Pause here for a moment to reflect on the courage and conviction of a man named Josef Wirmer. This plaque honors Wirmer who once lived right here. He was a jurist and a resistance fighter against the Nazi regime.
Josef Wirmer was born in 1901. He hailed from a Catholic family. His father was a school headmaster. Wirmer’s democratic views set him apart. He earned the nickname “the red Wirmer”.
Wirmer became a lawyer in Berlin. He supported the Centre Party. Wirmer hoped for a grand coalition with the Social Democrats. After 1933 Wirmer opposed the Nazis. He defended those persecuted. This led to his expulsion from the Lawyers League.
In 1936, Wirmer joined resistance circles. From 1941, he was part of Carl Friedrich Goerdeler’s circle. Wirmer helped bridge gaps between groups. These groups included trade unionists, Social Democrats and church circles. He supported Stauffenberg’s plan to assassinate Hitler.
The July 20, 1944 plot failed. Wirmer was arrested on August 4. He would have been Justice Minister if the plot had succeeded. Wirmer faced the Volksgerichtshof. Roland Freisler presided over the court. Wirmer was accused of being a coward. Wirmer retorted “When I hang I’ll have no fear but you will.” Freisler said Wirmer would go to hell. Wirmer bowed and said “I’ll look forward to your own imminent arrival Mr President”.
On September 8, 1944, Wirmer was sentenced to death. He was executed at Plötzensee Prison. He was hanged with a wire noose. Freisler died five months later in an Allied bombing raid.
Wirmer designed a national flag. It was based on the Nordic Cross. His flag was meant for a post-Hitler government. The flag was discussed in 1948. It was ultimately rejected.
The Josef Wirmer Plaque reminds us of a man of principle. He stood against tyranny and paid the ultimate price. Wirmer’s story is a testament to the power of resistance.