11 Jan January 11, 1945

On January 11, the death sentence was pronounced for Delp, Moltke and Sperr.

The prisoners were sent back to Tegel Prison, rather than the execution chamber, and Delp began to hope that perhaps the verdict might be overturned.

Delp also learned that on January 11, the day of his verdict, his Jesuit superior, Augustin Rὂsch, had been arrested in the countryside outside of Munich and was brought to the Gestapo headquarters in Berlin.

To the Kreuser family                                                                        January 11, 1945

Dear friends,

So it now looks as if I’m going to be taking the other road.  They’ve asked for the death sentence; the judgment will be pronounced today and the execution takes place right after that.  The atmosphere is so full of hate and hostility that there’s no doubt about what’s going to happen, even though they weren’t able to make a case out of the weightier aspects of the charge.

Alfred Delp before the People’s Court, January 9, 1945

May God reward you for everything.  Don’t be sad.  It’s God who decides our fate.  I thank you for all your kindness, love and help.  And I ask you to help my family through this time and to also look out for them in the difficulties that lie ahead.

Special greetings to the children.  All the best to them, and may God give them powerful protection.  (They ought to make things better than we have.)  Greetings to Grandpa as well.  All the best, and may God bless you always.  I’m going to say Mass again and then in God’s name place myself in his hands.  Good-bye.

Alfred