Dietrich Bonhoeffer

1906–1945 · German (Breslau/Wrocław) · World War II

Known for: The pastor who joined a plot to assassinate Hitler and was executed for it — proof that faith and resistance are not mutually exclusive

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian who became one of the few prominent church leaders to actively resist the Nazi regime. While most German churches either supported or accommodated Hitler, Bonhoeffer helped found the Confessing Church, smuggled Jews out of Germany, and eventually joined the Abwehr conspiracy to assassinate Hitler.

He was arrested in 1943 and spent two years in prison, where he wrote Letters and Papers from Prison — one of the most important theological works of the 20th century. He was executed at Flossenbürg concentration camp on April 9, 1945 — just two weeks before the camp was liberated. His concept of 'religionless Christianity' and 'costly grace' continue to challenge comfortable faith.

Browse all 1,000 figures by category

Enable JavaScript to view the full "if they lived today" Q&A and personality profile.