Jewish babies. Do you ever wonder if you should stop your activities?

Pia: Absolutely not. Mutti and I feel God has called us to use our position as midwives to rescue His people. He works miracles to ensure our success. I can’t be more specific, but there have been multiple times we should have been caught.

Linda: Thank you for spending time with me. What else would you like to share?

Pia: By following God’s plan for our lives, and with His help, we can impact the world around us, one person at a time.

About Love’s Belief: Midwife Pia Hertz and her mother Sabine have been delivering babies long before the Nazis came to power. Now, the Third Reich has implemented mandates that require Jewish babies and other “undesirables” to be killed as part of The Final Solution. Is Pia’s new faith in Christ strong enough to defy the laws of man?

Despite the agony of the injury at the Battle of Drøbak Sound that took his arm, Dieter Fertig is relieved he’s no longer part of Hitler’s army. He returns to Berlin and discovers Jews are being deported by the thousands. When he realizes the Nuremburg Laws require his best friend’s baby girl to be killed, he must find a way to spirit the child out of Germany before the Nazis discover her existence.

Inspired by the biblical story of Shiprah and Puah, the midwives who saved Jewish babies during Pharaoh’s reign, Love’s Belief shows how one person’s actions can change the world.

Available for pre-order at a special introductory price from these fine retailers:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XLl8fU

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-s-belief

Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1459365377

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-belief