Germans remember Reformation Day

With his "Germanisation" of the Bible, Martin Luther opened the doors to God's Word for the common man 500 years ago.

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the town church in Wittenberg. Today, this day is celebrated as the so-called Reformation Day. Most Germans would like the last day of October to become an official national holiday.

It is not easy to characterise the work of the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). Liberal and orthodox alike find something in the work of the widely quoted German theologian. His life and death as a dissident in the Second World War arouse admiration. So does his unique theology, but it simultaneously raises questions. Who was he?