Is Killing Ever Justified?

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 19 February 2007 15:45:43

I'm currently reading a book about the 20th July plot to kill Hitler. History, especially 20th being a favourite interest of mind, is more of a light reading subject to me than most others.

What struck me most was the fact the the overwhelming majority of people who were member of the German Resistence were so because of their Christian faith. They saw how evil the Nazi regime was and saw that it was necessary to work to destroy it.

There was disagreement over whether or not Hitler should be killed or merely arrested and tried later. Even some of the most religious men were able, over time, to reconcile their beliefs to see that the death of Hitler was a necessity for all concerned. They were willing to die in the attempt to assassinate him. Seeing that their individual life was worth more as a sacrifice than allowing him to live.

That got me to thinking. Would we be willing to do the same thing today, if necessary? Is there ever a time when killing another person is to the greater good? I mean its easy for us, in hindsight, to say that Hitler was evil and deserved to die. Some of them were not aware of how evil the Nazi regime really was. They didn't always know about the Auschwitz and Treblinka's as we do now. Some had even come to the conclusion before the camps had started their grisly work, or Russia was invaded.

Another thing that comes across is the reluctance of the allies to offer support. They wanted the German opposition to mount a Coup d'Etat before they'd offer any encouragement or agree to offer terms for peace. Even in the early stages of the war Churchill and Chamberlain rejected all overtures. Had someone been a little more open and encouraging maybe things would have been different.

In the event most of the people associated with the attempt were killed between July '44 and April '45. Some were lucky and died a quick death, others had to endure months of torture and imprisonment before their ends came.

I remember visiting the execution building in the prison grounds in Berlin where many of them were killed. Even where it is situated, with a still functioning prison next door and a main road nearby, it is deathly quiet. I can't remember hearing another human sound as I walked around the small display area and read the stories of the various people executed there. Even the birds seemed subdued.