The Eleventh Hour

Michael Phillips

Chapters (106)

The Eleventh Hour

Michael Phillips

The Eleventh Hour

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

ISBN e-Pub edition: 9781625391544

Contents

Introduction

Prologue—1961

PART I: The Mystery of the Garden—Summer, 1937

1 Among the Elite

2 Conversation on the Lawn

3 Baron Heinrich von Dortmann

4 The Opportunist

5 The Estate von Dortmann

6 Silent Witness

7 Der Frühlingsgarten

8 The Mystery of the Garden

9 Inner Storms

10 Low Advancement

PART II: The Mystery of the Kingdom—Midsummer, 1937

11 Guests in the Country

12 A Morning in the Garden

13 Woods and Countryside

14 House of Intrigue

15 Prayer for an Aging Saint

16 The Tour Continues

17 Old-Fashioned Farm Work

18 Change of Plans

19 A Visitor

20 The Invalid

21 The Mothers

22 Infiltrating the Brotherhood

23 Husband and Wife

24 Noises and Dungeons

25 The Hidden Passageway

26 Mystery of the Kingdom

27 A Father to Call Father

PART III: The Mystery of the Fellowship—Fall, 1937

28 Finkenwalde

29 Private Scheme

30 A Most Difficult Question

31 A Fateful Call

32 Bonhoeffer at Lebenshaus

33 Curious Proceedings

34 Neighboring Visit

35 Suspicious Inquiry

36 Exchange of Letters

37 Fateful Decisions

38 Irregular Correspondence

PART IV: The Mystery of the Dungeon—1939

39 Approach to Conflict

40 Frustrated Vendetta

41 Tightening the Squeeze

42 Another Invitation

43 The Party

44 Light and Darkness

45 Renewed Friendship

46 Outburst

47 A Talk on Anger

48 The Red of the Rose

49 The Three Parents

50 Corridors High and Low

51 In the Harvest Field

52 Old Eppie’s Tale

53 The Coming of War

54 Heart-Wrenching Offer

55 Testimony of Urgency

56 Parting

57 Prayer for Direction

58 Clandestine Assignment

PART V: The Mystery of Lebenshaus—1942

59 Darkness over the Land

60 Nighttime Vigil

61 Gestapo Schemes

62 Flight in the Night

63 Savage Search

64 Tomb of Safety

65 Night of Death

66 The Network

67 Reunion

68 Wilderness Wandering

69 Even the Petals Have Fragrance

70 A Morning in the Garden

71 Life at Lebenshaus

72 Clues Leading South

73 The Dungeon

74 Hidden Workroom

PART VI: The Mystery of Sacrifice—1944

75 The House of Schmundt

76 The Holy Box

77 The Baron and the Rabbi

78 North Again!

79 Another Visit

80 Suspicions

81 A Stranger

82 The Three Girls

83 God’s Handmaidens

84 Gustav Visits

85 Gustav Makes a Discovery

86 Somewhere in Poland

87 Heinrich and Marion

88 Last Night at Lebenshaus

89 Betrayal

90 The Passover Seder

91 Unpleasant Thoughts

92 The Communion Supper

93 Evil Approach

94 Angel of Death

95 Sacrifice

96 Freedom

Epilogue

Note on Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Introduction

Introduction

Nobody but an author could understand quite how a book takes you over and, in a sense, “writes itself.”

You’ve all heard that phrase, I’m sure. You probably have mixed reactions to it. One of my editors, quite some time ago, in response to my attempt to explain the phenomenon, replied, “That’s a little spooky, Mike… you don’t want readers to hear you talking like that!”

Well, certainly, no book really does write itself.