Bonhoeffer family

The Bonhoeffer Family

Karl Bonhoeffer (1868-1948) was a prominent psychiatrist/neurologist in Germany. Bonhoeffer opposed the ideas of Freud and Jung and refused to participate in the Nazi-sponsored sterilization programme started before World War II. Karl's wife Paula Bonhoeffer (1874-1951) was the daughter of a professor of theology and a German countess.

Karl and Paula Bonhoeffer had eight children:
*Karl Friedrich Bonhoeffer (1899-1957) worked as a chemist before and after serving in World War II.
*Walter Bonhoeffer (1899-1918) was killed in action during World War I.
*Klaus Bonhoeffer (1901-1945) became a lawyer but served as a hospital orderly in World War I., married with Emilie Delbrück, daughter of Hans Delbrück, sister of Max Delbrück and Justus Delbrück.
*Ursula Schleicher (1902-1983) married lawyer Rüdiger Schleicher.
*Christel von Dohnanyi (1903-1965) married Hans von Dohnanyi.
*Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) became a Lutheran minister; he was engaged to be married with Maria von Wedemeyer (1924-1977).
*Sabine Leibholz (1906-1999) was twin sister to Dietrich, and married legal scholar Gerhard Leibholz (1901-1982).
*Susanne Dress (1909-1991) married theologian Walter Dress (1904-1979).

Dietrich, who joined the German resistance when the evils of Nazi Germany became apparent, was arrested in 1943 and executed on April 9, 1945. Klaus joined the resistance and was arrested on October 1, 1944 with other conspirators, found guilty by the "Volksgerichtshof" and shot by the Gestapo on April 23, 1945.