August and Martin

Today I stumbled upon the story of August Landmesser, a German who is seen in a crowd of saluting Nazis, his arms crossed in defiance. The photo was taken in June 1936 at the launch of a German naval vessel in Hamburg. It turns out, Mr. Landmesser was a member of the Nazi Party from 1931 to 1935, but when his application for marriage was rejected - his sweetheart was a Jew - "Rassenschande" turned him against the party.

It's a sad story of love, not unrequited but unrecognized, and neither the Mr. or Mrs. survived the war. The story has been preserved by the younger of their two daughters, Irene, who published "The Toll of “Rassenschande” on a Family" in 1998.

Today is also the 44th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

And so today I reflect on the lives of two great men. One led a very private life, his one defiant act was "discovered" and distributed by the media almost 50 years after his death. The other led a very public life. He was hailed by friends and hunted by enemies for years and years; I presume his fame affected his inward character as well as his outward behavior and today, we judge him both for what he was and what he was not.

Both men are enigmas, one for the little we know and one for the much that we know. Yet both continue to impact our world by forcing us to look at character and culture. They both cause us to think, to pause, to reflect, to consider. And for that reason, I salute both men. May we continue to learn from them.

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