Wilm Hosenfeld
Origin:
Mackenzell, Germany
2 May 1895 – 13 August 1952
Wilm Hosenfeld grew up in a religious family, his father being a Catholic teacher. He served and was injured in World War I and married a pacifist woman, Annemarie. He was drafted into the army in 1939 as Germany began World War II.
He was not a fan of the Nazi party and was sympathetic to those it regarded as unworthy. He was stationed in Warsaw, overseeing a sports facility, so his particular sympathy was for the Poles and Jews. He learned Polish and attended church, even though it was banned by the Nazis. He saw many opportunities to help and he acted on them frequently.
There are numerous stories of assistance from Hosenfeld. He saved many in danger of imprisonment by providing papers and employment at the sports facility. He once saw a pregnant woman running towards a concentration camp and asked her what she was doing. Her husband was in there and she was going to beg for his release. Hosenfeld told the woman he would be out in three days. And he was. Most famously, Hosenfeld saved the pianist, Władysław Szpilman by providing him food and water after discovering his hiding place.
After the war, Hosenfeld was captured by the Russians and put into a prison. He was tortured and, despite claims by Jews and others he’d saved, was kept in prison. He died in 1952 after a number of strokes brought on by the torture.
Sources:
Seth Berkley
Septima Clark
Winston Churchill
Yul Brenner - Hero's Journey
Emily Douglas
I heard over the TV a reference being made to the movie PIANIST
I love movies, especially drama and trrue stories. However the PIANIST was a movie that had escaped my attention.
It would have been a tragedy had I not seen it.
My wife and I saw it on DVD, at home.
What struck me most was the fact, that among the Nazi’s there were members of the armed forces, who were diametrically opposed to the theories and practices adopted by Hitler and his cohorts.
Though it is 2 days over 60 years since the death of Wilm Hosenfeld. the deeds of an honourable man should never, ever be forgotten.
I offered a silent prayer for the life and deeds of this honourable German.
Whoever reads this e mail, who knows of any relatives or kin of Wilm Hosenfeld
please pass on the sentiments expressed in this mail.
I am neither German, nor Polish or even Jewish.
But the greatness of a good and honourable German officer, should be remembered and NEVER forgotten
All people who dare to what in their heart they know to be the right thing should be honoured with a page in history remembering their act of courage. Wilm Hosenfeld proves that the best way to protest cruelty is not a loud voice in the crowd, but many quiet acts of kindness from within the same place where cruelty is meted out. One man alone can speak a much louder protest by acts of help and kindness than can a thousand voices in a crowd of protestors. It takes courage to act with kindness.
La lección que nos deja la historia de Wilm Hosenfeld es que el fanatismo irracional nos despoja momentáneamente de nuestra espiritualidad, sin embargo hay personas que no se pierden en el vericueto del apasionamiento y las falsas promesas de un cambio sistemático radical.
He leído en varios blogs la historia de este gran ALEMÁN, y quiero rendirle mi mejor reconocimiento a este héroe olvidado, solo espero que la historia lo reconozca como uno de los grandes humanistas de todos los tiempos, como muchos otros que en su momento se comentará.
Como espiritualista que soy, sé que Wilm está en la Gloria del Señor.