Generally, I am not keen on political types. Having long been of the persuasion that by
the time an individual has been elected they invariably have unencumbered
themselves of basic human morals. Ewald
Von Kleist-Schmenzin was a lawyer and a conservative politician in what was
then Germany but which is now part of Poland.
He was from a distinguished family (2 Field Marshalls etc) and was
virulently anti-Nazi even before Hitler came to power in 1933. He stubbornly refused to fly the Nazi flag
from his castle (Schloss Schmenzin) and the only insignia he embraced was the
white Maltese cross of the Order of St John.
He was made a Knight of Justice of this order in 1935.
Schloss Schenzin
After Hitler came to power a refusal to offer the German
greeting (Heil Hitler) could cost you your life. Even an ambiguous remark like “The war was not going well” could
be interpreted as opposition behaviour and lead to dire consequences. Not contributing to a Nazi fund drive was
another easy way to be identified as disloyal to the Führer. So when in 1933 a Nazi Party District leader
visited Ewald he must have been rather flummoxed by Ewald’s emphatic responses, that
- he was indeed an enemy of the Nazi Party
- he would never say Heil Hitler
- he would always refuse to fly the Nazi flag over his castle, Schloss Schmenzin
- and finally that he would give nothing to the Nazi party not even ten pennies!
Tack was not his strong point. He held to his loathing and hatred of the Nazi party for ten
years during which fear made good men compromise their principles. In 1944 his son was asked to take part in a suicide
attempt on Hitler’s life. Hesitating on
the implications of this mission the son turned to his father almost hoping
that his father would object. Ewald
responded with a short silence and then said this memorable line to his son,
Ewald's son
“A man who doesn’t take such a chance will never again be
happy in life.”
His son actually twice agreed to carry explosives to
detonate near Hitler but both plots failed. When a briefcase exploded near Hitler in another attempt the
consequences were severe and the very next day Ewald was arrested. He was tried in the Peoples Court by Roland
Freisler.
Ronald Freisler
Freisler chaired the First Senate of the People's Court, and
acted as judge, jury and prosecution in these show trials. 90% of all these proceedings ended with
sentences of death or life imprisonment, the sentences frequently having been
determined before the trial. Freisler
introduced the concept of 'precocious juvenile criminal' in the "Juvenile
Felons Decree". This decree "provided the legal basis for imposing
the death penalty and penitentiary terms on juveniles for the first time in
German legal history.
Over a period of a
few short years Fresier’s court resulted in 5000 executions including 72
juveniles (one 16 year old boy was executed for handing out anti-fascist texts). In the court facing Freisler’s questions
Ewald was as blunt and belligerent as usual and was in no way intimidated by
the proceedings. He announced
“Yes, I have pursued high treason since 30 Jan 1933 always
and with every means. I made no secret of
my struggle against Hitler and National Socialism. I regard this struggle as a commandment from God. God alone will be my judge.”
It was a very timely comment. An American bomb flattened the courthouse, halting proceedings
and killing Freisler.
Despite this seemingly divine intervention Ewald was
nevertheless guillotined at Plötzensee
Prison in Berlin on 9 April 1945 (69 years ago exactly to this day) —
one month before the end of the war.
Ewald did not go quietly into that dark night and his words written
shortly before his execution echo yet.
Schloss Schenzin
“We believe that faith in God and obedience to His Word must
permeate our public life…..Who is the greater, who has achieved more for
humanity, Caesar, or a simple, conscientious genuine working man, whose whole life
has been an example of faith? I think it is the working man.”
PS In March 2013 Ewald's son died at the age of 90 having amazingly survived the war.
Impressive!!
ReplyDeleteso glad you think so, not many agreed according to stats but your comment really encouraged me x
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