Bonhoeffer Film Faces Backlash Over Historical Distortions

Critics and Bonhoeffer's descendants decry the portrayal of the theologian as a violent figure and its perceived alignment with right-wing evangelical agendas.

• The U.S. film 'Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.' has drawn criticism for allegedly misrepresenting the life of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Nazi resistance figure executed in 1945.
• Bonhoeffer's descendants have condemned the film's depiction, accusing the producers of distorting his legacy and aligning it with right-wing evangelical narratives in the U.S.
• The film's marketing, including posters showing Bonhoeffer holding a gun, and its dramatic framing of his involvement in a plot to kill Hitler have been called misleading.
• German actors Jonas Dassler, Moritz Bleibtreu, and August Diehl, who star in the film, have expressed concern over its potential misuse by Christian nationalist groups.
• The film, produced by Angel Studios, is set for a German release on March 6, 2025, under the title 'Bonhoeffer,' with its creators defending it as a statement against antisemitism.

3 Articles

Die Rheinpfalz Der Tagesspiegel Stern