Pilgrims of hope: Lübeck honors its own martyrs in memory

Pilgrims of hope: Lübeck honors its own martyrs in memory

Last weekend, over 100 believers from northern Germany made a pilgrimage to Lübeck for a very special occasion. From June 25th to 28th, 2023, they gathered in the provost church of the Herz Jesu to commemorate the four Lübeck martyrs. This action is part of the Catholic Holy Year “Pilgrims of Hope”, proclaimed by Pope Francis and continued by Pope Leo As erzbistum-hamburg.de reports, the provost church of the Herz Jesu was the place where three of the four martyrs worked.

The four clergymen, Johannes Prassek, Hermann Lange, Karl Friedrich Stellbrink and Eduard Müller, gave their lives in resistance against the National Socialist regime. They were executed on November 10, 1943 after speaking out against persecution and oppression. The execution took place on the guillotine in Hamburg's Holstenglacis prison, under pressure from Joseph Goebbels, who demanded the death penalty. They are known as the “Lübeck Martyrs”. As welt.de reports, they were sentenced to death on charges such as “treasonous aiding and abetting the enemy”. Her execution took place far from public view and is a dark chapter in German history.

Hope in difficult times

Archbishop Dr. Stefan Heße, who traveled from Schwerin by bicycle, held the celebratory service in the provost's church. He spoke of the strong headwinds he experienced on his journey, which he used symbolically for the challenges of today. In his sermon he emphasized the power of hope that also sustained the martyrs during the dark years of National Socialism. Prassek's words from a July 1942 letter describing inner peace despite impending danger to his life have been quoted and serve as a shining beacon in a world marked by uncertainty - be it the war in Ukraine or tensions in the Middle East.

This commemoration is not only a tribute to the martyrs, but also a call to maintain hope and faith. The 2025 pilgrimage routes will therefore once again have a mediating effect in order to keep the spirit of the martyrs alive and to set an example for peace and understanding. A memorial in the Catholic provost church Herz Jesu in Lübeck commemorates her heroic death, and memorial services are held there annually on November 10th.

The Lübeck martyrs

What makes the stories of Johannes Prassek, Hermann Lange, Karl Friedrich Stellbrink and Eduard Müller so important? These four men, who lost their lives on November 10, 1943, embody the resistance against the injustice and arbitrariness of the Nazi regime. You are not alone; Other clergymen such as Alfred Delp and Dietrich Bonhoeffer also fell victim to persecution. Pastor Stellbrink, who took over his pastorate at the Luther Church on June 1, 1934, developed a strong relationship of trust with the Catholic clergy and thus showed that interdenominational solidarity was possible even in dark times.

Remembering these martyrs is not just a review of the past. It is an urgent call to stand up against injustice and stand up for peace and humanity, because the words of the martyrs are still very relevant today. As wikipedia.de documents, they are part of a larger commemoration of the victims of National Socialism that sets an example beyond the borders of Lübeck.