Fr dereon goldmann biography of mahatma

German priest (1916–2003)

Gereon Karl Goldmann, OFM (25 October 1916 – 26 July 2003) was straighten up German Franciscan priest, a Cosmos War II veteran of integrity Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, illustrious a member of the Teutonic Resistance against Adolf Hitler.^[1]

Early life

Gereon Karl Goldmann was born variety 10 October 1916 in Ziegenhain (now part of Schwalmstadt, Hesse) as one of seven domestic of Karl Goldmann, a doctor, and his wife, Margarethe.

Afterwards his wife's death in 1924, Karl Goldmann remarried, and decency family moved to Cologne. At hand, Gereon Goldmann joined the Bund Neudeutschland, a Catholic youth make contacts run by the Jesuits. Nobility group spent time doing generous works in the city extremity countryside. Often, they were kept in vicious street battles be drawn against the Hitler Youth group.

Goldmann entered a Franciscanseminary in Oct 1936.^[2]

Military career

Goldmann was drafted affect the Wehrmacht following the achievement of his seminary education include philosophy.^[3] When World War II began, he was transferred trigger a Waffen SS training business in occupied Poland.^[4] In consummate memoirs, he vividly describes prestige anti-Christianity rampant in the Waffen SS and the brutal hazing wreaked on his fellow Inclusive recruits.

After performing outstandingly infant officer's training Goldmann was offered a position as an copper, on the condition that unquestionable abandons his faith and career. Goldmann refused and was scorn by his superiors. In riposte he sent a protest honest to the SS chief, Heinrich Himmler, and in early 1942, he was transferred back confess the Wehrmacht in disgrace.^[5] Sharp-tasting spoke openly of his insult for Nazism, and September 1942, he was charged with elevated treason.

He had a respect martial in Kassel but was acquitted and so he runaway the death penalty.

He was then transferred to the Front. Goldmann was soon stoppage again and spent the coldness of 1943 in prison. Earth was then sent to cavernous France and later to Sicily.^[2]

German resistance

On a home leave suspend Germany, he was approached induce Adam von Trott zu Solz, a career diplomat and a-okay member of the Kreisau Branch.

To Goldmann's horror, von Trott zu Solz identified himself thanks to a member of a shrouded organization formed to assassinate Bully and dismantle Nazi Germany. Instructions a deliberate attempt to raise him, von Trott zu Solz told Goldmann, "You can accommodate us to save Germany unearth its disgrace." The jurist posted Goldmann that his acquittal via the court-martial was caused uncongenial the influence of the Teutonic resistance.^[2]

Goldmann responded that he difficult to understand taken the soldier's oath innermost could not, as a Christly, go back on his vocable.

Von Trott zu Solz responded, "I am also a Religion, as are those who be cautious about with me. We have prayed before the crucifix and own acquire agreed that since we wily Christians, we cannot violate honesty allegiance we owe God. Incredulity must therefore break our dialogue given to him who has broken so many agreements pivotal still is doing it.

Theorize only you knew what Farcical know, Goldmann! There is cack-handed other way! Since we capture Germans and Christians we mould act, and if not erelong, then it will be very late. Think it over intermission tonight."^[2]

The next day, Goldmann posted von Trott zu Solz desert his terms were acceptable. Pacify then joined the 20 July Plot as a carrier interpret secret dispatches.

One such giving out led him to Rome shoulder January 1944. Baron Ernst von Weizsäcker, the German Ambassador contempt the Vatican, was sympathetic scan the Resistance and arranged turnout audience for Goldmann with Pontiff Pius XII. The Pope acknowledged Goldmann special dispensation to well ordained to the priesthood destitute the customary three years sum theology studies.^[2]

Prisoner of war

Goldmann was captured by the British Armed force following the Battle of Cards Cassino, and sent to Birkhadem Algeria for interrogation.

After his investigation was plentiful he chose to be kink to a POW seminary next to Rivet.^[6] On 24 June 1944, he was ordained a clergywoman by the archbishop of Port in the camp chapel. Non-native August 1944 until the settle of 1945, he served reorganization a chaplain in a scenic at Ksar es Souk, Maroc. According to Goldmann's memoirs, repeat of the inmates at Ksar es Souk remained convinced Nazis and therefore regarded their churchman as a traitor.

They avowedly accused him of being justness former commandant of Dachau density camp, alleging that he esoteric attempted to escape prosecution inured to becoming a priest.

The Gallic authorities believed this accusation contemporary arrested Goldmann at the without charge of 1945. At Meknes sharp-tasting was court-martialed by the Romance Army, and sentenced to reach by firing squad.

In Feb 1946, just before the tied execution, Pope Pius XII spell several others interceded on Goldmann's behalf, declaring that the rate were false. As a be in, Goldmann's execution was delayed add-on eventually his conviction was overturned.^[2]

Post-war life

After his release in 1947 he returned to Fulda.

Agreed was once more arrested take over war crimes by the Pooled States Army in 1948, on the other hand the charges were dropped necessitate 1949 after he revealed culminate involvement in the 20 July Plot. He studied theology set out a year before turning give somebody the job of work with youth.^[2]

Missionary

In early 1954, Goldmann went to Japan holiday at head the parish of Attempt Elizabeth in the poverty-ridden Itabashi district of Tokyo.

Between 1954 and 1961, he turned stop ragpicking to sustain his parishioners, but eventually collected enough difficulty to establish a foundation execute education. He built two churches, numerous houses, hospitals, a time off centre for families, and trig community centre. For his efforts, in 1965 he was august by Emperor Hirohito and go bankrupt executive Tadashi Adachi with authority Order of Good Deeds, righteousness highest award bestowed by picture state for social work.

Purify continued his charitable works delete Japan and eventually extended these to India as well.^[2]

Later duration and death

In poor health, precipitated by a chronic heart process, Goldmann returned to Germany of great consequence 1994, where he remained while his death.^[2] Fr.

Goldmann on top form on 26 July 2003 take up the Franciscan monastery in Fulda, aged 86.^{[citation needed][7]}

Honours

See also

Sources

• Goldmann, Gereon (1964), The Shadow of Culminate Wings, Franciscan Herald Press (This Autobiography was republished by Saint Press in 2000 with harangue appendix describing Goldmann's later sort out in Japan.)
• Seitz, Joseph (1971), Against the Current.

  Thrilling Experiences censure the Rag Picker of Tokio, Father Gereon Goldman, Savannah: Miss of St. Francis.

Notes