4 Reformation Day 1943

Heute ist Reformationsfest, ein Tag, der einen* gerade in unseren Zeiten wieder sehr nachdenklich machen kann. Man fragt sich, warum aus Luthers Tat Folgen entstehen mußten, die genau das Gegenteil von dem waren, was er wollte, und die ihm selbst seine letzten Lebensjahre verdüstert haben und ihm manchmal sogar sein Lebenswerk fraglich werden ließen. Er wollte eine echte Einheit der Kirche und des Abendlandes, d.h. der christlichen Völker, und die Folge war der Zerfall der Kirche und Europas; er wollte die “Freiheit des Christenmenschen” und die Folge war Gleichgültigkeit und Verwilderung; er wollte die Aufrichtung einer echten weltlichen Gesellschaftsordnung ohne klerikale Bevormundung und das Ergebnis war die Aufruh schon in Bauernkrieg und bald danach die allmähliche Auflösung aller** echten Bindungen und Ordnungen des Lebens.

*einen accusative; einen nachdenklich machen make one thoughtful

**aller echten Bindungen und Ordnungen (genitive pl: “of all genuine bonds and rules”)

das Abendland the West
die Auflösung dissolving, disintegration
die Aufrichtung establishment
der Aufruhr revolt
der Bauernkrieg peasant war
die Bevormundung treating like a child (transl: interference or control)
die Bindung bond, relationship
das Ergebnis result, outcome
die Folge result, consequence
das Gegenteil opposite
die Gesellschaftsordnung social order
die Gleichgültigkeit indifference
das Lebensjahr (-e pl) years of life
das Lebenswerk life’s work
die Tat deed, action
die Verwilderung running wild
das Volk/Völker people, nation
der Zerfall disintegration, decay

d.h. das heißt that is called (equiv of “i.e.”, id est, that is)
entstehen result, arise
lassen/ließ let, allow
verdüstern darken, make gloomy

bald almost
danach afterward, accordingly
echt genuine
genau exact(ly)
gerade straight, directly, especially
manchmal sometimes
nachdenklich thoughtful
weltlich secular

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Wir sind gesetzlich!

Dear Mr. Alterman,

thank you for your kind mail.

We gladly give you the permission to use the wished selections of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Copyright: © by Gütersloher Verlagshaus, Gütersloh, in der Verlagsgruppe Random House GmbH, München

Best regards

Heike Daut-Rünger

Rechte und Lizenzen

RHG
___________________________________________________________________________________

Gütersloher Verlagshaus, Carl-Miele-Straße 214, 33311 Gütersloh
Verlagsgruppe Random House GmbH / Amtsgericht Gütersloh HRB 2810

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Ach–ich wurde getagt!

I’ve been tagged by Judy Redman in the 10-20-30 meme game. If I understand it correctly, I have to tell what I was doing 10, 20, and 30 years ago; then I have to tag three others. Also dann–

Ten years ago I was in ABD purgatory, trying to put the finishing touches on my dissertation “Form and Meaning in Exodus 20-23 in the Light of its Ancient Near Eastern Literary Context.” As I recall, I banished my family for the Thanksgiving holidays, sending them out of town to spend the holiday with relatives, while I typed round the clock. I do remember having problems with my printer as I was churning out the conclusion. Our church in Memphis, Tennessee allowed me to use theirs, and I spent about 48 hours there–but I got it done.

Twenty years ago I was doing my MA in classics, and teaching Latin as a GTA at the University of Kansas. I remember taking my daughter, who was about 8 at the time, to the small museum of classical art and archeology, and she asked me, “didn’t people have clothes back then?” I also remember a conversation with a visiting professor from Italy. He invited me to a conference in Rome, and I complained of lack of funds. He said, “surely your father will pay for you to do this.” By the way, I read last night that Bonhoeffer wrote a paper in high school on the poetry of Horace and Catullus; whose poetry I was reading twenty years ago, and whom I would commend to any aspiring theologian: Vivamus . . . atque amemus! Carpe Diem . . .

Thirty years ago I was an undergraduate, newly married, and learning about the mysterious 8 cases of IndoEuropean from Dana and Mantey’s Greek Grammar (which was basically a condensed version of A.T. Robertson’s Magnum Opus). That was when I decided to study Sanskrit, which I eventually did, and was a worthwhile endeavor in opening up the splendor of ancient India to me–but also turned out to be little help in understanding Greek. After meeting Dr. Fred Young, who would later be my professor in seminary, I decided I would also learn Akkadian, Ugaritic, Egyptian, Coptic and other dead languages. Well, I took classes in those subjects, whether I have “learned” the languages or not is another question–but I am still learning.

During the time, I have been happily married to my wife Sonja (whom you can see at my Faith Matters blog) and have been the father of Eric (who is Elijah’s father, and with Sarah is expecting a second grandbaby for us) a drywall contractor; Tabitha who is an editor for Mother Earth News, and Heidi who is a nurse in a nephrology clinic.

So now I have to tag someone:

Derick, and Aaron whose histories don’t go back thirty years; and D. Timothy Goering, who was the first to greet “Theological German” with a warm and encouraging comment.

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3c Daily Routine

(selection from letter to his parents 13 Oct 1943)

Ich habe in der letzten Zeit wieder viel geschrieben, und bei allem, was ich mir für den Tageslauf vorgenommen habe, sind mir die Stunden des Tages jetzt oft zu kurz, daß ich sogar manchmal schon das komische Gefühl habe, ich hätte hier–für dies and jenes Nebensächliche–“keine Zeit!” Morgens nach dem Früstück, also ab 7 Uhr ungefähr, treibe ich Theologie, dann schreibe ich bis Mittag, nachmittags lese ich, dann kommt ein Kapitel aus der Weltgeschichte von Delbrück, etwas englische Grammatik, aus der ich doch noch allerlei lernen kann, und schließlich, je nach der Verfassung, schreibe oder lese ich wieder. Abends bin ich dann müde genug, um mich gern hinzulegen, wenn auch noch nicht zu schlafen . . .

das Früstück breakfast
das Gefühl feeling
die Geschichte history
das Kapitel chapter (n.b. not das Kapital)
der Morgen morning; morgens in the morning
das Nebensächliche trivial matter
die Stunde hour
der Tag day; der Tageslauf day (lit. day’s course)
die Verfassung constitution, state of health, state of mind; je nach der Verfassung depending on the state of mind; i.e. depending on how I feel
die Weltgeschichte world history
die Zeit time

hätte subj of haben (in indirect discourse; translate simply “have”)
hin/legen lay down (trans) or lie down (intr)
schreiben, schrieb, geschrieben write
schlafen sleep
treiben drive, pursue, study
vor/nehmen vor/nimt, vor/nahm, vor/genommen take on, plan, intend

allerlei all kinds (of things)
aus der from which
bei allem, was ich . . . vorgenommen habe for all that I . . . have planned
etwas something, some
gern gladly
genug enough
jener, jenes, jene that, (pl) those
kurz short
letzte last, in der letzten Zeit lately, recently
manchmal sometimes
müde tired
schließlich finally
sogar even
ungefähr approximate/ly
viel many
wenn if
wieder again

Note on “flavoring particles”: schon and doch as used above are little bits that give “flavor” to conversation. They are difficult to translate with one word (already and indeed would sound rather wooden), but they do add a subtle sense of emphasis, force, irony, humor, etc.

Hans Delbrück (1848-1929) historian at Berlin. Famous for his seven-volume military history. His five-volume World History was his final work, finished a year before his death. He was a neighbor of Harnack and the Bonhoeffers: “Sunday evenings with the Bonhoeffers was a tradition.” (Janet Manning, “Personal History“) Modern edition of Delbrück’s Military History (Amazon).

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Quote of the Week–Rilke

Je mehr Liebe man gibt, desto mehr besitzt man davon.

Rainer Maria Rilke, (1875 – 1926), eigentlich René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria, österreichischer Erzähler und Lyriker

die Liebe love; man (pronoun ‘one’–not Mann); geben, 3 s gibt give; besitzen have; davon of it; je mehr . . . desto . . . the more (of A) . . . the more (of B) . . .

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3b Life in Prison–daily routine

(to his Parents 5 April 1943)
Ihr wollt mehr über mein hiesiges Leben wissen: sich eine Zelle vorzustellen, dazu gehört ja nicht viel Phantasie; je weniger, desto richtiger; aber an Ostern brachte die DAZ eine Reproduktion aus Dürers Apokalypse; die habe ich mir aufgehängt und M.s Primeln sind z.T. auch noch da! Von den 14 Stunden des Tages gehe ich etwa drei in der Zelle spazieren, viele Kilometer, außerdem 1/2 Stunde im Hof. Ich lese, lerne, arbeite. Besondere Freude hatte ich wieder an Jer. Gotthelf in seiner klaren, gesunden, stillen Art. Es geht mir gut und ich bin gesund.

DAZ = Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung a national daily newspaper
z.T. = zum Teil partly, in part

die Freude joy
das Ostern Easter
die Phantasie imagination
die Primel primrose
die Stunde hour
die Zelle cell

arbeiten work
aufhängen hang up
bringen/brachte/gebracht bring, (of news, etc.: publish or print)
gehören to belong to; (here ‘require’)
haben/hatte have
lesen read
lernen learn
spazieren gehen to go for a stroll (ironic description of pacing in his cell?)
sich vor/stellen imagine, picture (place something before oneself)

außerdem besides, in addition to
besondere special
dazu to that end, for that purpose
der/die/das (rel. pron) who, which
etwa about
gesund healthy, well, wholesome, sound
hiesig local
je weniger, desto richtiger the less (of that), the more accurate (the image will be)
klar clear
still quiet
wieder again

Jeremias Gotthelf A Swiss protestant pastor and writer whose “38 volumes of prose are characterized by Christian fervor, humor, sincerity, and vigor. Many were written in the Swiss-German idiom.”

M. Maria von Wedemeyer, Bonhoeffer’s fiancée.

On Dürer’ s Apocalypse, see here or here.

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3a Life in Prison

Letter to his parents (dated 5 May, 1943 in the 1951 edition; dated 5 April, 1943 in the English edition of 1973)

Jetzt nach 4 Wochen Haft kommt zu der raschen, bewußten, inneren Aussöhnung mit dem Geschickten allmählich eine gewisse unbewußte natürliche Gewöhnung hinzu. Das ist eine Erleichterung, hat aber auch seine Probleme; denn gewöhnen will und soll man sich wohl an diesen Zustand nicht, das wird Euch ebenso gehen.

die Aussöhnung reconciliation, acceptance
die Erleichterung lightening, relief
das Geschickt fate, lot in life
die Gewöhnung habituation, becoming accustomed to, habit
die Haft imprisonment, custody
der Zustand state, condition

gewöhnen sich an become accustomed to, get used to
hinzu/kommen arrive, come to, happen in addition
es geht Euch it goes for you; it is ok with you; you agree (Euch is dat 2 pl familiar)

allmählich gradual/ly
bewußt conscious
ebenso just as, as well
gewiss certain, sure
innere inner
rasch quick, hasty, rash

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Advice from Judy Redman

Judy Redman posted this comment, but since it is buried in one of the sub-pages, and you may not have noticed it, I am re-posting it here:

When I am typing in German, I always use the German keyboard layout, which means that the letters with umlauts are there without having to remember complicated keyboard shortcuts. You can access this on a PC by going from Start into the Control Panel, then Regional and Language Options, then clicking on the languages tab, then details. In the Installed services box, click add and add German (Germany) as an installed language. This will offer you the option of a German keyboard. Click OK all the way out. You will then find a new icon in the bar on the bottom RHS which says EN. Click on this to change to DE whenever you want to type German and again and select EN when you want to go back to English.

The only problem is that there are a few keys that have different characters mapped to them in the German keyboard, so you have to watch this. For example the ‘z’ and the ‘y’ are swapped and if you press the apostrophe key, you will get an ‘a’ with an umlaut on it.
You can display a keyboard on your screen to help you learn where the keys are. Hold down the Windows key and press U. Select the line that says the onscreen keyboard is off, then click Start. A keyboard will open up on the screen. Click on it and then change your language to DE. You will see where all the keys you want are. You can click on them with the mouse if you like (slow and tedious) or just move it out of the way and use it to find any the location of the keys you want on your normal keyboard.

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Kant Enlighten Me

Quote of the Week
Was ist Aufklärung?

Aufklärung ist der Ausweg des Menschen aus seiner selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit. Sapere aude! Habe Mut, Dich Deines eigenen Verstandes zu bedienen! ist also der Wahlspruch der Aufklärung. (Kant, 1784)

die Aufklärung enlightenment
der Ausweg way out, escape
der Mut courage
die Unmündigkeit age before majority, lack of coming of age, immaturity
mündig (adj) mature, responsible of age
der Verstand reason, mind, intellect
der Wahlspruch motto, watchword

bedienen serve, attend to
Sapere aude (Latin) dare to be wise!
selbstverschulden to be one’s own fault (ptc. as adj. “one’s own fault, self-imposed”)

also therefore
aus out of, from
eigen one’s own

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Other Pages

Remember to check the other pages (click on the tabs at the top or under “pages” on the right) from time to time. The “Home” page is the blog part; on the other pages new information is at the bottom. Rather than making new posts, I just edit and add new tidbits. For example, here are a couple new items from “Reviews and Resources”:

Last year, Aldo Parmegianni interviewed Jürgen Moltmann on his 80th birthday, for Radio Vatikan. The interview sums up the major themes of Moltmann’s life work. Both the text and the audio (Real Audio) are available. I will be posting some vocabulary helps soon.

A new web site celebrates the upcoming 500th anniversary of the birth of Jean Calvin. Calvin 09 gives the options of English, French, Deutsch, or Spanish. Click on “Actio” and you can download, among other writings, the Institutes in French or English.

Wieland Willker is a chemist in Bremen, who is a serious amateur NT scholar and textual critic. His web site includes a bibliography of books in German on NT Greek, and a Greek-German NT vocabulary list. His site also includes a massive textual commentary in English on the GNT.

On the “Conversation for Beginners” page, Judy and Athene have started a conversation about people for whom church is strange and unfamiliar. Meanwhile, I have posted a couple of photographs on the “Photos” page; and a few readers have been bold enough to venture translations in the “Comments” box after the reading selections.

I’m also adding to the “Grammar” pages a little at a time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My wife and I belong to a group called “Wellspring,” that meets out on Judd and Nancy’s farm. We currently have chosen to read Cost of Discipleship together over the next couple months. Wellspring has just started its own blog, and–I have begun posting my translations of the reading selections from the letters. I don’t want to make it too easy to any Theological German readers, but if you want to check my translation or compare yours, you can go to “wellspringks.wordpress.com“. Click on the “Bonhoeffer Focus this semester” tab (or the page on the left), then go to “Letter 1” etc.

As I said before, I am a fellow traveler and struggler, so my translations make no claim to literary merit, or even any guarantee of accuracy.

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