Charges and Arrest

Dedeke was detained for the first time from April 29 to May 6, 1938 for distributing leaflets on Martin Niemöller’s address. The reason given for his detention, though, was his alleged “violation of the blackout order”.

Dedeke’s second detention lasted significantly longer, namely from March 5 to May 19, 1941. The outward reason this time was his alleged “insulting of children of public officials”. One of his confirmands had switched to a German Christian class. Dedeke had remarked that most children that attract attention in class by misbehaving would switch. A German Christian lay preacher had filed a complaint against Dedeke because of his comment. The typewriter and mimeograph machine in the church office were confiscated on March 5, 1941.

The prohibition of an event with the character of a worship service especially annoyed Dedeke and he criticized the dispatch of two officials from Bielefeld to Minden in wartime extra for such measures.

As a result, Dedeke was interrogated at the Gestapo and ultimately arrested – officially for insulting a public official. This document is internal evidence of the high consistory’s negotiations with the Gestapo on Dedeke’s behalf. He himself considered the high consistory to be an adversary, though.

.