Authoritarian Leaders and the Letters of Those Who Hold on to Joy

The Dispatch today under their heading, Worth Your Time, pointed to an article in the publication Aeon. The article “The Last Letter” with the extra words, “Condemned to death by firing squad, French resisters put pen to paper. Their dying words can teach us how to live.” The essay is of course sadly poignant. Its purposed meaning, how to live, well thought out. It did however remind me of a very old small booklet I have from around the same the same period, Dying We Live, its editor’s words of explanation, “Letters by prisoners in Germany on the verge of execution: ‘No cause of sorrow but rather great joy.” Most of these letters are by Christians or at least religious persons. One of the first letters is written by a confessing pastor, whom I have written about before, Paul Schneider. He was the first Confessing pastor martyred. But there are so many more. 

There are several thoughts that occurred to me reading the Aeon article and once again browsing through Dying We Live. There are clues among these letters to the times we are living in. Negative reasons that answer our questions about whether it is the beginnings of authoritarian rule or not. There is an understanding that community and family ties are so necessary. And then there is affirmation that for the Christian that to be in Christ, under the rule of insufferable leaders, is to be safe. Tomorrow is everlasting in a forever loving, just Kingdom. 

My first thought, negative reasons, that tell us if we are in the beginning of authoritarian rule, slips in between the letters written. Not everyone even knew about the letters or the people who sent them. Not everyone understood or believed that anything was amiss. Life was going on as it seemingly always did. If you did not wish your children to attend church or be confirmed, there was no thought that belonging to the Hitler Youth groups was replacing your commitments. If you were dragged out of your house, or church or off the street and sent to a detention center usually no one would notice. (You just might be some criminal after all) Of course, if you were Jewish you were named a trouble maker, the enemy, vermin, and sent eventually to a concentration camp in a distant country where no one could communicate with you. People just quit reading, or listening, or asking questions and then said they just didn’t know. 

But in the beginning some knew. Mostly Catholic. The disabled and ill, did not come home but were sent to an institution of sorts—they were disposed of. But an outcry helped it to end for a little while.

 There was concern that Germany needed more babies, but healthy, Aryan babies, as many as possible—babies for Hitler. If you think you are exceptional and have no qualms about faithfulness in sexual faithfulness than yes, many, many more babies. This was one of the reasons for pastor Schneider’s arrest, he decried the officials for promoting easy sex for the sake of having many Aryan babies. But mostly it was just government issues—until the safeguards of democracy were gone. 

Concerning the idea that community and family ties were so important to those who were writing those goodbye letters and those receiving them one only need to read the letters. And read the endings, to mothers and wives, to children and husbands and friends. Encouragement for the days ahead and thankfulness for the past with family. Even pastors and priests writing to their “brethren” with encouragement. 

“Dear brothers, Now I must in the end take the other road. The death sentence has been demanded, and the air is so filled with hatred and animosity that presumably it will be announced and carried out today. I give thanks for all the kindness, loyalty, and help, especially as accorded me in these last difficult weeks. I ask for forgiveness for many things that have been wrong and unjust, and I ask for some help and care for my aged, sick parents. … 

May the Lord keep you all. …"

 

And a protestant advising his wife and comforting her:

 “My last thought my dearest wife, will be that I consign you, my dear ones, to the mercy of the Savior, and my spirit to his hands. I want to die thus rejoicing in my faith. And I would have you for your part, my dear Barbie, remain ‘the ever cheerful Frau von Haeften.’ Joke and laugh with the children, fondle them and be merry with them; they need your gaiety of spirit—and be assured that nothing could be more in keeping with my wishes. 

So I salute you, my dearest ones, with the old greeting, ‘Rejoice!’ Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice … And the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”

 And then this: there is affirmation that for the Christian that to be in Christ, under the rule of insufferable leaders, is to be safe. Tomorrow is everlasting in a forever loving, just Kingdom. 

There is some questions, to God, why the suffering, is the whole nation being punished, is there fairness on God’s part. But mostly in these letters is the longing for the eternal home and the clasping of the Savior’s arms. The knowledge that their tomorrow will be eternal without darkness. 

There is knowledge of deep evil, but more deeply still knowledge of the holiness, light and love that belong to God. We have not known for the most part such deep evil but we do know Him who carries His people in the midst of any evil. If it comes He is here.