The Story of a German Teen... "Helmuth Hübener" by Luka Bebout

98147229 — 2025-05-08 02:28:23 UTC

The movie "Truth & Conviction" is a documentary about Helmuth Hübener, a young German resistance fighter during World War II. It was written and directed by Matt Whitaker.

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"German boys! Do you know the country without freedom, the country of terror and tyranny? Yes, you know it well, but are afraid to talk about it. They have intimidated you to such an extent that you don't dare talk for fear of reprisals. Yes you are right; it is Germany — Hitler Germany! Through their unscrupulous terror tactics against young and old, men and women, they have succeeded in making you spineless puppets to do their bidding.”
― Helmuth Hübener

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Helmuth Hübener was born in Hamburg; his mother was a wage-worker who raised him on her own.

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Photograph of Helmuth Hübener

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Helmuth has been honored in several ways since the holocaust, he currently has two schools named after him. One in Berlin & Hamburg.

98147229 — 2025-05-08 02:41:29 UTC

Hübener and his friends were imprisoned in Berlin’s Plötzensee Prison along with other political prisoners. The prison was notorious for its harsh treatment of prisoners and as a site of countless summary executions. For ten weeks, the boys were tortured and intimidated as they awaited trial.

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On October 27, 1942, guards told Hübener that Adolf Hitler had personally refused to commute his death sentence. Hours later, he was beheaded—the youngest person ever executed by the Third Reich.

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Born: January 8, 1925 and died Died: October 27, 1942

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Song remembering the holocaust

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Image of Helmuth

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Documentary made about Helmuth hubeners story

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Image of Helmuth as a young boy

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Image of Helmuth with his friends

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It was forbidden to listen to any non-government radio transmissions, like the BBC’s multi-language broadcasts. However, many Germans disobeyed. For people like Hübener, radio from other countries was the only way to learn the truth about the war.Hübener decided to spread these facts to people who didn’t dare listen to the outlawed broadcasts. With the help of three friends, he wrote, printed and distributed up to 60 pamphlets that included information from the BBC and called on Germans to resist Hitler. They stuck the pamphlets in coat pockets, left them in phone booths, and pinned them to bulletin boards.

98147229 — 2025-05-09 05:48:42 UTC

August 11, 1942, Hübener stood before the notoriously know "People's court" which was also often referred to as “Blood Tribunal.” This was because throughout 1942 and 1945 majority (95%) of the cases were followed with a death sentence or life in imprisonment. In most cases the defendant wasn't allowed to speak and the defense attorney almost never said anything and if the defendant did try to speak up for themselves they were quickly shut down and forced to be quiet. Hübener and his friends with whom he conspired had made a pact that if they were to get caught that they "would do their best to shoulder the guilt individually." They did this to avoid burdening each other with guilt. Helmuth honored his promise and did the best he could in attempts to take most of the blame off his friends. The judges “believed that Helmuth had been particularly bold in court in an attempt to absorb the majority of the guilt and thus draw attention away from his best friends”. So one could assume that his attempts to take majority of the blame weren't in vain, he was then sentenced to death. He then awaited his death which would be in two months(ish).

98147229 — 2025-05-09 06:32:37 UTC

Execution day is nearing and so far Helmuth has spent the las two months being mistreated and striped of personal comfort such as things like bedding and blankets. As the date was getting closer, Helmuth began writing multiple letters to friends and family, all but one of those letters survived the "allied firebombing of Hamburg". There are multiple translation's of this letter so this is googles version: "I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father that this painful life is coming to an end tonight; I couldn't bear it any longer. My Father in Heaven knows that I have done nothing wrong; I am only sorry that I had to break the commandment of wisdom in my final hour. I know that God lives, and He will be the just judge of this matter. See you again in a better world!

Your friend and brother in the Gospel

Helmuth." When Helmuth says "I have done nothing wrong; I am only sorry that I had to break the commandment of wisdom in my final hour." he is referring to the wine he would be forced to drink by the Gestapo as standard protocol, I can't seem to grasp how a man can be so close to death and yet still worry so much about sinning I understand wanting to die with a good conscience, but, a sin that he is being forced into committing, a sin so small as drinking a small sip of wine, I find it absolutely fascinating how he remained so calm and so devoted to god, Helmuth truly was a great man. That letter itself says a lot about Helmuth and what type of man he was.

Sources

98147229 — 2025-05-14 15:27:08 UTC

https://www.history.com/articles/meet-the-youngest-person-executed-for-defying-the-nazis