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Richard and Sabina were both born Jews but became born again Christians in 1938.
Richard (1909-2001 Sabina Oster( married in 1936 , died in 2000)

Richard was ordained twice first as an Anglican and then after WW11 he became a Romanian Evangelical Lutheran priest.

As an adolescent he was sent to study Marxism in Moscow. He was arrested by the secret police.and sent to Doftana Prison. He was an important Comintern agent leader and coordinator directly paid by Moscow. Like other Romanian Communists he was arrested several times, sentenced and released again.

He preached at bomb shelters and rescued Jews during WW11.

In 1944 when the Soviet Union occupied Romania and wanted to establish a Communist regime he immediately began an ‘underground’ ministry to his people. He was highly ecumenical and worked with Christians of many denominations.

Under the Communists the church was once more subject to persecution and believers were forced underground. Yet despite restrictions,evangelism continued and literature specially designed for Communists was printed.

In 1948 he publically said Communism and Christianity were incompatible. He was on his way to a Divine Service when he was arrested on 29th February 1948.

This was the beginning of him being imprisoned for his faith.He spent 3 years in solitary confinement. He was released after 8 1/2 years. He was arrested again and sentenced to 25 years. He was imprisoned under a false name so no one could trace him. Secret Police, posing as released prisoners, visited Sabina saying he was dead, She did not believe them.

In 1964 Richard received an amnesty. He had spent a total of 14 years in prison before the $10,000 ransom was paid. He had been beaten, tortured (including mutilation), burnt and locked in a large ice box. His body bore these physical scars for the rest of his life.
Sabina in 1950 also spent 3 years in penal labour.

On his release they moved first to Norway then England. Finally They emigrated to America and dedicated the rest of their lives to publicizing and helping Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. He became known as The Voice of the Underground Church

He wrote more than 18 books, Tortured for Christ is his best known book. Richard had such an extraordinary memory that while in prison he composed 350 sermons and the result was With God in Solitary Confinement(1969)
Sabina wrote* The Pastor’s Wife.* (See list of* Books*)

Richard died at the age of 91 in 2001. Sabina had died the year before 2000.

Sources
Wikipedia

• 70 Greatest Christians** by Geoffrey Hanks (pages 318-323)