Back برنهارد ليشتنبرغ Arabic برنارد ليشتنبرج ARZ Bernhard Lichtenberg Catalan Bernhard Lichtenberg Czech Bernhard Lichtenberg German Bernardo Lichtenberg Spanish Bernhard Lichtenberg Finnish Bernhard Lichtenberg French ברנהרד ליכטנברג HE Bernhard Lichtenberg IE
Bernhard Lichtenberg | |
|---|---|
 Fr. Bernhard Lichtenberg | |
| Martyr | |
| Born | 3 December 1875 Ohlau, Prussian Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire |
| Died | 5 November 1943 (aged 67) While being transported from Berlin to Dachau concentration camp, Germany |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church (Germany) |
| Beatified | 23 June 1996, Germany, by Pope John Paul II |
| Major shrine | St. Hedwig's Cathedral, Berlin, Germany |
| Feast | 5 November |
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Bernhard Lichtenberg (German: [ˈbɛʁn.haʁt ˈlɪçtn̩ˌbɛʁk] ⓘ; 3 December 1875 – 5 November 1943) was a German Catholic priest known for his outspoken opposition to the Nazi regime’s persecution of Jews and other marginalized groups during the Holocaust. He became a notable symbol of religious liberty for his public condemnation of the Nazi government’s policies, including from the pulpit of St. Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin.[1][2] Despite widespread fear and suppression, Lichtenberg openly called for justice and the humane treatment of Jewish citizens, underscoring the moral responsibilities of religious leaders under totalitarian regimes.
Lichtenberg was arrested and imprisoned for his activism and later died in Gestapo custody while being transported to Dachau concentration camp.[3] His death further cemented his reputation as a martyr for religious freedom and human rights. Raul Hilberg wrote: "Thus a solitary figure had made his singular gesture. In the buzz of rumormongers and sensation seekers, Bernhard Lichtenberg fought almost alone."[4]
In 1996, Lichtenberg was beatified by the Catholic Church for his steadfast faith and moral courage. He was also recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 2004 for his efforts to aid Jews during the Holocaust, making him one of the few individuals honored for moral resistance across both religious and cultural communities.[5][2]
- ^ CNA. "Pompeo: Nowhere is religious freedom more under assault than in China". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
YadVashemwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Gaydosh2010p333was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hilberg, Raul (2003). The Destruction of the European Jews. Vol. II (3rd ed.). New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 489. ISBN 0-300-09587-2.
- ^ Gaydosh, Brenda (2017). Bernhard Lichtenberg. Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of the Nazi Regime, Lanham. p. 175.