Saturday, February 1, 2025

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler

 


Book: The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler

Basic Information : Synopsis : Expectations : Thoughts : Evaluation : Book Group :  Good Quotes : Table of Contents : References

Basic Information:

Author: John Hendrix

Edition: Hardcopy

Publisher: Abrams Fanfare

ISBN: 9781419728389 (ISBN10: 1419728385)

Start Date: January 20, 2025

Read Date: February 1, 2025

176 pages

Genre:  History, Biography, Christianity

Language Warning:  None

Rated Overall: 3  out of 5


History: 2 out of 5


Religion: Christianity

Religious Quality: 3 out of 5

Christianity-Teaching Quality: 3 out of 5



Synopsis:

A graphic biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The author goes through Bonhoeffer’s life from childhood to his death. There are suitable quotes from mostly Bonhoeffer, but also others.

 

Expectations:
  • Recommendation: Sherri
  • When: January 3, 2025
  • Date Became Aware of Book: January 3, 2025
  • Why do I want to read this book: Sherri gave me this book as a Christmas present since I really like Bonhoeffer
  • What do I think I will get out of it?

Thoughts:

The book is oriented towards those who have not been exposed to Bonhoeffer


Note: The quotes, particularly Bonhoeffer’s are not in chronological order, but more to make a points.


The author’s note has this: Part of my interest in telling the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is to offer his first-person witness to how a majestic nation can willingly become a puppet for evil. … Despire the lessons learned from the horrors of World War II, recent history has shown humanity has not been permanently vaccinated against tyrants. We never will be. This book was written in 2018. Wonder what he would say today.



"The young theologian"

Hendrix goes through Bonhoeffer’s early life. Also talks about some of the formation leading to his wanting to study theology.



"A young German in Harlem"

Talks about his brief time in America. He met two fellow students: Frank Fisher, a Black man, and Jean Lasserre, a Frenchman. From Fisher he learned about the struggles which Blacks have in America and how they responded.


Through Fisher he went to a Black church and saw a different part of the Gospel carried out.


Through Lasserre, he understood the need to be a peacemaker. This led to Bonhoeffer needing to figure out ways to stand by his convictions while still honoring his country and trying to stop Hitler.


The church is the church only when it exists for others. … The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others. Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 382-383


Talks about the rise of Hitler.



"God is my Führer"

Talks about how Bonhoeffer responded.


If [the leader] understands his function in any other way than as it is rooted in fact, if he does not continually tell his followers quite clearly of the limited nature of his lack and of their own responsibility, if he allows himself to surrender to the wishes of his followers, who would always make him their idol – then the image of the leader will pass over into the image of the misleader, and he will be acting in a criminal way not only towards those he leads, but also towards himself, the true leader must always be able to disillusion. It is just this that is his responsibility and his real object. He must lead his following away from the authority of his person to the recognitions of the real authority of orders and offices….He must radically refuse to become the appeal, the idol, i.e. the ultimate authority of those whom he leads. The Fuhrer Principle


In 1933, Bonhoeffer published a paper for discussion among the Confessing Church pastors called The Church and the Jewish Question. He talks about three things which the church needs to stand for: in the first place, as has been said, it can ask the state whether its actions are legitimate and in accordance with its character as state, i.i., it can throw the state back on its responsibilities. Second, it can aid the victims of state action. The church has an unconditional obligation to the victims of any ordering of society, even if they do not belong to the Christian community. “Do good to all people.” In both these courses of action, the church serves the free state in its free way, and at times when laws are changed the church may in no way withdraw itself from these two tasks. The third possibility is not just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to jam a spoke in the wheel itself. Such action would be directly political action, and is only possible and desirable when the church sees the state fail in its function of creating law and order, i.e., when it sees the state unrestrainedly bringing about too much or too little law and order. In both these cases it must see the existence of the state and with it its own existence, threatened. There would be too little law if any group of subjects were deprived of their rights, too much where the state intervened in the character of the church and its proclamation, e.g., in the forced exclusion of baptized Jews from our Christian congregations or in the prohibition of our mission to the Jews. The Church and the Jewish Question


Talks about the Barmen Declaration


To delay or fail to make decisions may be more sinful than to make wrong decisions out of faith and love." (Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, 218)


Goes through how Hitler consolidated his power and the despicable manner he did.



"The decision"

Bonhoeffer opens an underground seminary at Finkenwalde. He meets Eberhard Bethge nd they become best friends. Wrote Cost of Discipleship and Life Together. The Nazi’swere cracking down on the Confessing Church. They arrested Martin Niemoller .


Germany started being aggressive to other nations.


Bonhoeffer escapes to America and realizes this was a mistake and comes back again.



"Jamming the spoke"

Bonhoeffer returns to a world full of danger and joins Abwehr.


Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God- the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people? Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 5


World War II starts. Bonhoeffer joins the plot to kill Hitler. Describes who is in the plot and the various attempts. Bonhoeffer’s part was to find foreign support for the effort through his connections. Overall, Bonhoeffer was not successful as the Allies were not receptive to it.


Also talks about his role in evacuating Jews to Switzerland in something called Operations 7. This is what caught the SS’ attention, not because of the smuggling of Jews, but due to the large amount of money involved. They felt that it must be corruption.


Bonhoeffer falls in love with Maria von Wedemeyer. Eventually they become engaged.


Described a couple of plots to assassinate Hitler which failed.



"The pastor in cell block 92"

Bonhoeffer and his brother in law were arrested, but without charges by the Gestapo. They had planned for this and had created extensive cover stories, complete with fake diaries. He was in solitary confinement for several weeks, then changed where he could have visitors. A code had been worked out to communicate.


Bonhoeffer became a favorite among both the prisoners and the guards. Enough so, he could get letters to his friend Bethge without censorship. Still it was a time of stress and loneliness for him.


In my experience nothing torments us more than longing. Letters and Papers from Prison from Prison, pg 169


Bonhoeffer was eventually charged with evading military duty and encouraging others to do the same.


People at the top of the Abwher were dismissed, replaced by Claus von Stuffenberg. von Stuffenberg delivered the bomb which exploded, but did not kill Hitler. But the assignation plot was exposed.



"The end, the beginning"

With the failed plot to kill Hitler, Hitler went on a rampage to kill those who tried to kill him.


The ultimate question for a responsible man to ask is not how he is to extricate himself heroically from the affair, but how the coming generation is to live! It is only from this question, with the responsibility towards history, that fruitful solutions can come, even if for the time being they are very humiliating. Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 7


If we want to be Christians, we must have some share in Christ’s large-heartedness by acting with responsibility and in freedom when the hour of danger comes, and by showing a real sympathy that springs, not from fear , but from the liberating and redeeming love of Christ for all who suffer. Mere waiting and looking on is not Christian behavior. The Christian is called to sympathy and action, not in the first place by his own sufferings, but by the sufferings of his brethren, for whose sake Christ suffered. Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 14


Goes through the final days of Bonhoeffer. Ends with a dream scene. Not sure that this is made up or real.


The end cover has a quote which is worthwhile thinking about:

We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretence; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open; intolerable conflicts have worn us down and even made us cynical. Are we still of any use? What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, and straightforward men. Will our inward power of resistance be strong enough, and our honesty with ourselves remorseless enough, for us to find our way back to simplicity and straightforwardness? Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 16




Evaluation:

 Dietrich Bonhoeffer led a powerful life, an example for any Christian who wants to follow Christ’s path, even through times of distress, turmoil and destruction. Almost any book about his life will be one which can inspire you.


My wife bought me this book as a Christmas present. The format is presented in a graphic form. I suspect it is more oriented towards a young adult group rather than someone who has read a lot about Bonhoeffer. Hendrix covers the basics of Bonhoeffer’s life, with enough of Bonhoeffer’s words to inspire a reader. He credits Metaxas’ book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy as guiding this book.


The question which I always have when reading Bonhoeffer is, how to think about his stance in any current situation?


If this is your first time being acquainted with Bonhoeffer, it is a worthwhile introduction. If you are already familiar with his life, there are other Bonhoeffer books, or better yet, Bonhoeffer’s own words, to gain the depth of character and thought.



 
Notes from my book group:

Hendrix says that recent history has shown humanity has not been permanently vaccinated against tyrants. What would he say about things today?


Talk about the impact which Frank Fischer and Jean Lasserre had on Bonhoeffer. Do you think Bonhoeffer would have stood up as tall without their early influence?


One of the things Bonhoeffer struggled with was when the needs of the current situation stood up against his convictions. Talk about what did Bonhoeffer thought about what was right and wrong. What was the situation he faced? How did he resolve the conflict? How would you have solved the conflicting needs? How do you solve the problem when your morals get in the way of action?


When is it allowable to break the laws of your country? By what standards can you be judged?


What do you think Bonhoeffer would be speaking about today? What would he find positive in our culture? What would he be speaking against?


How do you want your life to change because you read this book?



Many of these questions are either from or adapted from LitLovers.

Why the title of The Faithful Spy?

Does this story work as a biography?

Did the ending seem fitting? Satisfying? Predictable?

Every story has a world view. Were you able to identify this story’s world view? What was it? How did it affect the story?

In what context was religion talked about in this book?

Why do you think the author wrote this book?

What would you ask the author if you had a chance?

What “takeaways” did you have from this book?

How did this book affect your view of the world?

Of how God is viewed?

What questions did you ask yourself after reading this book?

Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...?

What was memorable?

 

 

  Good Quotes:
  • First Line: This book follows the life of the man Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
  • Last Line:It was week before she realized he would never return to her.
  • The church is the church only when it exists for others. … The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others. Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 382-383
  • If [the leader] understands his function in any other way than as it is rooted in fact, if he does not continually tell his followers quite clearly of the limited nature of his lack and of their own responsibility, if he allows himself to surrender to the wishes of his followers, who would always make him their idol – then the image of the leader will pass over into the image of the misleader, and he will be acting in a criminal way not only towards those he leads, but also towards himself, the true leader must always be able to disillusion. It is just this that is his responsibility and his real object. He must lead his following away from the authority of his person to the recognitions of the real authority of orders and offices….He must radically refuse to become the appeal, the idol, i.e. the ultimate authority of those whom he leads. The Fuhrer Principle
  • in the first place, as has been said, it can ask the state whether its actions are legitimate and in accordance with its character as state, i.i., it can throw the state back on its responsibilities. Second, it can aid the victims of state action. The church has an unconditional obligation to the victims of any ordering of society, even if they do not belong to the Christian community. “Do good to all people.” In both these courses of action, the church serves the free state in its free way, and at times when laws are changed the church may in no way withdraw itself from these two tasks. The third possibility is not just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to jam a spoke in the wheel itself. Such action would be directly political action, and is only possible and desirable when the church sees the state fail in its function of creating law and order, The Church and the Jewish Question
  • Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God- the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people? Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 5
  • In my experience nothing torments us more than longing. Letters and Papers from Prison from Prison, pg 169
  • The ultimate question for a responsible man to ask is not how he is to extricate himself heroically from the affair, but how the coming generation is to live! It is only from this question, with the responsibility towards history, that fruitful solutions can come, even if for the time being they are very humiliating. Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 7
  • If we want to be Christians, we must have some share in Christ’s large-heartedness by acting with responsibility and in freedom when the hour of danger comes, and by showing a real sympathy that springs, not from fear , but from the liberating and redeeming love of Christ for all who suffer. Mere waiting and looking on is not Christian behavior. The Christian is called to sympathy and action, not in the first place by his own sufferings, but by the sufferings of his brethren, for whose sake Christ suffered. Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 14
  • We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretence; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open; intolerable conflicts have worn us down and even made us cynical. Are we still of any use? What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, and straightforward men. Will our inward power of resistance be strong enough, and our honesty with ourselves remorseless enough, for us to find our way back to simplicity and straightforwardness? Letters and Papers from Prison, pg 16
 
 
Table of Contents:
  • "The young theologian"
  • "A young German in Harlem"
  • "God is my Führer"
  • "The decision"
  • "Jamming the spoke"
  • "The pastor in cell block 92"
  • "The end, the beginning"


References:


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