When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, igniting the Second World War, a group of German conspirators were already plotting a coup d'้tat; over the next six years, there were as many as fifteen assassination attempts against Hitler. One of the co-conspirators, a double-agent who smuggled information about the plots to the Allies, was the young German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In the late 1930s he wrote about the necessity of "risking" peace and "daring" a loving presence to others words which seem to fly in the face of his later justification of assassination. But Bonhoeffer formulated his theology and ethics in the crucible of a long and ultimately fatal struggle with the Nazi regime in Germany. His story is a fascinating window onto the dilemmas of twentieth-century ethics and spirituality.
Bonhoeffer's work came to full fruition only after his death. His efforts and his writings on behalf of the international ecumenical movement laid the groundwork for post-war inter-faith dialogue. His insistence on the importance of an active response to Christ's Sermon on the Mount a call to social justice inspired many of the world's great civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Vaclav Havel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. And finally, his brave and revolutionary concept of a "religionless Christianity" has helped Christian theology turn toward uncertain vistas of the future. It is an idea which exposes the vitality and relevance of faith in a world, as Bonhoeffer put it, "come of age."
The books and web pages cited below can help provide a wide range of information about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, his life and his impact.
Books
Books by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works: sixteen-volume English translation of the Critical Edition Life Together The Cost of Discipleship Letters and Papers from Prison Ethics
Books about Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography, Eberhard Bethge The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John W. De Gruchy Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Life in Pictures, Centenary Edition, Renate Bethge (Editor); Christian Gremmels (Editor) Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Called by God, Elizabeth Raum A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Daily Meditations from His Letters, Writings and Sermons, Collected Writings of Bonhoeffer A Testament to Freedom: The Essential Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Collected Writings of Bonhoeffer Bonhoeffer and King: Speaking Truth to Power, J. Deotis Roberts Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reality and Resistance, Larry L. Rasmussen
Related Books
For the Soul of the People, Victoria Barnett The Nazi Persecution of the Churches, J.S. Conway The History of the German Resistance, Peter Hoffmann Matriarch of Conspiracy, Jane Pejsa
Web Sites
http://www.alstaggs.com/main.html
Al Staggs provides a one-man portrayal (live and on videotape) of Bonhoeffer, underscoring the profound influence of fellow Union Theological student, Frank Fisher, an African-American friend who introduced Dietrich to the blight of racism in America. Prisoner Bonhoeffer expresses moral outrage against the Nazi treatment of Jews and explains how that outrage led him to become involved in the German resistance movement, a commitment that would result in his being executed by hanging on April 9, 1945.
http://www.pbs.org/bonhoeffer
This website of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) is dedicated to the February 6th national airing of BONHOEFFER. The site provides an interview with Martin Doblmeier, the film's producer and director, and a timeline of Deitrich Bonhoeffer's life. The site also provides a link to obtain the broadcast times for the film on your local PBS affilliate.
http://www.dbonhoeffer.org/
The International Dietrich Bonhoeffer Society, English section homepage. Provides information on research, recent publications, and the progress of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works translation project. This site would be most helpful to the serious student and/or researcher of Bonhoeffer.
http://www.ushmm.org/bonhoeffer/b1.htm
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's article is helpful for reflecting upon and discussing the dangers of anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism in Christian circles. The author acknowledges that Christian and Jewish scholars evaluate Bonhoeffer's legacy quite differently.
http://www.jcrelations.net
This website is owned and maintained by the International Council of Christians and Jews. It offers a variety of resources to foster mutual understanding and respect between Christians and Jews.
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/ww2era.htm
Propaganda was central to Nazi Germany. This page is a collection of English translations of Nazi propaganda for the period 1933-1945, part of a larger site on German propaganda. The goal is to help people understand the great totalitarian systems of the twentieth century by giving them access to primary material.
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Nazi%20Germany.htm
Another collection of illustrated articles with a focus on social history (Hitler's report card, Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl and Jesse Owens's winning four gold medals in Berlin in 1936).
http://www.sophieschollmovie.com
A German film new to U.S. theatrical release, SOPHIE SCHOLL tells the compelling story of the young independent-minded students of the White Rose organization who stood up to condemn Nazi tyranny and paid the full price for it.
When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, igniting the Second World War, a group of German conspirators were already plotting a coup d'้tat; over the next six years, there were as many as fifteen assassination attempts against Hitler. One of the co-conspirators, a double-agent who smuggled information about the plots to the Allies, was the young German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In the late 1930s he wrote about the necessity of "risking" peace and "daring" a loving presence to others words which seem to fly in the face of his later justification of assassination. But Bonhoeffer formulated his theology and ethics in the crucible of a long and ultimately fatal struggle with the Nazi regime in Germany. His story is a fascinating window onto the dilemmas of twentieth-century ethics and spirituality.
Bonhoeffer's work came to full fruition only after his death. His efforts and his writings on behalf of the international ecumenical movement laid the groundwork for post-war inter-faith dialogue. His insistence on the importance of an active response to Christ's Sermon on the Mount a call to social justice inspired many of the world's great civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Vaclav Havel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. And finally, his brave and revolutionary concept of a "religionless Christianity" has helped Christian theology turn toward uncertain vistas of the future. It is an idea which exposes the vitality and relevance of faith in a world, as Bonhoeffer put it, "come of age."
Books by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Related Books
