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

Sir Thomas Wyatt

Sir Thomas Wyatt

Born near Maidstone, son of the poet of the same name.  Opposed the marriage of Queen Mary to Phillip of Spain, he marched on London in 1554 with 4,000 men of Kent but, failing, on 6 February, to g...

Person, Armed Forces, Execution

1 memorial
Thomas Fust

Thomas Fust

Burnt at the stake in Ware (his home town) for his Protestant beliefs. Was associated with Harwood. Condemned by Bishop Bonner.

Person, Execution, Religion

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
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
E. Gordon Brettell

E. Gordon Brettell

Flight Lieutenant Edward Gordon Brettell DFC was born on 19 March 1915, the eldest of the three children of Vivian Brettell (1882-1949) and Eileen Isabella Brettell née Carroll (1887-1979). His bir...

Person, Armed Forces, Execution, Poland

War dead, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Sir Christopher Wren

Sir Christopher Wren

Born East Knoyle, Wiltshire, died London.  Designer of 54 London churches, of which 13 were destroyed in the Blitz. Part of one of his churches, St Antholin, has ended up in an unexpected location...

Person, Architecture, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

38 memorials
Benjamin Geary, VC

Benjamin Geary, VC

Soldier. Born Benjamin Handley Geary. He was a second lieutenant attached to the 1st battalion of the East Surrey Regiment. In April 1915 on Hill 60 near Ypres, he led his men across exposed open g...

Person

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Twickenham Park Residents Association

Twickenham Park Residents Association

Since the 1960s the association has sought to both enhance and protect the character and the amenities of the neighbourhood.

Group, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
Black History Walks

Black History Walks

Black History Walks offer guided Walking Tours London to include the African history of London.

Group, History, Race Issues, Tourism / Traditions

6 memorials
The Rose Theatre - Kingston upon Thames

The Rose Theatre - Kingston upon Thames

Its layout is based on the former Rose Theatre in Southwark. The front rows have no seats, but instead of standing space for 'groundlings', patrons bring their own cushions. A plaque at the entranc...

Building, Theatre

1 memorial