# Execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1945)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1945-execution-of-dietrich-bonhoeffer
Location: Flossenbürg, Germany
Themes: Persecution

The Lutheran theologian is executed by the Nazis. At this point in the timeline (9 April 1945), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Pius XII (2 March 1939 – 9 October 1958).

## Why it matters
Execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer mattered because it shows how Christians and others suffered for faith and how violence shaped the church's memory and identity.

Pope at the time: [Pope Pius XII](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-pius-xii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Execution+of+Dietrich+Bonhoeffer)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)