Bonhoeffer (5 Stars)

This is a film that I missed when it was in the cinema last month. I was pleasantly surprised that it was shown again today, on Easter Sunday. I can understand the logic. The cinema wanted to attract Christians on this religious holiday. Did it work? Maybe. Apart from me there were about 20 people in the cinema, mostly elderly women.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a name that everyone in Germany knows. He was an outstanding critic of the Nazi regime. In the Nazi era most Protestant churches supported Hitler. They considered him to be Germany's saviour when Communism was rising. Bonhoeffer was a man who recognised Hitler's evil early on. He had the courage to preach against the Nazi Party, at the risk of his own life.

The film is a true story. There's no happy ending. He was hanged two weeks before the war ended.

I'm aware that the film has been heavily criticised for historical inaccuracies. In particular, Bonhoeffer's role in an assassination plot is over-emphasised. He was a pacifist. Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed the film. I was moved to tears, and I stood in awe of the great man. Would I have been brave enough to stand up to Hitler? No. I would have remained silent to protect myself and my family.