Bonhoeffer

I am pleased to see this documentary (2003 by writer-director Martin Doblmeier) and thankful for his balanced approach to let the voice of this Activist Christian teacher and constructive Theologian impact those who need to know his Pacifist Theology and Political Protest. He is not only a part of the Barmen Declaration framers who objected to NAZI takeover of post-WW I Germany but also a martyr whose writings (Christian life and orthodox Protestant doctrine) on Discipleship (Nachfolge) and Ethics still impact Protestant theologians and Social Ethical dissenters. Highly recommend this B & W / color archive interviews and contextual footage of the Holocaust and the aftermath / devastation of defeat of Third Reich / Hitlerism.

If you are wondering if you can learn from this film; if your time will be well spent; if you will think, feel and act differently after absorbing (even just some of)the words and images from the life of this modern martyr, at least there is hope. Spend some time with this well crafted, respectful documentary work about a model of moral courage, and you will be hard pressed to continue life unchanged (or at least unchallenged). An early morning viewing leaves the rest of the day (or your life) to consider what of Bonhoeffer's life speaks to men and women of moral purpose today. You perhaps will see what I saw, that the moral, political and individual choices and problems of 1934 are not really all that different from 34 A.D. or 2004. Well done.

Great, short overview of one of my heroes in life.

Incredible detail. It lays out Bonhoeffer's entire life; his passion for Christ, his strivings to achieve peace among churches. He was a true hero, and more people need to hear the story of this young man brutally silenced by the Nazis a month before peace was declared. As a German and a Catholic, it was particularly hard for me to watch, since the Catholic church was also outed for signing a concordance with the Nazis in 1933. But as has always been said, it is best to understand the past to prevent repeating mistakes.

It is also interesting because of background information provided by the people in Bonhoeffer's life, such as a niece, nephew, close friend, and sister to his fiancee. Plus, for those who love the German language, many of his former students and some clergy speak in German on camera with a translation. Haunting and highly recommended.

It looks like a PBS piece ... because it undoubtedly will be. The support credits include some of the few remaining funding sources for long-form documentary work ... but that's just the bankroll, not the message. For those who have spent more than a few moments wondering how the impressive intellectual and cultural powers of Germany in the '30's and '40's could have "allowed" Hitler to wreak the genocide and destruction that he did, start here. "Bonhoeffer" digs into the mind and spirit of one man... but the filmmaker's eye never blinks. The careful balance of grainy black and white, motion camera exploration of archival stills and contemporary color footage of eyewitnesses, historians and theologians creates a tapestry that romances the viewer into wondering who this "Dietrich" is ... then experiencing his personal struggles and turmoil ... then taking shallow breaths as he poses for a picture in the Tegel prison courtyard in a jacket and tie -- gentleman to the end. The closing fog- bound color photography of Flossenburg (the concentration camp where Bonhoeffer was hanged literally days before the allies arrived) is chilling. The perfect coda.