Bonhoeffer family
Encyclopedia
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
/neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Bonhoeffer opposed the ideas of Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
and Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
and, although initially in favour of sterilization programmes, it is said he refused to participate in the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-sponsored sterilization programme started before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Karl's wife Paula Bonhoeffer (1874-1951) was the daughter of a professor of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and a German countess.
Karl and Paula Bonhoeffer had eight children:
- Karl Friedrich BonhoefferKarl Friedrich Bonhoeffer-Life:Born in Breslau, he was an older brother of martyred theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer.Bonhoeffer studied from 1918 in Tübingen and Berlin, finishing his PhD in 1922 in Berlin with Walther Nernst. From 1923 to 1930 he was an assistant with Fritz Haber at Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physical...
(1899-1957) worked as a chemistChemistA chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
before and after serving in World War II and was married to Grete von Dohnanyi. - Walter Bonhoeffer (1899-1918) was killed in action during World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. - Klaus BonhoefferKlaus BonhoefferKlaus Bonhoeffer was a German jurist and resistance fighter against the Nazi régime who was executed after the July 1944 plot to kill Hitler....
(1901-1945) became a lawyerLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
but served as a hospitalHospitalA hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
orderlyOrderlyA medical orderly , is a hospital attendant whose job consists of assisting medical and/or nursing staff with various nursing and/or medical interventions. These duties are classified as routine tasks involving no risk for the patient.- Job details :Orderlies are often utilized in various hospital...
in World War I.He was executed by the nazis. Married with Emilie Delbrück, daughter of Hans DelbrückHans DelbrückHans Delbrück was a German historian. Delbrück was one of the first modern military historians, basing his method of research on the critical examination of ancient sources, the use of auxiliary disciplines, like demography and economics, to complete the analysis and the comparison between...
, sister of Max DelbrückMax DelbrückMax Ludwig Henning Delbrück was a German-American biophysicist and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Delbrück was born in Berlin, German Empire...
and Justus Delbrück. - Ursula Schleicher (1902-1983) married lawyer Rüdiger SchleicherRüdiger SchleicherRüdiger Schleicher was a German resistance fighter against the Nazi régime.Born in Stuttgart, Schleicher was married to Ursula Bonhoeffer , Karl Bonhoeffer's daughter and Dietrich and Klaus Bonhoeffer's sister...
who was executed by the Nazis. - Christel von Dohnanyi (1903-1965) married Hans von DohnanyiHans von DohnanyiHans von Dohnanyi was a German jurist, rescuer of Jews, and German resistance fighter against the Nazi régime.-Early life:...
who was executed by the Nazis. - Dietrich BonhoefferDietrich BonhoefferDietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr. He was a participant in the German resistance movement against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church. He was involved in plans by members of the Abwehr to assassinate Adolf Hitler...
(1906-1945) became a Lutheran ministerMinister of religionIn Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
; he was engaged to be married to Maria von Wedemeyer (1924-1977) when he was executed by the Nazis. - Sabine Leibholz (1906-1999) was a twin sister to Dietrich, and married legal scholar Gerhard Leibholz (1901-1982).
- Susanne Dress (1909-1991) married theologian Walter Dress (1904-1979).
So two sons of the Bonhoeffers and two sons-in-law were executed by the Nazis for their part in the German Resistance. In addition, Paula Bonhoeffer's brother, Paul van Hase, was also executed for a role in the Resistance and the couple's daughter, Christel von Dohnanyi, and one grandson-in-law, Eberhard Bethge, were imprisoned by the Nazis but survived.
Dietrich, who joined the German resistance
German Resistance
The German resistance was the opposition by individuals and groups in Germany to Adolf Hitler or the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945. Some of these engaged in active plans to remove Adolf Hitler from power and overthrow his regime...
to fight against the evils of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, was arrested in 1943 and executed on April 9, 1945. Klaus joined the resistance and was arrested on October 1, 1944 with other conspirators, found guilty by the Volksgerichtshof and shot by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
on April 23, 1945.
Reference: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
Published by Thomas Nelson 2010