Gereon Karl Goldmann,OFM (25 October 1916 – 26 July 2003) was a GermanFranciscan priest, aWorld War II veteran of theWehrmacht andWaffen SS, and a member of theGerman Resistance againstAdolf Hitler.[1]
Gereon Karl Goldmann was born on 10 October 1916 in Ziegenhain (now part ofSchwalmstadt,Hesse) as one of seven children of Karl Goldmann, a veterinarian, and his wife, Margarethe. After his wife's death in 1924, Karl Goldmann remarried, and the family moved toCologne.[2] There, Gereon Goldmann joined theBund Neudeutschland, a Catholic youth association run by theJesuits. The group spent time doing charitable works in the city and countryside. Often, they were engaged in vicious street battles against theHitler Youth group. Goldmann entered aFranciscanseminary in October 1936.[3]
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Goldmann was drafted into theWehrmacht following the completion of his seminary education inphilosophy.[4] WhenWorld War II began, he was transferred to aWaffen SS training unit inoccupied Poland.[3][5] In his memoirs, he vividly describes theanti-Christianity rampant in the Waffen SS and the brutal hazing wreaked on his fellowCatholic recruits. After performing outstandingly in officer's training Goldmann was offered a position as an officer, on the condition that he abandons his faith and vocation. Goldmann refused and was scorned by his superiors. In response he sent a protest directly to the SS chief,Heinrich Himmler, and in early 1942, he was transferred back to the Wehrmacht in disgrace.[6] He spoke openly of his hatred forNazism, and September 1942, he was charged withhigh treason. He had acourt martial inKassel but was acquitted and so he escaped the death penalty.[7]
He was then transferred to the Eastern Front. Goldmann was soon arrested again and spent the winter of 1943 in prison. He was then sent tooccupied France and later toSicily.[8]
On a home leave in Germany, he was approached byAdam von Trott zu Solz, a careerdiplomat and a member of theKreisau Circle.[7] To Goldmann's horror, von Trott zu Solz identified himself as a member of a secret organization formed to assassinate Hitler and dismantleNazi Germany. In a deliberate attempt to recruit him, von Trott zu Solz told Goldmann, "You can help us to save Germany from its disgrace." The jurist informed Goldmann that his acquittal by the court-martial was caused by the influence of theGerman resistance.[8]
Goldmann responded that he had taken the soldier's oath and could not, as a Christian, go back on his word. Von Trott zu Solz responded, "I am also a Christian, as are those who are with me. We have prayed before thecrucifix and have agreed that since we are Christians, we cannot violate the allegiance we owe God. We must therefore break our word given to him who has broken so many agreements and still is doing it. If only you knew what I know, Goldmann! There is no other way! Since we are Germans and Christians we must act, and if not soon, then it will be too late. Think it over till tonight."[8]
The next day, Goldmann informed von Trott zu Solz that his terms were acceptable. He then joined the20 July Plot as a carrier of secret dispatches.[9] One such assignment led him to Rome in January 1944. BaronErnst von Weizsäcker, the German Ambassador to theVatican, was sympathetic to the Resistance and arranged an audience for Goldmann withPope Pius XII. The Pope granted Goldmann special dispensation to be ordained to the priesthood without the customary three years oftheology studies.[3]
Goldmann was captured by theBritish Army following theBattle of Monte Cassino, and sent to Birkhadem Algeria for interrogation.[3] After his investigation was complete he chose to be sent to a POW seminary near Rivet.[10] On 24 June 1944, he was ordained a priest by the archbishop of Algiers in the camp chapel. From August 1944 until the end of 1945, he served as a chaplain in a camp atKsar es Souk, Morocco. According to Goldmann's memoirs, many of the inmates at Ksar es Souk remained convinced Nazis and therefore regarded their chaplain as a traitor. They falsely accused him of being the former commandant ofDachau concentration camp, alleging that he had attempted to escape prosecution by becoming a priest.[3]
The French authorities believed this accusation and arrested Goldmann at the end of 1945. AtMeknes he was court-martialed by theFrench Army, and sentenced to death by firing squad. In February 1946, just before the scheduled execution, Pope Pius XII and several others interceded on Goldmann's behalf, declaring that the charges were false.[7] As a result, Goldmann's execution was delayed and eventually his conviction was overturned.[8]
After his release in 1947 he returned toFulda. He was once more arrested forwar crimes by theUnited States Army in 1948, but the charges were dropped in 1949 after he revealed his involvement in the 20 July Plot. He studied theology for a year before turning to work with youth.[8]
In early 1954, Goldmann went toJapan to head the parish of St Elizabeth in the poverty-riddenItabashi district ofTokyo.[7] Between 1954 and 1961, he turned toragpicking to sustain his parish, but eventually collected enough money to establish a foundation for education. He built two churches, numerous houses, hospitals, a holiday centre for families, and a community centre. For his efforts, in 1965 he was honoured by EmperorHirohito and business executive Tadashi Adachi with the Order of Good Deeds, the highest award bestowed by the state for social work. In 1975, he founded the St. Gregory Institute for Church Music and Liturgy in Tokyo.[3] He continued his charitable works in Japan and eventually extended these toIndia as well, spending almost 30 years working with the Carmelites inKerala.[7]
In poor health, precipitated by a chronic heart condition, Goldmann returned toGermany in 1994, where he remained until his death.[8] Fr. Goldmann died on 26 July 2003 at the Franciscan monastery in Fulda, aged 86.[7][11]
