Two weeks later, on April 23, The Victorious allies freed Bonhoeffer's fellow prisoners.
On April 30, Hitler co.mmitted suicide, and the war was over.
By age 39 Bonhoeffer had written enough to fill 34 volumes.
His works, including best seller "The cost of Discipleship" and "Life together", have sold countless millions.
They continue to influence people around the world.
Six months after the war, the Lutheran Church, led by the rescued pastor Martin Niemoller (who had survived eight years in the camps) made the following confession acknowledging the failure of the church to oppose the Nazis:
"Through us, and the church, infinite wrong was done. We accuse ourselves for not standing to our beliefs more courageously, for not praying more faithfully, for not believing more joyously, and for not loving more co.mpletely."
During World War 2, the Nazis killed 6 million Jews and millions of others they deemed inferior.
2023 was the worst year on record for antisemitic violence, since the ADL began tracking in 1979.
Hate, racism and genocide remain a realty throughout the world.
We are the only ones who can do something.
As Dietrich said, "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil."
Never Again.