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VE DAY — 80 Years On

45rev May 08, 2025 1 0
VE DAY — 80 Years On

Following Kristallnacht (the night of smashed glass) in November 1938 when the Nazi regime ransacked, rounded up and killed Jewish families in Germany, Dietrich Bonhoeffer the German theologian, pastor, spy, assassin, and martyr wrote these words which he marked in his Prayer Book, ‘Only those who cry out for the Jews can sing Gregorian chants’. 

For five years Bonhoeffer had opposed the advance of Naziism as it slowly and violently overcame all opposition in Germany to impose the Nazi ideology and governance on the country. They were supported by many ordinary Germans who listened to their promises of a better life if the aliens in their country were forced to hand over goods and positions to naturally born Germans. It was a process of racial selection for economic benefit which was invariably linked into religion and culture. 

This week we celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day when peace came to Europe. We honour this through the gathering of community events giving thanks to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in opposing Naziism which is an extreme form of populism. Indeed, it might be described as populism without checks and balances. Human nature, we recognise from World War II and indeed more recently from the wars in the Balkans and Ukraine in Europe, is prone to such depravities when left unchecked. 

Bonhoeffer’s legacy might be that he warns us through his writings that if we are to keep our prayers daily and be guided by the Holy Spirit, we cannot shirk our social responsibility to protect those deemed ‘the alien’ in our society who are often victimised and de-humanised simply because they are not ‘like us’. We are called to show a great deal of discernment when dealing with such matters and thus are called to be interested and concerned as Christians in all such matters holding those in political power to account for such things. 

Bonhoeffer when writing in late 1943 just prior to his arrest by the Gestapo warned us that they had learnt in Germany over the last ten years that evil had disguised itself at times by looking like light and sometimes like just being foolish and we should not be fooled ourselves by this as it reveals ‘the fundamental wickedness of evil’ (After Ten Years essay). Thus, whilst enjoying our cream teas on the village square to celebrate our national event locally might we also remember Bonhoeffer’s warning about being aware of our political environment across the world and in the UK and ensuring that what followed in Europe after VE Day in the Balkans, and today is happening in Ukraine, is not allowed to happen again.

Padre Scott Shackleton RN (ret’d) – Worship Team Member Sanctuary First & Trustee