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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.
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.
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