[Vwoolf] Celebrating the birthday of a Woolf kindred spirit

[Diane Reynolds]

Today is the birthday of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who would be a 114 if still alive. He was a theologian who opposed Hitler and was executed in the last days of the war—and had quite a bit in common with Virginia (and Leonard) Woolf. Bonhoeffer, like them, was deeply distressed by the European politics of the 1930s.  He, like Woolf, was a pacifist who put an inclusive and humane vision of community ahead of violence and nationalism. He, like Woolf, was same sex attracted. If she wrote about her sexuality covertly in her novels, he theologized about his covertly. Both came from similar large “middle class” (in the US we would say wealthy) and very well connected families, with entree to the highest echelons of society. Both were willing to sacrifice their own convenience to be true to what they believed in. So happy birthday Dietrich and  a belated happy birthday to Virginia, both figures I dearly love for the vision that animated them.   
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