06 Jan January 6, 1945

To Marianne Hapig and Marianne Pünder

Good people, so now it’s a matter of praying, praying and trusting.  We mustn’t be niggardly and petty toward God, either in giving or in asking and expecting.  I’ve just now heard, for my greater “reassurance”, that Freisler [the president of the People’s Court]is supposed to be a real “priest- hater”….If we’d only been able to pull the Sperr problem out beforehand.  That way the man wouldn’t have been starting off with so many fixed ideas already.   But even here there’s a meaning, even though it’s just a stupid error.  It’s actually rather laughable that what’s tying me up isn’t my work at all, but rather a mistake.

Delp in earlier days

Once more, may God reward you both for all your kindness and help.  One day you’ll certainly realize how much you’ve put God’s greatest commandment into action on our behalf.  It’s exhausting the way I’m living like Peter here.  (For a long time the poor guy keeps looking at the water, and then he plunges.)

The time I’ve spent in this place has enough subject matter for a story in itself.  There are a lot of wounds, but also a lot of miracles.  I’ve seldom been in more of a cloister, myself with God.  May God bless and protect you always.

Max

To Luise Oestreicher

Dear L.,

Greetings.  I’m better again.  (Every day, though, until everything’s settled, I have to take deep breaths.)

Maria (Bernauer) Delp, Alfred Delp’s mother

Please, before all else:  on the reverse side of page 2 of “The Present Situation”, there’s a proposal that you should read right away and discuss with Fr. Dold.  Also, Colonel von Wurmb, whom Dr. Schmitt knows well, has good connections to the “aunt” [a Nazi contact] that I referred to.

If I am condemned and still alive after the day judgment has been passed, which for the most part doesn’t happen, then an appeal for mercy could be brought to Himmler on behalf of my parents and the help of this “aunt”.

Enough of that now.  […]  In the meantime, I’m begging you to hope and pray with me.  “Bang on God’s heart,” Urbi used to say.  God alone can do what’s necessary.  And actually he has given himself into the power of people who trust and believe.  God has let me gain a beautiful space where I’m free inside.  On the whole, that is the grace of these tough weeks:  getting away from myself.  My own inner security has been crushed.  But the reality of God has gradually come upon me, more closely and more intimately.  How could someone have lived the way I have, by halves and quarters? […]

How could someone have lived the way I have, by halves and quarters?

I believe that at this stage only God can fix matters.  It’s quite obvious that they’ve decided to wipe out all those who even had a slight connection to the situation [the assassination attempt].  But I’m relying on God.  And I’m daring to move toward him.   It doesn’t always happen readily.  It’s like Peter, whom you like so much.  As long as he was looking at the Lord, he was fine.  When he looked at the storm and at himself, that’s when he began to sink.  […]

When he looked at the storm and at himself, that’s when he began to sink.

May God protect you.  Greetings to my friends.  Ask everyone with an interest in the case for prayers.  Bit by bit matters are moving toward a finale.  We have become very few here.  Write to my sister now and then.  I’m not writing home in this vein, because my mother would not be able to keep quiet about it.  Get the children to pray.  God protect you, and thank you.

Georg

Could you, if it still makes any sense, help the people here, with some food and some cigarettes?  I always feel that I’m taking their share.