Resist the wild wheel

Author: (German) Wind (Wind, R.) wrote, translated by Chen Huiya
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-12-21
Features: Less than 73 years ago, in the western part of Eurasia where we live, in the Germany that has been attracting countless fans in those days, a colossal "wheel" emerged. This giant wheel,、、、、、、、、、，、、、、、、、、、、、、。Wherever this wheel went, millions of people's bodies were crushed by it, and millions of people's minds were twisted. It is well known that this "crazy wheel" was a political system constructed by the so-called "leader" Hitler and his gang, led by the so-called "Nazis" of the National Socialist Workers' Party, a military-industrial group of a country that had already become a strong economic power and had a strict political organization, and a publicity and violence machine of a country whose strength, mechanisms, and mentality made neighboring countries uneasy and fearful, forcing some foreign dignitaries to "appease" and curry favor, having already risen from weakness to strength.
Exactly 100 years ago, in the peaceful city of Breslau at that time, the sixth child was born in the home of a university professor, also the youngest boy in the family. This family came from two distinguished families—the boy's ancestors included famous professors, lawyers, doctors, artists, historians, and theologians, and his maternal grandfather had even served as the imperial chaplain. The family lived in affluence and refinement; the children had their own rooms, abundant books and toys, a vast garden, and a country villa; many influential, knowledgeable, and opinionated relatives and friends often visited, engaging in lively discussions; more importantly, the children received a good and complementary education from their parents and a balanced and moderate love, and each was intelligent and accomplished. This little brother was not only gifted but also excelled in all aspects of development—entering a humanities school at the age of 7.5, studying theology at the renowned University of Tübingen at 17, transferring to the University of Berlin at 18, where he received high praise from the university's master, also a world-class theological scholar, Harnack; at the age of 21, when others had not yet begun their doctoral studies, he had already completed his doctoral thesis; at the age of 24, when others had not yet completed their studies, he had already the lecture platform of the University of Berlin, teaching systematic theology; he also studied in the United States, served as a pastor in Spain and the United Kingdom; he was deeply loved by his students and published numerous works, some of which (such as the one published at the age of 30, "The Cost of Being a Disciple") made him a rising star in related academic fields.
Exactly 67 years ago, on July 7, 1939, this 33-year-old young scholar, this talented and promising theologian, after long inner struggles, finally set off, voluntarily leaving the safe and free United States, leaving the elegant and famous theological seminary in the castle garden of the bustling New York City, leaving the comfortable small apartment where his friends in the United States had settled for him as a visiting lecturer (later known as "The Prophet's House") out of concern for his safety in Germany, and boarded the ship for the long voyage, returning to the dark motherland and throwing himself into that huge and vicious "crazy wheel"—with a firm purpose: to stop the crazy wheel!
Such a scholar, though a pure person, was still a weak person (perhaps because of his purity that he was weak), and together with the "few," though they shared the same ideals, they were still a minority—how could they possibly stop that violent giant wheel? The outcome was foreseeable: he and his companions were all crushed under the giant wheel! And it was ultimately stopped and shattered by the giant wheel of the Allied nations, which was moving in the opposite direction and was also made of steel. So, was this "effort to stop the crazy wheel" meaningless, a "pointless sacrifice"? This would be the thought of countless people, considered a "normal" thought, especially by the vast majority of Chinese people. I think this kind of thought is precisely the psychological root of the current society, a major "inner demon" that hinders our social improvement. Why? In the words of the protagonist of this book, the aforementioned "boy" Bonhoeffer: "When a madman drives a car through a crowd, we should not only help the injured but also someone should rush forward to stop the madman." Of course, the latter action carries extremely high risks, possibly resulting in death or failure, that is, possible sacrifice without success, but it is by no means "pointless." Imagine that in a large crowd, if no one takes the latter action, the consequences would not only be that everyone would ultimately be crushed to death but also that it would inevitably convey the message to the world that this crowd has lost the spirit to resist evil (such a spirit requires someone, even just a "few," to embody it), that justice is retreating and powerless, while injustice is rampant. In the extreme, what this situation "means" and what it declares to heaven and earth is that "justice has been crushed by injustice" here, because justice has died. Thus, whether such a crowd is still a "human" group, and whether life in this place still has any meaning, has become a question!
Conversely, Bonhoeffer and his companions' sacrifice for "stopping the crazy wheel" was meaningful—it means: there are still some people in this nation who, in a society that prioritizes their own nation above all else, can still live beyond national concepts, that is, first as "humans," though doing so requires paying a great price, the price of inner pain, and even the price of life! This meaning is profound—it means: this nation still has the possibility of being saved, just as the Old Testament says when speaking of the conditions for the salvation of Sodom: as long as there are ten righteous people in the city, it can be saved from destruction. We might interpret this religious symbol in this way: when a nation or country still preserves the spirit of justice—the lowest requirement of which is to stop the inhuman treatment of people (of any nationality, class, race, profession, age, gender, nationality, or belief)—it has not yet lost its humanity, has not become a "non-human" group, and has not reached the point of no return. Even if it has gone far down the path toward the abyss of justice and humanity's death, there is still a sliver of hope to turn back. This spirit requires "righteous people" to embody it. Therefore, people like Bonhoeffer have such immense inspirational power—some even believe that God blessed Germany to rise from the ruins so quickly after the war because of him. (We indeed see that some nations or countries in the world are moving from war to war, from disaster to disaster, though I do not believe there are no "righteous people" there, but no one knows how many there are.) At least, people like Bonhoeffer, with their lives, will provide profound lessons for future generations.
This is the third time I have written a preface for a book related to Bonhoeffer (the previous two were for the Chinese translation of "Letters from Prison" in 1991 and "The Cost of Being a Disciple" in 2000), yet I do not feel any lighter. I think this is because, when facing such a life, people cannot help but be moved. As long as one understands that this life was truly "lived for others" and that he willingly sacrificed it to stop the oppressive "crazy wheel" that crushed countless lives, as long as one understands this, how could any person with an unclouded conscience not be moved, not deeply, even painfully, reflect on themselves?
The small book in the hands of the reader is a biography of Bonhoeffer published in China, which won the German Youth Book Award. In the preface to the Chinese translation of "The Cost of Being a Disciple," I compared Bonhoeffer's character to a deep sea where people can freely swim yet still fear its depths, and his spirit to a high mountain where people can stroll yet still admire its height. After reading this book, the reader will find that the life of Bonhoeffer as portrayed in this biography, the life that embodies his character and spirit, can verify this point.
In an era of chaotic values, it is very difficult to maintain a clear mind and unwavering faith. And the price of resisting the tide is so high that it is heart-wrenching and regrettable. The German theologian Bonhoeffer paid the price of his life for his principles, becoming one of the few martyrs of the 20th century. His deeds and beliefs have influenced many individuals who silently resist the trends and currents. The title of this book, "Stopping the Crazy Wheel," is how Bonhoeffer described his role in that chaotic era of the last century: he expected to stop the crazy, death-bringing giant wheel of the times. Many young lives were crushed under the wheel, but the wheel itself was shattered.
In this world, violence and war still enchant people, but the life story of someone like Bonhoeffer still whispers softly of a spirit that refuses to stop at nothing to prevent the wheel, of the possibility of the continuation of the life of the nation and the land. This is a life story worth retelling again and again.