Person    | Male  Born 4/2/1906  Died 9/4/1945

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Categories: Execution, Religion

Countries: Germany

Lutheran pastor and theologian. 1933 - 35 he was a pastor at two German speaking London churches: German Evangelical Church - Sydenham and the German Reformed Church of St Paul's - Whitechapel.

Born Breslau, now in Poland. He studied in the USA, returned to Germany in 1931 and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor in Berlin. He openly opposed the rise of Hitler but was disappointed at the lack of support so he accepted a 2-year appointment in London.

He returned to Germany where the Nazis opposed his teachings so he ran underground seminaries. He made contact with the German resistance in 1938 but then briefly returned to the States. Feeling a duty to be in Germany he returned and again the Nazis restricted his activities.

He joined the Abwahr, a military intelligence group, officially pro-Nazi but also a centre of resistance and where the assassination of Hitler was planned. (Why the Nazis accepted him is a mystery to us.) In 1943 he was, with others, arrested and eventually executed by hanging.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Commemorated ati

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - E1

Unveiled by the Bishop of London.

Read More

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - SE23

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1906 - 1945, theologian and pastor, lived here, 1933 - 1...

Read More

Forest Hill mural

{Panel 1:} A Brief Local History In medieval times this area was known as The...

Read More

Other Subjects

Arpad Weisz

Arpad Weisz

Weisz, Árpád. Footballer. Born in Solt, Hungary. As well as Hungary, he also played for Czechoslovakia and Italy. He was part of the Hungarian squad in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. A serious ...

Person, Execution, Sport / Games, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Poland

1 memorial
Violette Szabo, GC, CdeG

Violette Szabo, GC, CdeG

British secret agent in WW2. Born in Paris as Violette Bushell of a French mother and English father who met in WW1. With 4 brothers she was a bit of a tomboy. From Violette Szabo Museum "The Bushe...

Person, Espionage, Execution, France

War dead, WW2
6 memorials
Sir Robert Hales

Sir Robert Hales

Born Kent.  Lord/Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitallers of England.  As Lord High Treasurer he was responsible for collecting the poll tax. Bad timing for him since the Peasants Revolted, stormed ...

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Elizabeth Pepper

Elizabeth Pepper

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for her Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Laurence Parnam

Laurence Parnam

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Islington Council

Islington Council

The Islington Book of Remembrance is an impressive undertaking: the database has a list of memorials in Islington. There are also lists of Conflict / Event / Incident, each with an associated list ...

Group, Politics & Administration

71 memorials
Robert Oxwick

Robert Oxwick

Member of the Fishmongers Company.  Elected Treasurer in 1699.  Primewarden in 1724.  Will dated 26 February 1741.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Frances Mary Yeates

Frances Mary Yeates

Baptised in Horton 17 December 1833 daughter of William Wlllson Yeates. See there for information about her family. Buried in St Michaels churchyard Horton,2 January 1835.

Person, Children, Friend / family

1 memorial
Brabant weavers

Brabant weavers

The Brabant describes a part of the low countries to the east of Flanders.  Weavers had come to England from the Brabant and Flanders during the 12th century.

Group, Commerce, Craft / Design, Belgium, Netherlands

1 memorial
Edward Sackville-West

Edward Sackville-West

Edward Charles Sackville-West, 5th Baron Sackville was a music critic, novelist and, in his last 3 years, a member of the House of Lords. Born at Cadogan Gardens, son of Major-General Charles John...

Person, Literature, Music / songs, Politics & Administration

1 memorial