The Heroism of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Chapter 26 of my second novel, We Are Like Fire, regarding my hero Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

26.

Renaissance Theater

April 7, 1959

Dieter looks around at the other seven of us sitting backstage.  “Who’s the most spiritually good human being you can think of who’s lived in our lifetime?”

“Dietrich Bonhoeffer,” Jakob answers.

“The Protestant pastor?” Vera asks.

“And theologian,” Klaus replies.

“You met Bonhoeffer,” Dieter prompts Gisela.

“About a dozen times.”

“You know his story.”

“Yes.”

“Such courage,” Jakob says with reverence, “such sacrifice.”

“Tell us the story, Gisela,” Klaus urges her.  “I only know it vaguely.”

“Well, sure,” she says, figuring out where to start.  “From the beginning of the Nazi regime in 1933, Bonhoeffer declared publicly that the Church must serve as the conscience of the State.  When the Church is faced with an unjust State, the Church must care for victims, question the State’s actions, and resist.”

“A strong declaration,” Jakob says.

Gisela nods.  “In 1933, Bonhoeffer’s was the first public voice in Germany raised to oppose the persecution of Jews.  However, in June of that year, Nazis and pro-Nazis took over the German Lutheran church.  In 1934, the Nazis suspended all pastors who did not yield to Nazi control of German Protestant Christianity, arrested several hundred pastors, and sent some off to be executed.”

“Bonhoeffer’s theology was no longer a theoretical discussion,” I say.

“Indeed,” says Dieter.

Gisela nods.  “He believed, wrote, and preached that a Christian life is a life of responsibility – responsibility for the future, responsibility to protect the necessities of life, responsibility found in devotion of self to others.  Faced with Nazism and its penetration of the spiritual dimension of German life, Bonhoeffer responded by launching and leading an illegal underground seminary.”

“Impressive,” says Jakob.

“Here he provided theological and related training for German Protestant students for the ministry who refused to be part of the nazified Protestant churches.”

“Even more daring,” says Klaus.

“In 1937 came the publication of Bonhoeffer’s book The Cost of Discipleship.” 

“One of my favorite books,” says Jakob. 

“One of mine too,” says Gisela.  “In his book, Bonhoeffer called for more repentance, more discipline, and more integrity—and a Christian life in which we reach to meet high spiritual demands.  Bonhoeffer declared that ‘one act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons’ and that ‘action springs from a readiness for responsibility’.”

“Powerful truths,” I respond.

“In the face of a dangerous and criminal government, a Christian has no choice but to resist State authority,” Gisela says.  “Bonhoeffer insisted that ‘if any man tries to escape guilt in responsibility, he detaches himself from the ultimate reality of human existence’.”

“Profound,” says Klaus.

“That same year, the Nazi Minister for Church Affairs declared that ‘the German people are now called by the Fuhrer to a real Christianity’.  Yet it was clear to all true Christians that throughout the churches the Nazis controlled – with swastikas around every altar – they were replacing Christianity with paganism.”

“And this led Bonhoeffer inevitably toward action,” Klaus surmises.

“What an exemplary man!” Jakob exclaims.

“Resistance,” Dieter observes.  “He became a Nazi Resister.”

“Yes,” Gisela confirms.  “The paganizing of the Church and the mass deporting of Jews in 1938 provoked Bonhoeffer to deeper action against Hitler and his regime.  So, yes, Bonhoeffer joined the Resistance.  Facing a murderous tyranny, Bonhoeffer responded with a wholeness of the life which he owed to the Lord.  He saw himself as ‘coming out into the tempest of living’.”

“Perfectly phrased,” says Jakob.

“Bonhoeffer joined forces with Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the head of German military intelligence, and his deputy, General Hans Oster.  In 1938, Canaris and Oster launched the German Resistance.  They were sure that Hitler was insane and they made plans to arrest Hitler, arraign and indict him, find him insane, and remove him from office.”

“Wow,” says Vera.

I nod.  “The only moral course of action.”

“On November 9, 1938, came ‘the Night of the Broken Glass’,” Gisela remembers.  “The Nazis burned down every synagogue in Germany.  Over time, Bonhoeffer and the others learned more and more about the genocide that was getting underway against Jews and other people.

“Facing terrible events and the monstrous dimension of evil – something unprecedented, something outside all normal contingencies – he increased his involvement in the Resistance.  He was involved in a conspiracy and in underground and clandestine activities.  He was involved in espionage.  He was involved in lies and deception.  He was involved in military plots.  He was involved in treason.”

Konrad’s turn.  “Wow.” 

Gisela looks at him.  “In 1939, Canaris, Oster, Bonhoeffer, and others determined that Hitler was an enemy of Germany and the whole world – and the embodiment of all that is evil – and should be assassinated.”

The rest of us nod our heads.

“Later, other German military officers, including Colonel Claus von Stauffenburg and Henning von Tresckow, joined them.  As a determined opponent of the regime, Bonhoeffer was kept abreast of a whole series of assassination plots against Hitler.  And he was at times involved in these plans.”

“Extraordinary,” I say.

“He knew what the cost could be.  He knew they could be found out and executed.  But he pressed forward with courage.  He said that ‘to deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only Him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us.’

“In 1941, he was forbidden to print or publish.  By then, Bonhoeffer’s theology and life had become inseparable.  Realistic about the dangers, he remained hopeful of the long-term outcome.”

“Deep faith,” Dieter marvels. 

“Definitely,” says Gisela.  “On Christmas Day 1942, Bonhoeffer observed that ‘there remains for us only the very narrow way, often extremely difficult to find, of living every day as if it was our last, and yet living in faith and responsibility, as though there were to be a great future’.”

“What risks!” Klaus exclaims.

“Remarkable,” says Vera. 

“Bonhoeffer was arrested in April 1943.  He was imprisoned in a 10-foot-by-7-foot cell on the fourth floor of Tegel prison in Berlin.  His bed was a plank.  Above it was a small window, too high up to look out and see anything but a passing cloud. 

“Bonhoeffer was shut away from the sun.  He was not tortured but he was interrogated regularly.  He suffered the separation from his family and his friends.  He experienced the darkness, the dirt, the stench, and the squalor.  He witnessed and was affected by the hunger and rough treatment of other prisoners.  He longed for his previous life.  He experienced a great deal of sadness and moments of emotional torment.”

“Rough,” says Konrad.

“But Bonhoeffer understood the source of endurance and true courage,” Gisela says.  “He said that ‘I believe that God wants to give us the strength we need to cope with any emergency.  But He does not give it to us beforehand, so that we do not rely on ourselves, but on God alone.  In such belief, all fear for the future ought to be overcome.’  And so through a year and a half of dismal and gloomy conditions, Bonhoeffer endured.”

“Admirable,” says Klaus.

“At Tegel,” Gisela says, “Bonhoeffer was asked how as a Christian and a theologian he could take it upon himself to participate in the Resistance to Hitler.  His famous reply:  If he saw a drunken driver racing at high speed down the road, he did not consider it his only duty as a pastor to bury the victims of the madman or to comfort his relatives.  It was more important to wrench the wheel out of the hands of the drunkard.”

“Wrench the wheel away,” echoes Jakob.  “Yes.”

Gisela’s tone grows even firmer.  “At no point in this struggle did he give up his conviction that by his endurance he was serving a great cause.  Bonhoeffer wrote his new personal and theological reflections – and these were full of openness, possibility, and hope.  His spiritual life remained radiant and was even enriched.  Socially, he remained cheerful, polite, and kind.  His relationship with his fiancée Maria deepened.  And he experienced God as real and ever-close to him.  He even seemed joyful.”

“Astounding,” says Klaus.

“On July 20, 1944, Colonel von Stauffenburg set off a bomb just a few feet from Adolf Hitler.  Hitler survived, and vowed the ‘extermination’ of all involved.

“In September 1944, the Nazi regime discovered key papers of Admiral Canaris and other conspirators.  They uncovered the Resistance’s plans since 1938 to bring down Hitler.”

“So the treatment of Bonhoeffer was about to grow much worse,” Vera ventures.

“Much worse,” Gisela repeats.  “On October 8, 1944, Bonhoeffer was moved to the basement of the Reich Security Head Office in Berlin.  He spent four months in this basement, enduring daily cross-examination.  He was fed bread and coffee in the morning and soup at midday.  And he was now surrounded by S.S. guards.  Like all those involved in the July 20th plot, he was handcuffed night and day.”

Konrad shakes his head.  “So difficult.”

“On February 7, 1945, Bonhoeffer was transported from Berlin to the concentration camp at Buchenwald.” 

“Dreadful,” says Klaus.

“During his seven weeks at Buchenwald, he lived in a damp, cold air-raid shelter in the cellar.”

“In the last days of March, Bonhoeffer was taken by truck to Flossenburg, ‘the annihilation camp’.  Apparently by accident, another prisoner got off at the concentration camp and Bonhoeffer ended up in a Schonberg schoolroom with a view out three sides of the surrounding green mountain valley.”

“A fortunate twist?” Klaus asks.

“Not for long, Klaus,” Gisela says.  “Bonhoeffer spent his days in devotions and in trying to raise the courage of the despairing.  On Sunday, April 8, 1945, Bonhoeffer led a worship service for the prisoners in the room.”

“By this time,” Jakob remembers, “American G.I.s were approaching the area.”

“They were,” Gisela says somberly, “but in the early hours of Monday morning, April 9th, the door to the room opened and two men entered.  ‘Prisoner Bonhoeffer,’ they said, ‘get ready and come with us.’”

I clench my fist.  Konrad stares at the floor.  Klaus shakes his head.  Jakob holds his hand to his face.  And while Dieter’s eyes take on a steely look, they also start to glisten.

“He said his farewells.  His few belongings were deposited in the guard room – among them a Bible and a volume of Goethe.

“Once at Flossenburg concentration camp, just after 6:00 on that gray dawn, Bonhoeffer, along with Admiral Canaris and General Oster, were read the verdict. 

“Hitler had decided on April 5th that the interrogations had yielded enough information and that all remaining July 20th conspirators were to be executed.  Hitler had also ordered that their dead bodies be burnt and the ashes spread over fields of sewage.

“After hearing the verdict, Bonhoeffer prayed fervently in a small room.  Beneath some trees in these woods, he was led down the steps toward a scaffold surrounded on three sides by walls.  He uttered one more short prayer and climbed the steps to the gallows.

“This noble, devoted, fighting soul remained unperturbed, composed, peaceful, and brave to the very end.

“The Nazi soldiers hung him and within seconds the 39-year-old pastor and theologian was dead.”

Konrad smacks his forehead.  Klaus shakes his head hard.  As I cover my face with my hand, I see that Jakob and Dieter’s eyes have filled with tears. 

“Just two weeks later,” Gisela tells us, “American troops liberated the camp.”

“Too much!” says Konrad.

“Unbearable!” says Klaus.

Gisela leans forward in her chair.  “They were too late for Bonhoeffer, but on May 5th the Americans liberated German Army Lieutenant Fabian von Schlabrendorff, who’d been active in the Resistance.

“A few months later von Schlabrendorff at last returned to his home.  At first he saw nothing but rubble.  Anything the bombs had spared had been stolen. 

“Then, looking closer, von Schlabrendorff saw that, among the brick and mortar, there had somehow remained one object, undamaged. 

“The surviving conspirator leaned over, picked it up, and discovered that it was a book.

“Von Schlabrendorff looked at the cover to find the author and title of this book – this single, solitary object – that was left intact amidst the rubble. 

“The book’s author was Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the title was The Cost of Discipleship.”