Blessed Bernhard Lichtenberg, Martyr



Blessed Bernhard Lichtenberg was a martyr of the Second World War. Born in1875, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Berlin, Germany. He served in the Cathedral of Berlin and was an outspoken critic of the Nazis and their anti-Semitic campaign.

He organized protests outside concentration camps, led public prayers for the Jews, and filed complaints against the party. Bernhard was arrested for these actions and imprisoned for two years. But this did not deter him.

After his release, he resumed his actions and criticisms against the Nazis. He was arrested again and sentenced to the Dachau concentration camp. He never arrived at the camp. He was killed Nov. 5, 1943 on the way to Dachau at the age of 67. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

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