Bonhoeffer (2003)

BONHOEFFER tells the dramatic story of one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, his life and his resistance to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. While the German Church establishment embraced National Socialism, Bonhoeffer challenged his church to stand with the Jews in their time of need. Learning of the death camps, Bonhoeffer's religious convictions led him to the seemingly paradoxical conclusion that the only ethical solution was to conspire to assassinate Hitler.

Extensive research in archives in both Europe and the U.S. yielded extraordinary archival footage - including a speech by Hitler praying for God's blessing on him and the German people- and compelling images of the Catholic and Protestant churches open support of his regime. Bonhoeffer's life and thought are traced through family photographs from his childhood and early education in Germany to his travels to New York, where he met with black church leaders in Harlem and was exposed to the realities of racism and intolerance. It was in America that Bonhoeffer became convinced of the importance of social and political engagement on a personal level and for the Church community as a whole. Alongside this thorough visual documentation is extensive commentary by a number of Christian intellectuals including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, John de Gruchy and Geffrey Kelly on Bonhoeffer's contribution to theology and philosophy. BONHOEFFER creates a well rounded picture of a man whose influence continues to be felt not only by his writings, but also by his the example of his life. Product Description

Bonhoeffer

Excellent factual account of Bonhoeffer's life and the significance
of his activities as a scholar, philosopher, leader and in his elected
role as an active anti-Nazi citizen. Ausgezeichnet! November 2, 2007

Relevant

I've always vaguely known who Bonhoeffer was. I once inherited an old, yellowed copy of The Cost of Discipleship that has sat unread on my shelf for several years. Recently though, I happened to hear the interview Martin Doblmeier did on NPR about this film, and shortly thereafter, I had happened upon an excellent essay by Marilynne Robinson on Bonhoeffer in the book I was reading (The Death of Adam). I was intrigued and sought to try to clear up that vague picture of Bonhoeffer that I held by watching this film. So anyway, I'm hardly an expert on Bonhoeffer's life, but from my limited perspective, I can say that this was a good introduction to his story. At the very least, I've been inspired by this film to learn whatever I can about this fascinating man.

The documentary, as others have noted, is a very straightforward narrative retelling of Bonhoeffer's life--his birth and upbringing, the theological experiences that led to his decision to oppose the Nazis, the theology he developed in response to those circumstances, the acts of resistance (participating in the Confessing Church, leading an illegal seminary, and working in the effort to assassinate Hitler). Nothing else but that story is needed for this to be a riveting film. Bonhoeffer's story and person is enough to carry it. The narrative is interspersed with readings from Bonhoeffer's own poetic, theological writings, the beauty of which almost matches that of the life he managed to live.

Two things, particularly, struck me about the documentary. First, Doblmeier was able to interview quite a few people who actually knew Bonhoeffer--his best friend, his would-have-been sister-in-law, several students--along with some key theologians involved with his work. What struck me was how these people, even sixty years after Bonhoeffer's death, remember him so vividly and exhibit such an acute admiration and a palpable passion for Bonhoeffer himself. Thankfully, Doblmeier didn't set out to do hagiography here, and he doesn't. Nevertheless, those interviewed here cannot seem to help conveying the sense that they are in awe of the fact that Bonhoeffer's life touched each of their lives. That veneration they hold is profoundly communicated to the viewer.

Second, I was struck by how Bonhoeffer's theology was informed so by his year-long experience in America. The documentary explains how Bonhoeffer's engagement with the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York taught him about injustice and the responsibilities of the church when faced with it. The lessons learned there influenced Bonhoeffer to speak against the Nazi government and against the parts of the church which was complicit in the Nazi atrocities.

I think it was this American episode that hammered home to me very powerfully a sense of Bonhoeffer's ongoing relevance. I'm not sure that the church has yet learned many of the lessons that the Holocaust should have taught us. As a result, Bonhoeffer's thought and his life, it seems to me, have as much to tell the church today as they did sixty years ago.
August 3, 2007

Living upon what he believed

Bonhoeffer was a German Christian theologian who worked during WWII in the Resistence against Hitler. He was imprisoned during the last years of the war, and little before the fall of Berlin he was killed. In prison he wrote his famous "Letters", his first book that I read, and which is a must read companion book to this dvd.

This is an excellent documentary, not only about the man, but about the times he lived in, the difficult task of having to decide between doing what God called us (in this case him) to do, or choosing not to get involved in what is going on around us. Bonhoeffer realized that he could not escape the war and go to America, and then expect to have any role in post-war Germany, preaching what people should do.

One of the great things he said was that whenever we read the Bible we should believe that God is speaking to us, right there, and right then. His crime, according to the Nazis, was that he reminded people who their real Fuhrer was: the Lord Jesus Christ. April 14, 2007

Factual account of an important theological figure, but...

Bonhoeffer's life is certainly worthy of popular examination. This DVD provides a factual account of many crossroads in his life, but does so with a feel reminiscent of classroom educational films of old. As a "movie" experience, it doesn't exhibit the excellence of, say, Ken Burn's Civil War series. Still, until someone makes a better documentary about Bonhoeffer, this one is the tops and so I give it four stars. I would encourage interested readers to review books by and about Dietrich Bonhoeffer to understand more fully the impact that this man had and why many regard him as a modern saint. And, no, I'm not Lutheran. d:c) March 20, 2007

Maybe the only human German under Nazi Germany

What is the point of this documentary? that one German (we should add maybe Schindler and Stauffenberg) were slightly more humans than the other millions who willingly supported Hitler in his evil plans to destroy
5,5 million Jews. This is not so impressive and Bonhoeffer's initiatives even if couragous seem to be a bit mild. I think that the film is trying to make a case that not all Germans were racist and anti-semites under Hitler? Well 99 % were so congratulations Bonhoeffer to fight pacifically against the Devil but that was not very efficient. As for Stauffenberg this was rather late and it was because Germans were losing the war on the Eastern front. What about Schindler? well didn't he need cheap labor anyway. Show me a real German soal who acted in a pure altruistic way to save the Jews. There are alsmost none. The film is an attemps to look for humanity in the heart of evil and for that alone the filmmaker should be commanded. But I don't think the film accomplishes the initial purpose to show that not all Germans were nazis. They were for 99.99999 % a the time.
February 27, 2007

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