Tony F Dordogne Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Sorry folks, this may be a bit long, had a very weird thing happen yesterday and still trying to understand it.Many years ago I worked at the Imperial War Museum and although it wasn't my area of expertise, I got very interested in the European Resistance to the Nazis, especially that within Germany and particularly interested in the work of the Churches there against the State. One man always stood out for me, Deitrich Bonnhoffer, a Lutheran Pastor who was executed in 1942 for basically following his beliefs, speaking out against the Nazis and when he refused to shut up, they hanged him.So, fast forward 35 years and earlier this last week a beautifully hand written letter arrives here from an Emeritus Professor who lives in the Uk and who saw a piece about the work I now do researching and writing about religion - Jenny and I firmly belonging to the atheist wing of the Church - inviting us to lunch yesterday at his second home in Lot et Garonne. Never heard of him let alone met him, we were just at the same Uni 40 years apart and he just thought he'd invite us on the offchance that we were free.So, we decided it looked interesting, lovely place etc etc and I phoned to accept. So yesterday, off we toddled, almost a 2 hour drive to get there, 120km, we arrive, meet him and another couple who he'd invited, also Brits, musicians, been here 20 years plus. Great lunch, wonderful company, great conversation with like-minded people, the other couple left and, as you do, we're being shown round the house by the Prof. - wont give his name, he doesn't understand the internet and is actually a very private person.We ended up in his study, chatting about this and that and he mentioned his family were German, his mother was a Lutheran, his father a Jew, they had fled Germany prior to the War. Further conversation and he just mentioned, sort of in passing, that his mother's maiden name was Bonnhoffer! I asked him, as casually as I could, whether he was related to the Bonnhoffer who was executed and he just quietly mentioned that he was his uncle and godfather and although he didn't know him that well, he remembered him with great affection.I was stunned and really started to fill up. As a professional historian I don't have many heros, some of the greats maybe - Locke, Newton, da Vinci, Henry IV of France - modern day, Ghandi, Mandela - but Bonnhoffer is one of my heros because this was a man of peace who knew he would be executed if he didn't stop criticising the Nazis but his faith - which I don't understand - meant that he felt he had to speak out.So, an hour later we left, we're invited back to meet his wife in March/April, he loaned us a book he's recently edited about his family and next time round he wants to talk about Protestantisme in France and my research.I came away feeling very odd - great day, long journey, well worth it but he's a Bonnhoffer!!!! Superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Tony ... There are some things in life that just happen and some things that happen for a reason... I think you have had one of the latter ...Grasp it with both hands until you know what that reason is... Sounds like you have the start of what could be a great friendship.... But try to look past that as this could be a whole new path in your life to take .Thankyou for sharing your moment with us, I found it very interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 You must be very moved. It is difficult for other people to really appreciate the impact of something like that, as they haven't had the closely personal experience of years of distant familiarity with the subject that you clearly have had.I have had a couple of (much less interesting) experiences of a similar sort, where I have come across people or even objects/manuscripts etc that I have long had a great admiration for. The effect on me was overwhelming, but I always felt that no-body else could see why.In this case I can understand how you feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmelle Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Marvellous.This sort of things happens when we are sincere with ourselves . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Thank you for sharing this with us, it must have been truly moving for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 That is one of the little gems which make life worthwhile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 TonyCan you give us a link to an article about Deitrich Bonnhoffer, so that we can read more about him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~diebon06/index.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoefferhttp://www.google.co.uk/search?.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I can't say about people but I have visited two places that have given me the most strange of feelings.The first place was Oslo, I spent two years there. The landlord of the apartment I rented and who is now a old friend took me to the castle in Oslo. We were walking past a wall, part of the old battlement I think and at a certain point I got a shiver up my back and felt quite strange. It turned out that the 'N' people used the castle for interrogation before shooting their captives and the place I had had this strange feeling was where they shot them, you could see the bullet holes. Stranger than that my friends uncle was shot there as a boy for stealing bread.The other place I visited was Auschwitz. Its true the birds never sing there. As I got off the coach I felt really strange and for some reason started to cry, not just a whimper but all out crying and as I looked around at the others they were doing the same thing. We were all standing there in total silence crying and as we started to talk to each other we all had the same feeling of tremendous grief and sadness to the point of being overwhelmed. On the way back you stop at the memorial to those that died which has the names on it and off you go again crying, there is just rows upon rows upon rows of names, you feel very humble and small. It even makes me feel strange writing about it all these years later.As a post war baby we were of course told of these places and what happened there, I guess as a warning from history you might say. When you visit such places you are struck by the magnitude of the events that happened there. You can understand why some ordinary people find it difficult to believe (I'm not talking about ultra right wing propagandists morons) because of the size of the operation and the number of people who lost their lives and how it was done, like a factory. Its the total incomprehension of why or how one group of human beings could do such terrible things to so many others. In some ways I wish I had never gone to the place because of the effect it had on my but looking back now I am glad I did.I had never heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer before I read this thread. Like so many others who did such brave things like speaking out or helping people escape these attrocites and gave their lives in the process with no thought for themselves, they should be remembered. Its good and right that people like Tony take the time to ensure they are not forgotten. Well done Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keni Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Our daughter had the same sort of experience, Quillan upon visiting Oradour sur Glane. We were impressed however that local children are made to visit Oradour to learn about what happened and mans' inhumanity. I do feel that British schoolchildren should be taught more about this - I know we were. However even Scott of the Antartic is off the menu now I understand, so they have no chance of learning about Bonhoeffer or any of those who lost their lives saving others in that time of stress.Thank you Tony for adding another name to the record.x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I agree - all children should visit, see and understand. Understanding our history helps shape our future and I feel it's our duty as parents to ensure they see and understand. We visited Terezin in the Czech Republic last year and found it incredibly moving. The initial impression is of a 'normal' moated town....until you look at the town map and start to associate the buildings with their 'purpose'. Terezin was unusual as it was used for propaganda by the n a zis as a 'self governing' town. The particularly talented Jews were sent there - those who were musical, artistic etc and their skills were used to 'showcase' how wonderful everything was to the Red Cross etc. These people left such a wonderful, vivid picture of their life in their paintings, writing etc. Incredibly moving. We have, similarly, taken our children to the landing beaches in Normandy - and the graveyards - so they understand the immense sacrifices that were made to secure our freedom. Also to Oradour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Sorry about the long link ........http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~fhs/oradour.htmlink shortened by a mod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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