Who is this? Yeah, you probably already noticed that I put his name in the title but do you really know who this is?
Well, if you don't and even if you do, this a young man who lived in Germany during the
second World War. He was a brother, son friend and leader. He was smart, courageous
and above all virtuous. This is Helmuth Hübener.
Helmuth was formerly a part of the Hitler Youth group and was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was probably just like a normal German kid, a normal German kid in Hitler Germany. But he didn't stay normal.
No. He became extraordinary.
It all started when his brother, Gerhard, left a short wave radio locked in the hall closet. Helmuth got into the closet and retrieved the radio. Over the next few weeks, he'd listen to BBC station. (BBC, the British Broadcasting Company.) This was pretty risky because at that time Germans could only listen to one station, which was, of course, only told the side Hitler wanted the Germans to listen to. Listening to BBC could be considered treason since the news was coming from the enemy. But Helmuth kept listening and he decided that he wanted no part in Hitler Germany.
After a while he got two of his friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe and Rudolph "Rudi" Wobbe, involved by inviting them to come over and listen with him. At first the two had no clue the other was listening as well because Helmuth asked them both to come on different days. This went on for a while until Helmuth finally called them both over at the same time.
You can probably guess how surprised the two were.
Later Helmuth had the brilliant idea to start making flyers and passing them around. The three secretly distributed the papers everywhere they could. It was pretty dangerous.
Gerhard Duwer joined the group and was a great asset because he had access to a printing press.
Things are going pretty smoothly.
One day Helmuth asks another friend, Werner Kranz, to translate some things in French for him. Werner wants to know what these things are but Helmuth is hesitant. Later though Helmuth caves in and shows Werner a flyer. Werner isn't interested.
The next day Helmuth is arrested. Werner didn't turn Helmuth in. It was Gerhard Duwer. [However, as a side note, Wikipedia says that it was someone else, though we all know that Wikipedia isn't always the best source. Honestly I'm just going from memory and a report I wrote on Hubener about two years ago.]
For the next few days, he's interrogated. Who helped him?
Helmuth is detirmined not to answer.
But on the third day, he cracks. Karl and Rudi are arrested.
Six months later all three are present and facing the Blood Tribunal, the highest court in Germany. Gerhard Duwer is also there. At the end of the trial Gerhard has a sentance of four years in prison, Karl has five, and Rudi ten. Helmuth will be executed.
On October 27th, 1942 Helmuth Hubener, age 17, is executed.
Helmuth Hubener is a truly amazing young man who stood for the truth and didn't back down.
There's a lot we can learn from his example. Faith, trust, courage, dedication.
In her book about Hubener, The Boy Who Dared, Susan Campbell Bartoletti says,
"There are many reasons for a
person to lie, but to have a reason to tell the truth, you must have a deep
belief. And great courage. Helmuth possessed these things - and held on to them
even when the Nazis call him a traitor and sentenced him to death.
"Helmuth Hubener was a boy who
dared to speak out for the truth."
