Church Officials Intercede for Dedeke

Several church officials became took action on Gerhard Dedeke’s behalf his during detention from March 5, 1941 until May 19, 1941. His colleague Joachim Steinbrück established contact with and also paid a visit to the Gestapo office in Berlin (Secret State Police Bureau). The Westphalian High Consistory also took action in the affair as of March 12, 1941. It negotiated with the Gestapo in Bielefeld.

Eventually, the church council of Dedeke’s congregation at St. Martin’s in Minden approached the Gestapo in Berlin on April 11, 1941. In its letter, it especially stressed Dedeke’s fundamentally affirmative loyalty to the Nazi state.

Congregational records also include a list of arguments that the church council or the Council of Brethren had compiled before the letter was sent. They underscore Dedeke’s loyalty to the nation and “Führer” even more strongly than the final version of the letter. The letter aimed to explain Dedeke’s condition psychologically. The congregation thus attempted to quickly end the pastoral vacancy as well, which caused particular problems during wartime.