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Overall Summary
In The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler, author John Hendrix presents a graphic biography about a famous German theologian who tried to stop Adolf Hitler’s murderous regime. It also tells of the larger German resistance movement that actively worked to bring down Hitler and restore order in Europe. The book won a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators in 2018.
The book begins with a warning to the reader. Hendrix tells us that his subject is Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the German resistance, and he asks us not to judge all Germans for what happened during Hitler’s reign of terror. He gives an example: Bonhoeffer, who was one of the first to suspect Hitler’s genocide against Jews.
In the early 20th century, Germany was in ruins after World War I. The country needed a leader to give them hope and direction. Hitler emerged as that leader with his fervent nationalism message, but Bonhoeffer saw through him and others did not.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s ideas come from his Christian faith. It is also where he finds his true calling in life, after excelling at music and theology. He was born on February 6, 1906 and had a twin sister named Sabine who shared the same passion for religion as him. They wondered about what heaven must be like when they were children, but it wasn’t until much later that Dietrich decided to become a theologian. His family didn’t take him seriously because of their focus on science and math instead of religion or philosophy. However, they supported him all the same throughout his journey towards becoming one of Germany’s most famous theologians ever.
The author’s proximity to Christianity influences his faith. When he lost a brother in World War I, he questioned the goodness of God and wondered why He allowed those things to happen. Eventually, Bonhoeffer realized that seeking answers outside of the church would not help him find peace or happiness. Instead, he chose to focus on what was truly important: his faith.
In this passage, the author explains how Hitler convinced Germans that Jews were enemies of Christians. He did so by playing on their war-ravaged spirit and Protestant beliefs.
Bonhoeffer received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tübingen. He then completed further schooling at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he witnessed poverty and struggle firsthand. This experience awakened Bonhoeffer to social consciousness, which led him to champion racial, ethnic, and economic equality. After becoming a lecturer at the University of Berlin, he was ordained by the church.
Two years after Hitler takes power, Bonhoeffer speaks out against Hitler’s regime. He continues to speak out even when the Nazis infiltrate the church and win leadership positions. Eventually, he becomes a key figure in the formation of the Confessing Church as well as two German-speaking London parishes. In addition to his new parishioners in London, he maintains regular communications with other founders of the still-forming Confessing Church back home.
In 1935, Bonhoeffer returns to Germany. The University of Berlin fires him for his political positions. He then travels around the country and helps train pastors for the Confessing Church. However, in 1938, he’s barred from entering Berlin because he’s a threat to the government there. From that point on, he meets with members of the resistance who are plotting against Hitler. His guilt over leaving Germany behind causes him to return—on one of the last ships headed back into Germany before World War II breaks out there.
