Elisabeth Sifton Boeken

During Hitler's Third Reich, few Germans risked opposing his tyranny, especially in defense of law and faith. This work highlights two courageous figures: pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his brother-in-law Hans von Dohnanyi, shedding light on the immense challenges of resistance. Christine Bonhoeffer Dohnanyi, Hans's wife and Dietrich's sister, played an essential role in their efforts. Bonhoeffer consistently resisted Nazi attempts to control Germany's Protestant churches, while Dohnanyi, a lawyer in the Justice Ministry and Wehrmacht's counterintelligence, aided victims, documented Nazi crimes for future accountability, and participated in plots to assassinate Hitler. Their unwavering commitment to their cause and those they helped persisted even after their arrest in April 1943, culminating in their execution on Hitler's orders in April 1945, shortly before the regime's fall. Bonhoeffer's posthumous writings gained international recognition, yet Dohnanyi's significant contributions remain largely unknown, despite his pivotal role in the resistance and in involving Bonhoeffer in anti-Hitler conspiracies. The authors provide new insights and details about their extraordinary collaboration, honoring Bonhoeffer's moral integrity and theological legacy, along with Dohnanyi's commitment to civic virtue in a morally bankrupt state.