German pastor reflects on Christian witness in a dictatorship

Rev. Hartmut Bartmuss

by Wilhelm Torgerson

GERMANY – At the invitation of the Ursula-Schule, a Roman Catholic High School in the city of Osnabrück in northern Germany, Rev. Hartmut Bartmuss of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) presented on his life and pastoral service under the communist regime of East Germany. SELK is a partner church of Lutheran Church–Canada.

Rev. Bartmuss grew up in East Germany and served there as a Lutheran minister before accepting a call to serve a congregation of the SELK in West Germany. Practicing Christians in communist East Germany usually were not admitted to college or university and their professional advancement was severely limited. This applied especially to the children of pastors. Missionary outreach was not permitted, and church leaders were pressured publicly to support the socialist ideology and government measures.

Rev. Bartmuss reminded the students that, while the communist state organized elections of sorts, they were sham events. A government agency presented a list of suggested candidates, and voters were pressured into approving the list by simply folding the ballot and dropping it into the box. People who entered the voting booth to make a personal decision were looked upon with suspicion.

Rev. Bartmuss, now living in retirement in the city of Bielefeld, left this reminder for the assembled students: be grateful for the rights you have, and never take for granted your involvement as a citizen in a democratic state and your support for the ministry of the church.

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Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson is Assistant Pastor of First Lutheran Church in Windsor, Ontario.

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