Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Contact:
Megan Grajeda
Cave Henricks Communications
512-904-9258 or megan@cavehenricks.com
MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER:
Faith, Truth, and Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich
By Dietrich von Hildebrand
Translated and Edited by John Henry Crosby with John F. Crosby
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“Dietrich von Hildebrand, unlike so many European Christians of his time, was an early and vigorous critic of National Socialism; a man of brilliant intellect and articulate pen who spoke out forcefully against Nazi hatred of the Jews; a scholar who defended the Christian understanding of society and the human person at immense personal cost. This wonderful collection of his writings acquaints us intimately with an extraordinary man of faith. It’s mandatory reading for anyone interested in a fuller understanding of a profoundly important era.”Seventy-five years ago, German troops marched through occupied Warsaw, Poland marking the outbreak of one of the biggest wars in history. While we remember the monstrosity and violence of Nazism and the world war it produced, there is one powerful story that has remained largely unknown for nearly eighty years. It is a story of a soldier who fought a different kind of war – one of argument, faith, and conscience.– Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia
“Dietrich von Hildebrand’s memoirs give us an inroad into the soul of another Germany, a Germany thoroughly different from that of Adolf Hitler and of the Nazis. In the years just after the First World War, he warned against the danger of exaggerated nationalism and pleaded for the reconciliation between European nations. Later he would defend the common Christian and Jewish roots of European civilization. His example warms the hearts of all those who love freedom and are willing to defend the values of our civilization.”– Rocco Buttiglione, Italian statesman and close collaborator with St. John Paul II
MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER: Faith, Truth, and Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich (Image Books; hardcover; October 21, 2014) is a glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the 20th century’s most important Catholic thinkers – and the Nazi’s public “enemy number one” in Vienna. Within the book’s pages are the extraordinary memoirs and writings of Dietrich von Hildebrand and his battle against National Socialism, published in English for the first time.
“It is rare today that an important new story full of vivid detail should come to light from the already much-documented Nazi period,” notes John Henry Crosby, translator, compiler, and editor of MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER. “His story might well have been lost to us were it not for a memoir, penned near the end of his life at the request of his wife, the renowned philosopher, Alice von Hildebrand.”
A German-Catholic philosopher and theologian, von Hildebrand was among the earliest and most vocal opponents of Hitler from the very onset of the Nazi political movement in the early 1920s. At a time when many still viewed Hitler as a positive and inevitable force, von Hildebrand endured scorn and ridicule for sounding the alarm among his contemporaries. His unreserved solidarity with the persecuted Jews was a radical act of defiance, not just against the Nazi racism but even against the widespread disdain for Jews that was common at the time – and marked him as a person of interest to Hitler’s Nazis, who ultimately sentenced him to death in absentia.
Penned in his own hand, von Hildebrand’s memoirs chronicle such acts of solidarity and peril as:
- Identifying himself as non-Aryan when he could have done otherwise, resulting in his dismissal from his fourteen-year position as professor of philosophy at the University of Munich. Upon Hitler's rise to power in 1933, von Hildebrand fled from Germany to Vienna, Austria so he could devote himself entirely to the intellectual and cultural battle against the Nazi ideology. This departure was for him an immense personal sacrifice, yet he was convinced that he was called to “raise his voice.” As an intellectual soldier, he was sustained by a deep inner faith in providence and spurred on by extraordinary courage in the face of evil, using his lectures, writing, and debates to counter the deadly blend of allure and terror embodied in the National Socialism spreading around him.
- Defiantly challenging Nazism through his weekly journal, prompting the German ambassador in Vienna, Franz von Papen, to describe him to Hitler as “the architect of the intellectual resistance in Austria.”
- Continuing his work amidst dangerous consequences such as von Papen’s plot to assassinate him, schemed directly with Hitler in a dispatch marked “top secret” on April 30, 1937.
With the support of Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, he founded and edited the most widely read German-language anti-Nazi paper in Vienna, Der Christliche Ständestaat (The Christian Corporative State). This was the main instrument by which von Hildebrand fought against Nazism and for the independence of Austria, and it gained him international attention and acclaim from the Vatican to Washington, D.C., where Herbert Hoover’s FBI was following his activities.
Von Hildebrand’s philosophical brilliance, Christian witness, and bravery in the battle against Nazism have inspired words of reverence from eminent figures like Former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger), and Otto von Habsburg, son of the last Austrian Emperor. Though he was one of the great heroes of a dark era, von Hildebrand never sought to call attention to his exploits, and so his story remains largely undiscovered, even in his native Germany.
“I am honored to present this book to a global audience,” writes Crosby, “first as one of the great overlooked dramas of the Nazi era, and second as a gripping story of one man’s readiness to risk everything to follow his conscience and stand in defiance of tyranny."
Accompanying the memoirs of Dietrich von Hildebrand in MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER are over a dozen of his writings originally published in Der Christliche Ständestaat and elsewhere, presenting readers with a breathtaking story of one man’s valor, uncompromising convictions, and faith amidst the harrowing contagion of National Socialism.
MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER: Faith, Truth, and Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich
Author: Dietrich von Hildebrand; Translated and Edited by John Henry Crosby with John F. Crosby
Publisher: Image Books
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Hardcover ISBN: 9780385347518
Price: $28.00
About Dietrich von Hildebrand Dietrich von Hildebrand (1889-1977), born in Florence, was the son of renowned German sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand. A leading student of the philosophers Edmund Husserl and Max Scheler, he took up the “great questions” – about truth, freedom, conscience, community, love, beauty – with a freshness that allowed him to break new ground, especially in ethics, but also in epistemology, social philosophy, and aesthetics. His conversion to Catholicism in 1914 was the decisive turning point of his life and the impetus for important religious works. His opposition to Hitler and Nazism was so outspoken that he was forced to flee Germany in 1933, and later across Europe, finally settling in New York City in 1940, where he taught at Fordham University until 1960. He was the author of dozens of books, both in German and English. He was a major forerunner of Vatican II through his seminal writings on marriage, on Christian philosophy, and on the evil of anti-Semitism.
John Henry Crosby is a translator, writer, musician, and cultural entrepreneur. He is founder and director of the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project, which fosters deep cultural renewal through publications, events, fellowships, and online resources that draw on the continuing vitality of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s thought and witness.
The Hildebrand Project is the world’s leading organization dedicated to the presentation and exploration of the thought and witness of Dietrich von Hildebrand. An original philosopher, ardent Christian, fierce foe of Nazism, and fervent champion of beauty, von Hildebrand defends the timeless truths of our Western patrimony while at the same time eagerly receiving and enrichingthe insights of modernity.
At the heart of our mission is the promotion of the religious, political, and especially the philosophical writings of Dietrich von Hildebrand and other personalist thinkers, such as Karol Wojtyla and Max Scheler. We believe that these authors offer fresh insights into perennial questions about human flourishing and the moral life, the nature of love, the demands of moral witness, Christian faith and practice, and the transformative power of beauty. We seek to bring these ideas into dialogue with contemporary currents of thought, infusing them into the intellectual, artistic, and spiritual bloodstream of our culture.
We fulfill our mission through a portfolio of distinct but complimentary initiatives: (1) we translate and publish the works of Dietrich von Hildebrand; (2) we introduce new students and teachers to his writings through educational events and student fellowships; (3) we support and promote new and established scholars working on Hildebrand and personalist philosophy; (4) we invite our audience to become collaborators in our work through our unique Partner Grants program; (5) and we maintain a dynamic website that serves as the international locus for the study of Dietrich von Hildebrand and personalist philosophy.
MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER
“I knew Dietrich von Hildebrand personally. His courage, his message, his willingness to risk everything and don the mantle of David against Goliath, won him contempt and scorn among the Nazis, including Hitler, yet won him the undying admiration and gratitude of those opposed to National Socialism. He certainly won my gratitude.”
– Otto von Habsburg, Son of the last Austrian Emperor and spokesman for European unity
Dietrich von Hildebrand was a magnificent man... and I would wish that as many people as possible would learn of this witness from a dark era.”
– Helmut Kohl, Former Chancellor of Germany
“I am personally convinced that, when, at some time in the future, the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time.”
– Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
“Dietrich von Hildebrand is already well-known and respected as one of the great Catholic philosophers of the twentieth century. However, this engaging collection of his personal writings on the topic of Hitler and Nazism allows us to appreciate his wisdom and courage even more fully. His faith in God and understanding of the human person enabled him to clearly see the threat posed by his evil ideology. This memoir reveals the strength of character that von Hildebrand bravely displayed throughout his twenty-year battle against the greatest evils of his age. Even amid significant personal danger, he never wavered in his commitment to the truth. We remember Dietrich von Hildebrand’s intellectual contributions, but let us also recall his witness to human dignity in the face of evil.”
– Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York
“At this moment in history, no memoir could be more timely than Dietrich von Hildebrand’s account of how and why he risked everything to witness against the spreading evil of National Socialism. With much of today’s world silent as Christians face increasing persecution, many good men and women are asking themselves what they can do. This remarkable book will challenge and inspire them.”
– Mary Ann Glendon, Learned Hand Professor of Law, Harvard University and Former US Ambassador to the Holy See
“There is but one man who can stand with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, both in intellectual brilliance and in bravery toward the Nazis; that man is Dietrich von Hildebrand. I am privileged to strongly recommend this important book as a superb introduction to this great hero of the faith. May it spawn a new generation of devotees and champions of his extraordinary thought and life.”
– Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author of Bonhoeffer, Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Miracles
“Dietrich von Hildebrand was brave in his public writings against the Nazis, brave in his hair-raising escape from Vienna in 1938. He was also bold and uncompromising in his convictions about responsibility, love, and liberty. This book brings the bold von Hildebrand back into our midst.”
– Michael Novak, author of Writing from Left to Right
“In the life of Dietrich von Hildebrand, we see how Catholic faith and sacramental life gave him insight, strength and freedom of spirit to confront the anti-Christian tides that swept through Western culture in the twentieth century. This compelling and inspiring memoir is a testimony to the integrity of a Christian who challenged the destructive force of the Third Reich, its dehumanizing political philosophy and its false vision of human life. I strongly recommend this memoir as a testimony to the transforming influence of the lay vocation at work in the world, exemplified in Dietrich von Hildebrand.”
– Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.
“Resistance against the Hitler regime is little known outside of Germany. This important book not only closes a gap, but also reminds us of the power of true and timeless convictions.”
– Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg, Chairman, Spitzberg Partners; Former German Minister of Defense
An Interview with John Henry Crosby, Translator, Compiler, and Editor
of MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER
Q: Describe your introduction to Dietrich von Hildebrand? How did he become such an integral part of your life?
A: I suppose I can say that I was born into a relationship with von Hildebrand—though I hasten to say that I never knew him personally (he died in 1977, the year before I was born). But I was born into a family deeply shaped by von Hildebrand. My mother, an Austrian, knew him already as a girl, and her brothers and her father were students and disciples of his. My father, who joins me as editor and translator of My Battle Against Hitler, was also a student and close friend of von Hildebrand during the last decade of his life, and is one of his leading exponents today.
What may surprise some readers about my own interest in von Hildebrand is that it initially had very little to do with philosophy. What first captured my imagination was von Hildebrand the man of culture and the moral hero. In an earlier life—which is to say in my teenage years—I pursued studies in violin performance. It was in these years that I discovered von Hildebrand as a great and compelling defender of the beautiful. And since beauty has always been for me the path to grasping the truth and the good, it was not difficult to give my heart to one who so deeply understand and celebrated the beautiful.
In good time I discovered von Hildebrand the moral hero, the witness to truth against Nazi power. I was moved not just by his courage or his clarity of mind, but what really spoke to me was his heart; for he went to battle against Hitler ultimately as an act of love—for love of truth, indeed, but also for love of his native Germany and his fellow Germans, for his family, and his friends.
I’ve now had the privilege of working on several translations of books by von Hildebrand. But working on the memoirs has been a very special experience—almost like an interpersonal exchange with a man whose heart and soul are so deeply expressed in these pages. In considering even the slightest nuance of meaning, in struggling to capture his spirit, a bond almost like companionship has arisen between me and von Hildebrand.
Q: If you had to choose just one legacy of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s life to share with the world, what would it be?
A: Oh what a painfully difficult question! I think it’s almost unfair to ask! How can I not speak about his idea that the human heart, in crucial ways more so than the will and the mind, is really what most deeply defines us as persons? Or how can I not say something about his insights into reverence and gratitude? Or how he shows us that beauty is not just a dispensable luxury but a necessity for human flourishing?
But to the question of one key legacy of von Hildebrand—and let me limit myself to a legacy embodied in My Battle Against Hitler—I would say this. His example in Vienna challenges all of us to ask ourselves if we are compromising ourselves by becoming too comfortable with evil, particularly where evil masquerades itself in goodness, desirability, and social acceptability. Are we simply “making do” and granting evil de facto power over our attitudes and actions?
This is a legacy that can easily be overlooked since, from our vantage point, it is natural to view von Hildebrand as victorious in the battle against Hitler. But that was not how von Hildebrand would have experienced it. After Hitler’s ascension to power, he knew that he was not fighting for victory, at least in the short term, but to honor the demands of conscience
In his memoirs von Hildebrand often expresses this idea of serving truth even in the face of apparent futility. I particularly love a passage in which he encounters a fellow Catholic who accuses him of failing to recognize God’s will in Hitler’s stunning rise to power—and in fact I’ve chosen this episode for the frontispiece of My Battle Against Hitler. To this confused Catholic, von Hildebrand countered, “If God permits evils such as Bolshevism and National Socialism, then of course, as St. Paul says, it is to test us; it is precisely our struggle against evil that God wills, even when we suffer external defeat.
Q: Were you surprised by anything that you came across in his memoirs?
A: I’ve been reading and studying the memoirs for the better part of a decade. Never during these years have they lost their luster; on the contrary they have continually increased my admiration, even my reverence, for Dietrich von Hildebrand.
What first struck me ten years ago—and what continues to move me today—is the way von Hildebrand bore the immense sacrifices required by his fight against Hitler. In circumstances that would fill even the strongest of souls with anxiety and unrest, he was able to live in great serenity and peace. And when most of us would think it quite natural to view the loss of home and possessions and friends primarily a personal sacrifice for us, I never cease to marvel that von Hildebrand above all mourned the loss of hearts and minds to the siren song of Nazi ideology.
And there is a mysterious power in the pages of his memoirs that I also find amazing. Whenever I read in them, I feel the confines of fear, anxiety, and the instinct for self-preservation begin to melt away as I am moved to view my life as an opportunity for witness and even heroism. And I know that many others who have read my translation in its various drafts have had similar experiences. The question, of course, is: How will I respond to this infusion of confidence? How will you respond? Will we rest content in being inspired by von Hildebrand’s heroism? Or will we allow the power and strength of his example to prepare us for whatever may be asked of us?
Q: What do you hope to accomplish through the publication of My Battle Against Hitler?
A: I’m extremely sensitive about not wanting to limit the book’s potential by interpreting it in any one direction. It is first and foremost the story of a great man, and no human life, let alone one lived with such fullness and intensity, can be reduced even to the noblest single agenda!
What I can say is that I hope this book will introduce von Hildebrand to thousands, even millions, of readers the world over. My Battle Against Hitler is not a work of philosophy, yet it is an exceptional introduction to von Hildebrand’s thought. So much of what he says and does in his fight against the Nazis goes back to his major philosophical insights. Readers of this book will be well prepared, and I hope, eager to delve into his many other writings.
But much as I hope this book will be wildly successful and reach vast numbers, I cannot help think that von Hildebrand would hold out a truer, higher standard. He would be far happier if his story helped even a handful of people to their own acts of reverence and courage. He would, no doubt, especially welcome those who felt called to public moral witness, but he would be no less happy to learn that someone had discovered a calling to bear witness even in a humble, obscure, and personal way.
Dietrich von Hildebrand often quotes the Latin saying tua res agitur, which means “this concerns you.” He would say his battle against Hitler concerns you. Why? Because as a human person you are no less called than von Hildebrand himself was to know, to serve, and to bear witness to truth.
the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project
Following my recent meeting with you and Mrs. Alice von Hildebrand, I wish to express my appreciation for the efforts of the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project to promote greater knowledge of and esteem for Professor von Hildebrand's distinctive contribution to Christian philosophical thought.
Drawing inspiration from the Augustinian tradition and its Thomistic reception in the light of Aristotelian philosophy, von Hildebrand sought to advance that tradition by creatively reinterpreting it in the context of modem thought and its concerns. He was far from a "petrified" vision of the teaching of Thomas, based on a narrow and uncritical devotion to the "words of the Master", and could well make his own the classic dictum: Amicus mihiThomas, magis amica veritas!
It is this "legacy" which has motivated your Project. Grounded in the rich philosophical movement which stretches from the Presocratics through Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus, to Augustine, Thomas and the great thinkers of the modem age, and taking up the challenge set forth in the Encyclical Fides et Ratio, the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project aims to enter into reasoned dialogue with contemporary currents of philosophy, bringing the full scope of reason to bear on fundamental human questions and contributing to the recovery of the sapiential dimension inherent in the_philosophia perennis.
Without such a commitment to the philosophical enterprise, Christian faith would fall prey to a "fideism" which would deprive it of its grandeur as man's free submission of intellect and will to the splendor of God's truth, and gravely compromise its missionary dynamism, whereby believers are called to offer to all a reasoned account of the hope that is within them (cf. 1 Pet 3: 15). I therefore express my appreciation and support for the work of the Dietrich von Hildebrand Project, and my confidence that this praiseworthy initiative will bear abundant fruit for the evangelization of contemporary culture.
To all associated with the work of the Project I willingly impart myApostolic Blessing as a pledge of wisdom, strength and peace in the Lord.
From the Vatican 30 May 2007
Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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