Lion

There is a German bishop who had the courage to challenge Hitler. His name is Clemens August von Galen, pastor of the diocese of Munster from 1933 to his death (1946). One of the symbols of the German resistance, called "the Lion of Munster", for having opposed, in word and deed, the barbarism of the Nazi regime. Pius XII will make him a cardinal, Benedict XVI will beatify him in 2005.

Three very famous sermons held in the summer of 1941, Hitler at the height of power and power, Nazism launched to conquer the world. From the pulpit, Bishop von Galen attacks the dictator and his bloody regime. "Now I can no longer be silent!" He announces to his collaborators, in the face of the umpteenth Nazi attacks and violence against internal opponents. On 13 and 20 July and 3 August 1941, the faithful of Munster hear unprecedented words.

"My dear diocesans! ... Already several times and recently we have seen that the Gestapo, without a court sentence and without defense, imprisoned honest, highly esteemed German citizens, and deprived them of their liberty, expelled from the region and interned somewhere ... None of us are safe, not even if in conscience he were the most honest and most trusted citizen, sure not to be taken from his home one day, stripped of his freedom, locked up in the cellars and concentration camps of the state secret police. I have no illusions, I am aware that this today, or another day, can happen to me too. And since then I will no longer be able to speak in public, I want to do it today, I want to publicly warn not to proceed in this way which, according to my conviction, will cause God's just punishment on men and lead to ruin and annihilation. our people and our homeland ... And therefore in the name of the righteous German people, in the name of the majesty of justice and in the interest of peace, I raise my voice, and aloud, as a German, as an honest citizen, as a representative of religion Christian, as a Catholic bishop, I cry out: We ask for justice! ».

Among the Nazi leaders, someone would like to hang him. His sermons are spread by leaflets launched over Westphalia by allied planes. He is not silent and does not give up. He condemns euthanasia. He also denounces the dangers of communism. He ends up on the New York Times pages.

Hitler dies, overwhelmed by his own madness. And from the indomitable courage of the "Lion of Munster".

Renzo Agasso

NP Aprile 2022