One man’s journey from surviving the horrors of the Holocaust to becoming a centenarian in California is a testament to the enduring human spirit.
Early Life and World War II
Nickolay "Nick" Xoprenko was born on September 7, 1924, in Donbas, Ukraine. Life was good as a young boy but in 1933, the “Holodomor” or death by forced starvation/famine, took the lives of over 3 million people, including Nick’s two brothers.
In the early years of the war, when just a teenager, he was snatched out of a bread line by Hitler's SS and forcibly taken to work in an ammunition factory in Wolfratshausen, Germany. He would never see his family again. After 11 months, he was falsely accused of sabotage and sent to the Dachau and Allach concentration camps. There, Nick's identity was reduced to a number, Prisoner 44249. He endured an additional two and a half years of atrocities, including starvation, torture, and beatings. He also survived a brutal death march, where only a fraction of his fellow prisoners made it out alive.
At camp Allach, he worked assembling BMW aircraft engines. One of the worst SS officers in charge, a man named Eisenbart, accused Nick of sabotage. Nick was mercilessly beaten with a cat o' nine tails whip by Eisenbart until he lost consciousness and nearly died.
On April 29, 1945, Nick was among the 32,000 prisoners liberated from Dachau by U.S. military forces. He weighed just under 80 lbs then spent several years in Germany recovering. There he met fellow Holocaust survivor, Nadja, and they married, staying in Germany. But the pain continued and Nick turned to alcohol and cigarettes to dull the pain. Finally, he was introduced to Christ by a friend and turned his whole life around, becoming a Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
Despite facing some of the darkest chapters in human history, Nick's newfound faith gave him a purpose, from God, for living a life of forgiveness. One of the most profound moments of Nick's life came 15 years after the war when he crossed paths with Eisenbart at an unemployment office. Faced with the man who had inflicted so much pain upon him, Nick had the power to seek revenge, but he chose forgiveness instead. Rather than turning him in or taking justice into his own hands, Nick forgave him. This extraordinary act of grace and strength shaped the rest of his life. His ability to forgive, even after such deep suffering, was a reflection of the greatness of his heart and the strength of his faith.
New Beginnings
Nick and family moved from Germany to Calistoga, California in the early 1960’s where he eventually changed his last name to Hope, reflecting his enduring belief in hope from God. There he embarked on a career in construction, building over 150 homes and businesses in the Napa Valley. He officially retired at the age of 97. Nadja passed away in 2015. Nick is survived by their three children—Victor Hope, Jenny McLaren, and George Hope—and three grandchildren.
As a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Nick found strength and solace in his beliefs. He often credited his faith and the power of forgiveness for his longevity and resilience reaching his 100th birthday, just last year. He remarked, "It helps me to live my whole life, to 100 years old. God says, 'Forgive and be forgiven.'"
Legacy and Passing
Nick passed away on March 10, 2025, after battling pneumonia and flu complications. He was looking forward to attending the 80th anniversary of his liberation from Dachau next month.
A memorial service is scheduled at the St. Helena Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Helena, California.
For more insights into Nick Hope's life and experiences, watch this fascinating interview conducted when he turned 100.
I have had the chance to see Nick several times, most recently just two months ago. Even though his health was failing, it was a humble honor to be able to pray with and for one of the giants of all humanity.
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Revelation 14:13
If you are impressed to help the Hope family defray expenses from their father’s illness and passing, please go to the following link:
Forgiveness is a multi-faceted gift from God. And it flows from the cross. Forgiveness is for everyone. First from God to us, then from us to others (Romans 3:23; Psalm 103:12; Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7).
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“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
